Steve Turre: “Colors for the Masters” | September CD of the Month

Most of our listeners may recall that Steve Turre was our 2012 Live at the Vineyards’ headliner.  Many of those present still talk about Steve’s amazing performance that evening playing trombone and his beloved array of sea shells that he calls “the most ancient horns”. Turre’s latest recording is Colors for the Masters however, it could also be subtitled colors by the masters as he is accompanied by the brilliant Kenny Barron on piano, perhaps the greatest living bassist, Ron Carter and the lone survivor of Miles Davis’ late 1950s quintet, Jimmy Cobb, all 3 being NEA Jazz Masters! This recording for Smoke Sessions Records was done “the old fashioned way”, live in studio with all members present assuring the highest caliber playing by all and resulting in perhaps Steve’s best recording of his formidable career. In addition to the trio, Denver’s own Javon Jackson appears on 4 of the 10 tracks, 5 Turre originals and 5 cover tunes. The last track of the CD features the gifted Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista on a thrilling rendition of the Antonio Carlos Jobim classic, Corcovado known in English as Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars, a perfect closer that showcases the talents of Steve on shells.

Steve Turre like his guest saxophonist, our home grown Javon Jackson had a stint in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Steve was also a member of Rashaan Roland Kirk’s highly admired Vibration Society and the Ray Charles Big Band. Turre is now in his 33^rd years as the trombonist in the Saturday Night Live band. Although born in Omaha, NE, Steve was raised in the San Francisco Bay area. His mom was a singer and dancer, his older brother Mike is a professional jazz saxophonist in Southern California yet, Steve went to college on a football scholarship which he abandoned to concentrate on his music career, a wise decision that all music fans are delighted with. Turre’s original compositions on the session includes tips of the hat for Ray Charles, Roland Kirk, John Coltrane, and his 2 band mates, Kenny Barron and Ron Carter. Steve Turre’s Colors for the Masters has an array of beautiful sounds selected from an exquisite palette of musical notes that will stand the test of time.

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