Norris Williams Turney 1921

Sassofonista (alto e tenore), flautista e clarinettista statunitense (Wilmington, Ohio, 8.9.1921 – Kettering, Ohio, 17.1.2001).

Applicatosi inizialmente al pianoforte, nel 1923 comincia a suonare il sax in do, poi l’anno seguente passa all’alto e quindi al clarinetto. Suona nell’orchestra della scuola e in varie orchestre da ballo locali. Viene ingaggiato per un breve periodo da Fate Marable a bordo di una riverboat, poi lo troviamo a Cincinnati con A.B. Towsend (1941-43) dopo una breve parentesi con l’orchestra di Bill Tye a Columbus (1940).

Dirige una propria orchestra a Toledo e poi fa parte dei The Jeter-Pillars a St Louis. Nel 1945 viene ingaggiato da Tiny Bradshaw e poi, l’anno seguente, da Billy Eckstine. L’anno successivo ritorna in Ohio dove, fino al 1950, dirige un proprio gruppo.

In seguito fa parte dell’orchestra di Elmer Snowden (Filadelfia, 1951), poi di quella del trombettista Johnny Lynch (Atlantic City, 1953-55). Nel 1960 si stabilisce a New York dove lavora con Clark Terry, Howard McGhee, Ray Charles (1967). Nel maggio 1969 sostituisce Johnny Hodges nell’orchestra di Duke Ellington e vi resta per quattro anni.

Nel decennio successivo accompagna vari show di Broadway (Raisin’, Guys And Dolls, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Sophisticated Ladies). Poi come solista indipendente si esibisce insieme a Grover Mitchell e nella formazione di George Wein, la Newport All Stars. Contemporaneamente insegna ALL’Essex County College di Newark. Partecipa alla tournée in Francia dei Savoy Sultans di Panama Francis (1979-80).

Norris Turney si autodefinisce un musicista classico, malgrado la sua permanenza nell’orchestra di Billy Eckstine e l’ammirazione di Charlie Parker. Il suo stile si rifà, senza ombra di dubbio, alla trinità del sax alto: Johnny Hodges-Benny Varter-Willie Smith. La sua posizione nell’orchestra di Ellington fu molto singolare: essendo Hodges, da lui sostituito, rientrato molto presto nell’orchestra, Turney vi rimase come sesto sassofonista, introducento tra l’altro l’uso del flauto nella scrittura ellingtoniana.
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[A.T.]

Saxophonist (alto and tenor), flutist, and American clarinetist (Wilmington, Ohio, 8.9.1921 - Kettering, Ohio, 17.1.2001).

Initially applied to the piano, in 1923, he began to play the sax in C, then the following year, he moved to the top and then to the clarinet. He plays in the school orchestra and various local dance orchestras. He is hired for a short time by Fate Marable aboard a riverboat. Then we find him in Cincinnati with A.B. Towsend (1941-43) after a brief period with Bill Tye's orchestra in Columbus (1940).

He conducts his orchestra in Toledo and then is part of The Jeter-Pillars in St Louis. In 1945 he was hired by Tiny Bradshaw and then, the following year, by Billy Eckstine. The next year he returned to Ohio where, until 1950, he headed his group.

Later he was part of the Elmer Snowden orchestra (Philadelphia, 1951), then the trumpeter Johnny Lynch (Atlantic City, 1953-55). In 1960 he settled in New York, where he worked with Clark Terry, Howard McGhee, Ray Charles (1967). In May 1969, he replaced Johnny Hodges in Duke Ellington's orchestra and stayed there for four years.

Over the next decade, he accompanies various Broadway shows (Raisin', Guys And Dolls, Ain't Misbehavin', Sophisticated Ladies). Then as an independent soloist, he performs alongside Grover Mitchell and in George Wein's lineup, the Newport All-Stars. At the same time, he teaches at Essex County College in Newark. He participates in the French tour of the Savoy Sultans of Panama Francis (1979-80).

Norris Turney calls himself a classical musician, despite his tenure in Billy Eckstine's orchestra and the admiration of Charlie Parker. His style is undoubtedly based on the trinity of the alto sax: Johnny Hodges-Benny Carter-Willie Smith. His position in the Ellington orchestra was unique: Hodges, who he replaced, returned very early to the orchestra, Turney remained there as the sixth saxophonist, introducing among other things the use of the flute in Ellingtonian writing.
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[A.T.]