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| Bruce Turner |
 Whatever you read about Bruce Turner the words eclectic and eccentric always manage to crop up. The eccentric side of him was not usually displayed in his music - although he did not always run true to form in what people expected of him. Generally it centres around his obsession with cream cakes and a tendency to called everyone "Dad" irrespective of their sex or age. Musically he managed to move effortlessly into different styles without compromising his jazz content or his standards. Or, alternatively, he managed to make his style fit whatever context he found himself in. Like most true talents he was self effacing and modest about his playing. He came to prominence in the late 1940s playing Dixieland clarinet in Freddy Randall''s band. In 1953 Humphrey Lyttelton was changing direction from his very traditional style and moving towards a mainstream style. When trombonist Keith Christie left the Lyttelton band Humph did not immediately replace him with another trombonist, but eventually brought in Bruce on alto to join the front line of Humph and Wally Fawkes. The move infuriated the traditional fans and resulted in a banner with the slogan "Go Home Dirty Bopper" emblazoned on it, being raised at a concert in Birmingham. Bruce, though, was there to stay and despite odd forays into band leading and freelancing, his association with Humph was to last until his death from cancer in 1993. Stylistically Benny Carter and Johnny Hodges are often alluded to when appraising his playing. His "Jump" style owes much to Pete Brown and you can detect his teacher, Lee Konitz, in there, but like all true jazzmen he has listened and borrowed and finally evolved something which is pure Bruce Turner. |
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