Learning from greats like Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Ray Charles, Woody Shaw and Art Blakey, trombonist and shellist Steve Turre’s new recording is titled “Generations”. In his latest work, Turre combines the talents of elders and mid-streamers he’s played with the likes rising young performers like trumpeter Wallace Roney, Jr., pianist Isaiah J. Thompson, bassist Corcoran Holt and Steve’s son, drummer Orion Turre.
Recently, Steve Turre chatted with WBGO's "Daybreak" host Gary Walker about his career and the upcoming performance at Dizzy’s Club in NYC on Jan. 11 & 12.
Turre described his amazing connections to the legendary musicians that shaped his career.
"When I was 18, my first year at Sacramento State while I was still playing football, my brother sent me Rahsaan's record "We Free Kings" and that blew my mind. He was playing in San Francisco, so I went to see him. I ended up sitting in with him and that started that relationship. So every time he'd come through the Bay Area he'd call me up, asked me to play with him and he'd give me 50 bucks for the week. I didn't care, I would have just did it, it was like going to school. Then I went on the road with Ray Charles. After that I came back to the Bay Area and I met Woody Shaw and we became friends. Woody introduced me to Art Blakey. I sat in and Art asked me to join the group and he brought me to New York."
Turre is now giving back the same way to the future "generations" by inviting many talented young performers to be a part of his new album. The trombonist says they've grown as musicians the way he did, through experience.
"I just play. I bring compositions that require certain conception. I play them the way the I know how to play them. Since they (younger performers) listen, they go with the flow. The thing is I love about them so much, is they are able to hear the connection to what came before and yet they're still moving it to the future. They try things I wouldn't have thought of."
You can SEE Gary Walker's entire interview with Steve Turre here.