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| birth_name = Thomas Eugene Turk
| birth_name = Thomas Eugene Turk
| alias =
| alias =
| birth_date = 1927
| birth_date = {{birth date|1927|07|02}}
| birth_place = [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania]], US
| birth_place = [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date = August 4, 1981 (aged 53)
| death_date = {{death date and age|1981|08|04|1927|07|02}}
| death_place = [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]]
| death_place = [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]], U.S.
| years_active =
| years_active =
| origin =
| origin =
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}}
}}


'''Thomas Eugene Turk''' (1927 – August 4, 1981) was an American [[jazz]] trombonist.
'''Thomas Eugene Turk''' (July 2, 1927 – August 4, 1981) was an American [[jazz]] trombonist.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Tommy Turk was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1927.<ref name="Leonard" /> His father, Joseph,<ref name="PP54" /> was a coal miner and self-taught trumpeter.<ref name="Leonard">Leonard, Vince, "Trombonist Turk Slain in Las Vegas" [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19810806&id=Nd4NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_G0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6855,508843 ''Pittsburgh-Post Gazette''], August 6, 1981, p. 6.</ref> Tommy got his first trombone when he was in fourth grade of school.<ref name="PP54" /> His elder brother, Rob, was also a trumpeter.<ref name="Leonard" /> The three of them played in a band with two neighbors, and Tommy developed some fast-playing technique when playing polkas in the band.<ref name="PP54" /> He had further musical experience in the Conemaugh High School band,<ref name="PP54" /> and graduated from the same school<ref name="Leonard" /> in 1944.<ref name="PP54" /> The brothers then continued playing together in a University of Michigan campus band, but Tommy soon joined the army, where he also led bands.<ref name="PP54" />
Thomas Eugene Turk was born in [[Johnstown, Pennsylvania]] on July 2, 1927.<ref name="Leonard" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Thomas Eugene Turk |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/268375158:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=49847bf7e80b3e656ae9202e1dc0aa48&_phsrc=Dqh6155&_phstart=successSource |publisher=U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947 |access-date=12 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Thomas Eugene Turk |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/6036555:2441?tid=&pid=&queryId=49847bf7e80b3e656ae9202e1dc0aa48&_phsrc=Dqh6155&_phstart=successSource |publisher=U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850–2010 |access-date=12 August 2023}}</ref> His father, Joseph,<ref name="PP54" /> was a coal miner and self-taught trumpeter.<ref name="Leonard">Leonard, Vince, "Trombonist Turk Slain in Las Vegas" [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19810806&id=Nd4NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_G0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6855,508843 ''Pittsburgh-Post Gazette''], August 6, 1981, p. 6.</ref> Tommy got his first trombone when he was in fourth grade of school.<ref name="PP54" /> His elder brother, Rob, was also a trumpeter.<ref name="Leonard" /> The three of them played in a band with two neighbors, and Tommy developed some fast-playing technique when playing polkas in the band.<ref name="PP54" /> He had further musical experience in the Conemaugh High School band,<ref name="PP54" /> and graduated from the same school<ref name="Leonard" /> in 1944.<ref name="PP54" /> The brothers then continued playing together in a University of Michigan campus band, but Tommy soon joined the army, where he also led bands.<ref name="PP54" />


==Later life and career==
==Later life and career==

Revision as of 17:47, 12 August 2023

Tommy Turk
Background information
Birth nameThomas Eugene Turk
Born(1927-07-02)July 2, 1927
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedAugust 4, 1981(1981-08-04) (aged 54)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Trombone

Thomas Eugene Turk (July 2, 1927 – August 4, 1981) was an American jazz trombonist.

Early life

Thomas Eugene Turk was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania on July 2, 1927.[1][2][3] His father, Joseph,[4] was a coal miner and self-taught trumpeter.[1] Tommy got his first trombone when he was in fourth grade of school.[4] His elder brother, Rob, was also a trumpeter.[1] The three of them played in a band with two neighbors, and Tommy developed some fast-playing technique when playing polkas in the band.[4] He had further musical experience in the Conemaugh High School band,[4] and graduated from the same school[1] in 1944.[4] The brothers then continued playing together in a University of Michigan campus band, but Tommy soon joined the army, where he also led bands.[4]

Later life and career

Turk left the army and then moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1947.[4] He became established there as part of the Deuces Wild quintet.[1] Their playing helped Turk develop a reputation, and when promoter Norman Granz heard him play, he invited Turk to appear with his touring group of major jazz figures when they performed at the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh.[4] His appearance was a success, and Granz recruited Turk to play in Chicago, and for several months in 1948 as part of Jazz at the Philharmonic.[4]

Turk can be heard on several CDs with Charlie Parker. In 1949 he was a member of Flip Phillips and His Orchestra, together with John D'Agostino, Buddy Morrow, Kai Winding, Sonny Criss, Mickey Crane, Ray Brown and Shelly Manne,[5] and on December 1, 1949, he led a group including Ray Brown and Buddy Rich that recorded four tunes under the name "Tommy Turk and His Orchestra".[6] Nevertheless, he decided to stay in Pittsburgh, where he could control what he played and enjoyed life[4] – in the 1950s he continued playing with Deuces Wild.[7]

In 1954, The Pittsburgh Press reported that Turk was considering leaving the area because his annual earnings of less than $5,500 from leading Deuces Wild were inadequate.[4] At the time, he had a wife, Mary, and two sons – Tommy Turk Jr, aged three, and Charles, aged two.[4]

Turk also recorded with Billie Holiday,[8] Ella Fitzgerald and Flip Phillips around the same time.[5] In 1972, he performed at the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival with a band led by Roy Eldridge.[9]

For many years Turk led a quartet that played at the Point View Hotel in Brentwood, Pennsylvania.[10] He later moved to Las Vegas, to play in house bands.[11] The Brentwood band reformed in 1976, and later recorded the album The-Truth!!! as a quintet.[11]

Death

Years later, Turk was living and performing in Las Vegas. On August 4, 1981, he was fatally shot by robbers at a tavern in that city.[12] The Pittsburgh Press reported that Turk was "shot in the head for no apparent reason as he and other patrons lay on the floor of a tavern liquor store during a holdup."[12] One eyewitness reported that Turk had difficulty lying flat and did not take out his wallet quickly enough for the killer.[13] Four gang members were charged in relation to the killing.[12] The 15-year-old who shot Turk was made eligible for parole in 2005.[13] Turk, who was 53,[14] was survived by his wife and two sons.[1]

Discography

As leader

Album

Singles

  • "Two By Four" / "Encore" Mercury.[15] Recorded December 1, 1949[16]
  • "Bye Bye Blues" / "The Beat" Mercury. Recorded December 1, 1949[16]

As sideman

With Jazz at the Philharmonic

  • 1949 Jazz at the Philharmonic (Verve, 1949)[17]
  • Carnegie Hall 1949 (Pablo, 1949)[18]

Further reading

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Leonard, Vince, "Trombonist Turk Slain in Las Vegas" Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, August 6, 1981, p. 6.
  2. ^ "Thomas Eugene Turk". U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Thomas Eugene Turk". U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850–2010. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Kohler, Roy (April 11, 1954). "Does It Pay to Play?". The Pittsburgh Press. pp. 3–4.
  5. ^ a b Verve Records Discography 1949
  6. ^ Jazz Records, 1942-1965: A Discography By Jørgen Grunnet Jepsen
  7. ^ Peña, Carlos E., Pittsburgh Jazz Records and Beyond, 1950–1985, "Pittsburgh University Master's Thesis" (PDF). Archived from the original on June 9, 2007. Retrieved 2009-10-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ Lady Sings the Blues at Discogs.com
  9. ^ Garland, Hazel (June 24, 1972), "Jazz Festival Was Great But Attendance Could Be Better" Pittsburgh Courier, p. 16.
  10. ^ Frushell, Richard (December 12, 2010) "The Next Page / An Upright City: Pittsburgh and the jazz bass" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  11. ^ a b McHugh, Roy (December 8, 1977). "Turk Scales to 'The-Truth!!!'". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 2.
  12. ^ a b c "Tommy Turk Killer Gets Life" (May 14, 1982) The Pittsburgh Press, p. A-7.
  13. ^ a b "After 24 years, Las Vegas murderer has chance for parole" (December 15, 2005) Las Vegas Sun.
  14. ^ "Trombonist Killed During Bar Hold Up". The Daily News. August 6, 1981. p. 2. Retrieved August 16, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ^ Milsop, Joe (April 20, 1950). "Juke Box Review". The Progress. p. 11. Retrieved August 16, 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  16. ^ a b "Tommy Turk Discography". jazzdisco.org Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  17. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1996). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD (3rd ed.). Penguin. p. 1021. ISBN 978-0-14-051368-4.
  18. ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 774. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
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