Norris Turney

Norris Turney (born September 8, 1921 in Wilmington (Ohio) , † January 17, 2001 in Kettering , Ohio ) was an American jazz musician (alto and tenor saxophone , clarinet , also flute ).

Live and act

Turney began his music career in the American Midwest in Territory bands such as the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra , played briefly with Tiny Bradshaw in Chicago and then moved to New York. In 1945/46 he was a member of Billy Eckstine's orchestra . After returning to Ohio , he played mostly with local bands. In 1967 he went on tour with Ray Charles . He gained greater fame when he worked for Duke Ellington from 1969 to 1973 and was the first flute soloist in the orchestra. a. heard on the album Up In Duke's Workshop (1969), The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (1971) and the New Orleans Suite (1972). In the following years he played with the Savoy Sultans , George Wein's Newport All-Stars and various theater orchestras.

He had two recordings under his own name; 1978 in a studio session ( I Let A Song ) with the Ellington musicians Booty Wood , Aaron Bell , Sam Woodyard and the pianist Raymond Fol , which also appeared on Black & Blue . In 1993 the album Big Sweet N 'Blue ( Mapleshade Records ) was created with a rhythm section composed of Larry Willis , Walter Booker and Jimmy Cobb . Turney also performed with Nina Simone ( Sings the Blues , 1967), Paul Gonsalves / Ray Nance ( Just A-sittin 'And A-rockin , 1970), Snooky Young , Roy Eldridge (1976), Alberta Hunter ( Amtrak Blues , 1980) , the American Jazz Orchestra ( Ellington Masterpieces , 1989), Phyllis Hyman , Randy Weston ( Tanjah , 1995) and Jodie Christian ( Front Line , 1996). He died of kidney failure in 2001 . As an alto saxophonist, he is heavily influenced by Johnny Hodges .

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personal data
SURNAME	Turney, Norris
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American jazz musician (alto and tenor saxophone, clarinet, also flute)
DATE OF BIRTH	September 8, 1921
PLACE OF BIRTH	Wilmington, Ohio
DATE OF DEATH	January 17, 2001
Place of death	Kettering , Ohio