Murphy was on staff at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Austria as a vocal instructor 1990-1997 and 2001.

I had the great chance to write arrangements for Mark Murphy’s CD “Very Early” (West & East, 1992) and the opportunity to perform at Festivals in Montreux, Vienna, Warsaw, and Nancy.

During this time, I also met Ack van Rooyen and Chuck Israels, with whom I continued my studies after leaving Graz".

The nonet includes Oliver Groenewald and Andreas Pesendorfer on trumpets and flugelhorns, Michael Berbaur on trombone, Marko Lackner and Klemens Pliem on saxophones, Thomas Rottleuthner on clarinet and baritone saxophone, Emil Spanyi on piano, Thorsten Zimmermann on bass, and Franz Trattner on drums.

He did perform some of them in his live concerts, including "Everything Happens to Me".In his book A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers, Will Friedwald said The Dream and "Very Early, with a Viennese nonet known as "Nine", are his best projects with a large ensemble".