Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture > Video Oral History Gallery

Video Gallery Cataloging Data: Tommy Turrentine

Location

Schomburg-MIRS



Call #

Sc Visual VRA-195 Service copy. 

Sc Visual VRB-2028 Original of: Sc Visual VRA-195. 



Author

Turrentine, Tommy, interviewee.



Title

Oral history interview with Tommy Turrentine, 12 August 1993

[videorecording] / interviewer, Jimmy Owens.



Imprint

1993.



Description

1 videocassette (1 hr., 32 min.) : sd., col. ; 1/2 in.

013200



Note

Title supplied; duration: 1 hr., 32 min



Credits

Produced and directed by James Briggs Murray.



Note

An excerpt of a recording by Turrentine is played during the

interview.

Recorded on August 12, 1993, at the Schomburg Center for Research

in Black Culture, Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.



Summary

The oral history interview with Tommy Turrentine, jazz trumpeter,

documents his life and development as a musician. Born in

Philadelphia on April 22, 1928, he was second of four musically

inclined children. Tommy recalls his parents' involvement in

music, was given his first trumpet by his Aunt Dolly and a music

book by his father while in grammar school. He never received

any formal training.



At age 15 Turrentine joined the musicians' union and was

listening to Fats Navarro, Freddie Webster and their linear

melodic style, along with Charlie Parker. He learned theory and

harmony from Cal Massey. At age 16 (1944) Turrentine quit school,

went on the road with Snookum Russell's Band and toured

throughout the south. In 1946 he played with Benny Carter for

one year, was let go due to his lack of sight reading ability.



Miles Davis advised him to learn to read music and play the

piano, this resulted in a turning point in his musical development

and career. From 1948-50 Turrentine played with George Hudson

and also did some arranging.



He recalls improving his sight reading skills, and describes how

discipline, listening and learning from fellow musicians were

key factors in his professional development. Also during this

period Turrentine played with Dizzy Gillespie for one week

filling in for Dave Burns.



Turrentine describes the club and music scene during the

1940's-50's and the sense of fraternity he felt playing with

and being among so many accomplished trumpet players such as

Art Farmer, Blue Mitchell, Joe Gordon. 



His first recording was with John Coltrane in the Gary Cross

Band. From 1952-55 he made a few recordings while playing with

Earl Bostic. In 1956 Turrentine worked with Philly Joe Jones,

and with Charles Mingus at Birdland for two weeks. From 1959-60

while with Max Roach, Turrentine made his first recording as

leader, and moved to New York City to stay. Was now listening

to Sonny Rollins and Freddie Hubbard. Turrentine made his first

trip to Europe while with Roach and recalls some of the

highlights. He recorded five albums with Roach on the Time

label. During the 60's Turrentine played with Lou Donaldson,

Philly Joe Jones, Lloyd Price and Frank Foster.



Turrentine names those he feels changed the entire style of

trumpet playing: Louis Armstrong, Roy Aldridge, Dizzy Gillespie,

Jimmy Owens, Thad Lewis, Clifford Brown, Fats Navarro, Kenny

Durham, Art Tatum, Freddie Hubbard, and Booker Little. He is

currently studying arranging, composing; pursuing his interest

in producing with his brother Stanley; and working with his

trumpet after some personal setbacks. Says he wants to do it

all and advises younger musicians today to avoid evils of the

business and to "keep steppin'."



Note

Reproduction. Originally produced: New York, N.Y. : Schomburg

Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public

Library, 1993. 1 videocassette ; 1/2 in. (MII). VHS.



Use terms

Permission required to cite, quote and reproduce; contact

repository for information.



Biography/History

Tommy Turrentine is a jazz trumpet player. Born April 22, 1928

in Philadelphia, he began his musical career as a teenager,

performed and recorded most actively throughout the 1940s-60s,

and is well known for his linear melodic style.



Note

Forms part of: Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.



In

Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project.



Subject      

Armstrong, Louis, 1900-1971 -- Influence. 

Bostic, Earl, 1913-1965. 

Carter, Benny. 

Cross, Gary. 

Davis, Miles -- Influence. 

Donaldson, Lou. 

Hudson, George. 

Jones, Philly Joe. 

Massey, Cal -- Influence. 

Mingus, Charles, 1922- 

Navarro, Fats, d1950 -- Influence. 

Parker, Charlie, 1920-1955 -- Influence. 

Roach, Max, 1924- 

Russell, Snookum. 

Turrentine, Stanley. 

Turrentine, Tommy -- Childhood and Youth. 

Turrentine, Tommy -- Interviews. 

Turrentine, Tommy -- Views on music industry. 

Webster, Freddie -- Influence. 

Afro-American musicians. 

Jazz musicians -- United States -- Interviews. 

Trumpet players -- United States -- Interviews. 

Trumpet music (Jazz).



Form/genre

Biographies. 

Interviews. 



Additional name

Owens, Jimmy, interviewer. 

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Louis Armstrong

Jazz Oral History Project. 

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.



Donor

The Louis Armstrong Jazz Oral History Project was funded by the

Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.