Steve Turre

Steve Turre
Steve Turre performing in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Stephen Johnson Turre
Born	(1948-09-12) September 12, 1948
Genres	Jazz
Occupations	Musician, Arranger, Educator, Trombonist
Instruments	Trombone, conch shells
Labels	Verve, Telarc, HighNote
Associated acts	Sanctified Shells, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Carlos Santana, Ray Charles
Website	SteveTurre.com

Steve Turre (né Stephen Johnson Turre; born 12 September 1948 Omaha, Nebraska) is an American jazz trombonist, a pioneering musical seashell virtuoso, a composer, arranger, and educator at the collegiate-conservatory level who, for fifty years, has been active in jazz, rock, and Latin jazz — in live venues, recording studios, television, and cinema production. As a studio musician, Turre is among the most prolific living jazz trombonist in the world.^[1] As a member of a television orchestra, this is Turre's thirtieth year as trombonist with the Saturday Night Live Band.

Growing up

Turre was raised in Lafayette, California (San Francisco Bay area). His father was of Sicilian ancestry and his mother was of Mexican ancestry. He began playing trombone at age ten, during his fourth grade in school.^[2] In his early teens, he played in a band with his elder brother, Michael James Turre (born 1946), a saxophonist. Although he entered California State University, Sacramento,^[3] on a football scholarship, he studied music theory there for two years before transferring to the University of North Texas College of Music, where he studied from 1968 to 1969 and played in a band led by Hannibal Peterson.

Professional career

In 1968, Turre played with Rahsaan Roland Kirk; in 1970 he recorded with Carlos Santana; and in 1972 he toured with Ray Charles. He has been the trombonist for the Saturday Night Live band since 1985 and has taught jazz trombone at the Manhattan School of Music since 1988.

Turre is also noted for playing conch and other seashells as musical instruments, which he has done since 1970.^[4] Kirk encouraged his interest in using seashells as a lip-reed instrument. Turre has a collection of shells of various sizes, which he has picked up during his travels in the Caribbean and elsewhere. The shells have their mouthpieces carefully cut and are tuned to specific pitches. When playing them as a soloist he frequently switches between shells, as each is limited in its register (the smallest shells, for example, have a practical register of only a fifth). His largest shell, from the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, has a range between the D and E below middle C, and was painted by a Cuban artist. Turre also leads "Sanctified Shells," which is a "shell choir" made up of brass players who double on seashell (using shells from Turre's collection, which he loans out for rehearsals and performances). The group released its first, eponymous album in 1993.^[5]

L to R: Big Sam Williams, Jeff Albert, Steve Turre, and Kirk Joseph

He has had a long experience with Latin jazz, and is also a skilled player of the cowbell and Venezuelan maracas.

Turre has been a member of the Juilliard faculty since 2008, and was previously on the faculty from 2001 to 2003.

Awards

In 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2006 he won the Down Beat Reader's Poll for best trombonist.

Family

Turre was married to cellist Akua Dixon^[6][7] (born 1948) from 1978 to 2012, with whom he had two children. He was formerly married (1970 in Dallas, Texas) to and divorced (1972 in San Francisco) from Susan J. Beard.

Steve Turre is one of four children born to the marriage of James Boles Turre (1921–1997) and Carmen Marie (née Johnson). He has two brothers — Michael James Turre (born 1946) and Peter Joseph Turre (born 1957) — are musicians, saxophone-woodwinds and drums, respectively. He also has a sister, Michele Anita Turre (born 1953).

Recording career

The Jazz Discography database lists him as having appeared on 235 jazz recording sessions from 1969 to 2011. As leader, he has recorded over 31 sessions from 1986 to 2011. As sideman, composer, and arranger, he has recorded with the following artist from 1969 to 2011 (in order of first listing with the artist):^[1][8]
<div= style="-moz-column-width:20em; column-width:20em; font-size:95%;">

North Texas

Jerry Fisher

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers

Woody Shaw

Chico Hamilton

Ryo Kawasaki

Cedar Walton

Slide Hampton

Jerry Gonzalez

Archie Shepp

Pharoah Sanders

Terumasa Hino

Dexter Gordon

Deadline

Lester Bowie

Carmen Lundy

James Newton

Jack Walrath

Hilton Ruiz

Daniel Ponce

Ralph Moore

McCoy Tyner

Bob Stewart

Lou Rawls

Robin Eubanks

Dizzy Gillespie

Fred Wesley

Art Ensemble of Chicago

Art Ensemble of Chicago

Larry Gales

Ricky Ford

Don Braden

Cecil Bridgewater

Charlie Sepúlveda

Johnny Griffin

Don Grolnick

Bobby Watson

Antonio Hart

Vanessa Rubin

Dave Valentin

Freddy Cole

Carl Allen

Dee Dee Bridgewater

The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band

Christian McBride

Regina Carter

Tito Puente

John Scofield

Henry Butler

Max Roach

Phil Ranelin

Benny Golson

Tom Harrell

Horace Silver

Carol Sloane

Kenny Burrell

J.J. Johnson

Eastwood After Hours

All-Stars Y Amigos

Swing Summit

Ron Levy

Michael Davis

Absolute Trombone

Mingus Big Band

Lew Del Gatto

Stefon Harris

Yoron Israel

Terence Blanchard

Monty Alexander

Ray Barretto

Etta Jones

Eddie Allen

Nick Rolfe

David "Fathead" Newman

Fabio Morgera

Jam Miami

Andy Bey

Naima Shamborguer

Renee Rosnes

Pamela Luss

Monnette Sudler

Chembo Corniel

Earth Jazz Agents

T.K. Blue

John Farnsworth

Frank Wess

John Santos

Marion Hayden

Peppe Merolla

Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble

Selected discography

As leader

As sideman

Sample video

• Turre playing shells

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Steve Turre.

• Official site