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Mark Turner (musician)
Encyclopedia
Mark Turner is a jazz
saxophonist and clarinetist with several recordings to his credit.
, Ohio, and raised in Southern California, Turner originally intended to become a commercial artist. In elementary school he played the clarinet
, followed by the alto
and tenor
saxophones in high school. He graduated from Berklee College of Music
in 1990 before moving to New York
. Turner worked at Tower Records
in New York City for an extended period before working full time as a jazz musician.
In early November 2008 Turner injured two fingers on one of his hands with a power saw, but as of late February 2009 (after a rapid recovery of four months) was performing again with the Edward Simon Quartet at the Village Vanguard.
Mark Turner's sound is reminiscent of that of Warne Marsh
, in that he often produces a somewhat dry, woody tone. He also has elements of John Coltrane
in his playing. Turner has mentioned both Marsh and Coltrane as influences, and has used elements of both players' styles in his music without resorting to mimicry. Turner's range extends seamlessly into the high altissimo
register. His improvised lines tend to be harmonically and rhythmically convoluted while maintaining melodic coherence. His compositions often make use of repeated patterns, odd-metered time signatures, intervallic leaps, and a selective use of space.
, Larry Grenadier
, and Jeff Ballard
, and has formed various collectives that include these musicians (M.T.B. and prominently, FLY). He has also played with the influential Dave Holland Big Band
. In 2003 Turner collaborated with alto saxophonist Gary Foster in a special concert billed as "Mark Turner and Friends".
Fly (band)
With Billy Hart
With Jonny King
With Kurt Rosenwinkel
With OAM trio
With Enrico Rava
With Mikkel Ploug Group
With Gilad Hekselman
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
saxophonist and clarinetist with several recordings to his credit.
Biographical information
Born in FairbornFairborn, Ohio
Fairborn is a city in Greene County, Ohio, United States, near Dayton and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The population was 32,352 at the 2010 census...
, Ohio, and raised in Southern California, Turner originally intended to become a commercial artist. In elementary school he played the clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, followed by the alto
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
and tenor
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
saxophones in high school. He graduated from Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in 1990 before moving to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Turner worked at Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
in New York City for an extended period before working full time as a jazz musician.
In early November 2008 Turner injured two fingers on one of his hands with a power saw, but as of late February 2009 (after a rapid recovery of four months) was performing again with the Edward Simon Quartet at the Village Vanguard.
Style and influences
Warne Marsh
Warne Marion Marsh was an American tenor saxophonist born in Los Angeles.-Biography:Marsh came from an affluent background: his father was the cinematographer Oliver T. Marsh , and his mother Elizabeth was a violinist...
, in that he often produces a somewhat dry, woody tone. He also has elements of John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
in his playing. Turner has mentioned both Marsh and Coltrane as influences, and has used elements of both players' styles in his music without resorting to mimicry. Turner's range extends seamlessly into the high altissimo
Altissimo
Altissimo refers to the uppermost register on woodwind instruments. For clarinets, which overblow on odd harmonics, the altissimo notes are those based on the fifth, seventh, and higher harmonics. For other woodwinds, the altissimo notes are those based on the third, fourth, and higher harmonics...
register. His improvised lines tend to be harmonically and rhythmically convoluted while maintaining melodic coherence. His compositions often make use of repeated patterns, odd-metered time signatures, intervallic leaps, and a selective use of space.
Musical Associations
Mark Turner has regularly collaborated with Kurt RosenwinkelKurt Rosenwinkel
Kurt Rosenwinkel is an American jazz guitarist and keyboardist who came to prominence in the 1990s.-Biography:He attended the Berklee School of Music for two and a half years before leaving in his junior year to tour with Gary Burton, the dean of the school at the time...
, Larry Grenadier
Larry Grenadier
Larry Grenadier is an American jazz double bassist.His father, Albert, was a trumpet player, and his two brothers, Phil and Steve, would eventually play trumpet and guitar respectively. Grenadier too began on trumpet when he was 10 years old. His father taught him to read music and gave him his...
, and Jeff Ballard
Jeff Ballard (musician)
Jeff Ballard is an American jazz drummer from Santa Cruz, California. He has played with Ray Charles and Pat Metheny and plays periodically with Chick Corea in many groups such as Origin and The Chick Corea New Trio. He also played with many New York based Jazz musicians such as Reid Anderson,...
, and has formed various collectives that include these musicians (M.T.B. and prominently, FLY). He has also played with the influential Dave Holland Big Band
Dave Holland
Dave Holland is an English jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States for 40 years....
. In 2003 Turner collaborated with alto saxophonist Gary Foster in a special concert billed as "Mark Turner and Friends".
As leader
- Yam Yam (Criss-Cross, 1995) http://www.crisscrossjazz.com/album/1094.html
- The Music of Mercedes Rossy (Fresh SoundFresh SoundFresh Sound, or Fresh Sound New Talent, is a Spanish jazz label based in Barcelona, specializing in American jazz music.Fresh Sound was founded in 1983 as a reissue label for 1950s jazz...
, 1998) http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/record_popup.php?record_id=62 - Mark Turner (Warner Bros., 1998)
- In This World (Warner Bros., 1998)
- Two Tenor Ballads (Criss Cross, 2000) http://www.crisscrossjazz.com/album/1182.html
- Ballad Session (Warner Bros., 2000)
- Dharma Days (Warner Bros., 2001)
Fly (band)
Fly (band)
Fly is the cooperative jazz trio of saxophonist Mark Turner, drummer Jeff Ballard and bassist Larry Grenadier.- Discography :* Fly , Savoy Jazz*Sky & Country , ECM Records- External links :* *...
- Fly (2004), Savoy Jazz
- Sky & Country (2009), ECM Records
As sideman
With Jaleel Shaw- Perspective (Fresh Sound)
With Billy Hart
Billy Hart
William "Billy" Hart is a jazz drummer and educator who has performed with some of the most important jazz musicians in history.-Biography:Early on Hart performed in Washington, D.C...
- Quartet (High Note)
With Jonny King
Jonny King
Jonny King is an American jazz pianist.Raised in New York City, King graduated from Princeton and Harvard Law School and has been an attorney at a copyright practice....
- In from the Cold (Criss Cross JazzCriss Cross JazzCriss Cross Jazz is a Dutch jazz record label, specializing in American jazz.Criss Cross was founded in 1980 by Gerry Teekens, a drummer and German professor. The label, which releases about 20 albums per year, is noted for its simple, block-color cover art...
)
With Kurt Rosenwinkel
Kurt Rosenwinkel
Kurt Rosenwinkel is an American jazz guitarist and keyboardist who came to prominence in the 1990s.-Biography:He attended the Berklee School of Music for two and a half years before leaving in his junior year to tour with Gary Burton, the dean of the school at the time...
- The Enemies Of Energy (Verve RecordsVerve RecordsVerve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
) - The Next Step (Verve RecordsVerve RecordsVerve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
) - Heartcore (Verve RecordsVerve RecordsVerve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
) - The Remedy: Live at the Village Vanguard (ArtistShareArtistShareArtistShare is a crowdfunding website and labelWharton Innovation and Entrepreneurship Consulted on 10/12/2011 for musicians and other creative artists which allows them to fund their projects utilizing a "fan-funding" model to allow the general public to directly finance, watch the creative...
)
With OAM trio
- OAM trio & Mark Turner Live in Sevilla (LOLA! Records)
With Enrico Rava
Enrico Rava
Enrico Rava , is a prolific jazz trumpeter and arguably one of the best known Italian jazz musicians. He originally played trombone, changing to the trumpet after hearing Miles Davis. His first commercial work was as a member of Gato Barbieri's Italian quintet in the mid-1960s; in the late 1960s...
- New York DaysNew York DaysNew York Days is an album by Italian jazz trumpeter and composer Enrico Rava recorded in 2008 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 3½ stars.-Track listing:# "Lulù" - 9:33...
(ECM, 2008)
With Mikkel Ploug Group
- Harmoniehof
- Mikkel Ploug Group
With Gilad Hekselman
- Hearts Wide Open
External links
- Mark Turner discography at JazzDiscography.com
- Turner/Marsh Thesis download link at Emerzianmusic.com