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Tommy Turrentine; Virgil Jones



 
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joelf
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Location: philadelphia, pa

PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 4:44 am    Post subject: Tommy Turrentine; Virgil Jones Reply with quote

I think Tommy is incredibly brilliant. We were buddies and I knew this from up close and personal. It was 'personal' stuff that got in the way of wider recognition (but he was still a pure, beautiful person under it all---I loved him dearly).

Tommy played in the lingua franca of his day---late '50s-mid-'60s---but could take it out when called on. Fortunately he's well-documented on recording. To me every solo I've heard has all the ingredients of good art: no 'filler'; all space filled with real ideas (=patience); great deliberation and spacing; nice even tone; a centered beat; real courage (*see below).

*I used to watch him on the stand. He would wait and let sometimes 16 or more bars go by---until he had something to say. That took guts and wisdom.

He used to play with George Braith's street group in front of the 42nd St. library (they were seen fleetingly in a scene in Moscow on the Hudson). One time in summer I was walking by. Tommy was sitting on a stool; head down; a leather vest on bare skin---looking like an ebony Jesus. What he PLAYED! Such depth and poetry. And harmonically? He made 4ths musical, not patterny filigree.

My favorite recordings: Jackie McLean: A Fickle Sonance; Sonny Clark; Leapin' and Lopin'; his own eponymously-named date----and there's a Paul Chambers date, I think 1st Bassman.

Virgil was from Detroit (erratum---from Indianapolis) and tight with Barry Harris. I didn't know him as well as Tommy. We did make one week-long gig (George Kelly's Jazz Sultans---strangely also featured in the same movie---w/o Virgil or myself) and he perked my ears up every solo. He was as good as the best in that band: Benny Powell and Richard Wyands. He had many of the qualities Tommy had, and similar language. Seemed like he kept practicing up more and didn't fall prey to those 'things'. Great swing; attack; good ideas; more than enough chops to bring them out.


I hope these guys won't be forgotten. Jazz fans can be awfully fickle and gullible---reading critics who want to make careers selling what they think people will buy; young players often want to be accepted by the herd and that means listening to and aping whoever their clique is. Not all by any means---but it's easy to forget people who've made real contributions.

(Steps off soapbox, trips, sustains mild injury---LOL)...


Last edited by joelf on Tue Jun 08, 2021 11:57 am; edited 1 time in total
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PH
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Virgil was from Indianapolis. Great player. Grew up with Freddie, James, Spalding, Larry Ridley, et al on the Indy scene that also produced JJ, Slide, David Baker, the Montgomery brothers, and a bunch of other heavyweights. Virgil was totally on the same level.
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joelf
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 7:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess I stand corrected. But he must have spent time in Detroit---pretty sure he met Barry there...
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PH
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

joelf wrote:
I guess I stand corrected. But he must have spent time in Detroit---pretty sure he met Barry there...


Like Freddie, Spalding, and many of the rest, he was among Dave Baker's first students.
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JazzRetreats.com
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american boy
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 2:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got to play with Virgil a few times in the late 70s early 80`s..A Great guy,and an awesome jazz player..He used to ride a bicycle on 8th ave with his gig bag strapped around his back; I used to go to the Vanguard and sit on the steps(I was too young)and check out the band with Virgil playing the jazz book; He never dissapointed!..And he had a smile that would light up a room;He loved to talk basic trumpet talk,which always amazed me being 20 years his junior..He is very missed!
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joelf
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Surprised to see no comments on Tommy as yet...
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PH
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

joelf wrote:
Surprised to see no comments on Tommy as yet...


Excellent player, but I don't know his playing as well. I love him on the Sonny Clark record you listed above. The only time I heard him live, he was busking at Grant's Tomb in the '70s dressed in only a pair of jeans and an undershirt. He sounded fine, but both Turrentine and his trumpet had seen better days. He was carrying his trumpet in a shopping bag from Zabar's, no case.
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jmtrumpet
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Location: Omaha, NE

PostPosted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:17 pm    Post subject: Tommy Turrentine Reply with quote

So glad to see this thread; I really enjoy Turrentine’s playing and have been intrigued by him for some time. My humble offering is some research I did a few years ago; I’m not sure the attempt at academic-ese is of much interest to anyone except the frequent insomniac, but there are some transcriptions I did, and Joe Magnarelli and Dana Murray were kind enough to let me interview them regarding their relationships with Turrentine. Those are in the last 10 or so pages and IMO is a treasure trove of information.

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1109&context=musicstudent

I’d love to talk to anybody who knew Tommy so please feel free to reach out if you’d care to share any stories!
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joelf
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:15 am    Post subject: Re: Tommy Turrentine Reply with quote

jmtrumpet wrote:
I’d love to talk to anybody who knew Tommy so please feel free to reach out if you’d care to share any stories!
Knew him well. PM me...
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joelf
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:19 am    Post subject: Re: Tommy Turrentine Reply with quote

jmtrumpet wrote:

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1109&context=musicstudent
Thanks for this! Tommy'd be moved.

He was outwardly humble, even used 'sad' referring to the way he sounded at times. But people that gifted KNOW how good they are---just peel off a few layers. I'm sure he felt underappreciated.

And he was no 'log cabin' guy. Though largely self-taught he could sit at the piano, compose; orchestrate; study; analyze with the best of 'em.

Stanley had a great style. Tommy was a total musician...
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joelf
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jesse, you did a great job! (See link to dissertation above).

You got to what the MAN was about too. I was moved by Dana Murray's reminiscence. Thank you!...
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