Mark Turner (born November 10, 1965) is an American jazz saxophonist.
Contents
Biography
Born on November 10, 1965, in Fairborn, Ohio, and raised in Palos Verdes Estates, Turner originally intended to become a commercial artist. In elementary school, he played the clarinet, followed by the alto and tenor saxophones in high school. He attended California State University, Long Beach, in the 1980s (playing in the jazz ensembles) and then transferred to and graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1990 before moving to New York. Turner worked at Tower Records in New York City for an extended period before working full-time as a jazz musician.
In early November 2008, Turner injured two fingers on one of his hands with a power saw, but as of late February 2009, he was performing again with the Edward Simon Quartet at the Village Vanguard.
He is married to the psychiatrist and anthropologist Helena Hansen.
Style and influences
Turner's sound is reminiscent of that of Warne Marsh, also incorporating elements of John Coltrane in his playing; Turner has mentioned both Marsh and Coltrane as influences, and has used elements of both players' styles in his music. Turner's range extends into the high altissimo register. His improvised lines tend to span several octaves and contain great harmonic and rhythmic complexity. His compositions often make use of repeated patterns, odd-metered time signatures, and intervallic leaps.
Turner states that his music is "unfolding like a narrative". Accordingly, his 2014 album Lathe of Heaven is named after Ursula K. Le Guin's novel of the same title, which is based on the idea of a world where the nature of reality keeps shifting.
Musical associations
In September 2014, Turner released his first album as a leader since 2001, on ECM Records; it features trumpeter Avishai Cohen, bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Marcus Gilmore. Turner is a member of the trio Fly, which includes himself, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Jeff Ballard. He also appears in guitarist Gilad Hekselman's Quartet, and drummer Billy Hart's Quartet. Turner has recorded extensively with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, saxophonist David Binney, and pianist Aaron Goldberg, among others. He has played or collaborated with over 45 jazz bands. In 2018 and 2019 alone, he played on eight different jazz albums as a sideman or collaborator.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
Yam Yam (Criss Cross, 1995)
Warner Jams Vol. 2: The Two Tenors (Warner Bros., 1997) with James Moody
Mark Turner (Warner Bros., 1998) – rec. 1995
In This World (Warner Bros., 1998)
The Music of Mercedes Rossy (Fresh Sound, 1998) – compositions by Mercedes Rossy
Ballad Session (Warner Bros., 2000) – rec. 1999
Two Tenor Ballads (Criss Cross, 2000)
Dharma Days (Warner Bros., 2001)
Dusk Is a Quiet Place (Naïve, 2013) with Baptiste Trotignon
Lathe of Heaven (ECM, 2014) – rec. 2013
Temporary Kings (ECM, 2018) with Ethan Iverson – rec. 2017
Mark Turner Meets Gary Foster (Capri, 2019)[2CD] with Gary Foster – live; rec. 2003
Where Are You? (Fresh Sound, 2019) with Kevin Hays and Marc Miralta – rec. 2018
Return from the Stars (ECM, 2022) – rec. 2019
Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts, 2023) – rec. 2022
Reflections On: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (Giant Step Arts, 2025)
We Raise Them to Lift Their Heads (Loveland, 2025) – rec. 2019
As member
Fly
(With Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard)
Fly (Savoy, 2004)
Sky & Country (ECM, 2009)
Year of the Snake (ECM, 2012)
SFJAZZ Collective
Wonder (SFJAZZ, 2012)
MTB
(With Brad Mehldau and Peter Bernstein)
Consenting Adults (Criss Cross, 2000) – rec. 1994
Solid Jackson (Criss Cross, 2024) – rec. 2023
As sideman
Sources: