Steve Turre is the 1997 self-titled album by American trombonist Steve Turre. This is his sixth solo album, his first of two albums he would do for Verve Records. The album features a number of special guests, including Cassandra Wilson, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Mongo Santamaria, and Regina Carter. No wonder Steve Turre merely used his name as the title of this tour de force, for it is a supremely ambitious, self-defining project that covers an enormous amount of ground and means on one small disc. With his trombone and signature conch shells as a base, Turre expands his reach to embrace the Western Hemisphere - particularly Cuba and Brazil – arranging, composing, inviting stellar guests to chip in, and ending up with a beautiful, swinging record that can't be mistaken for anyone else's. One gets a powerful dose of Turre's unique sound world on the fascinating opening track, "In a Sentimental Mood," done bossa nova style with a conch shell solo that sounds like late-period Dizzy Gillespie and a smoky Cassandra Wilson vocal. There are ample layers of Turre's multi-tracked conch shell harmonies, the sweetest ensemble sound this side of Lombardo and one that is used as a genuinely musical ingredient, not a gimmick. Turre is secure enough to feature the majestic sound of J.J. Johnson, who plays magnificently on the lengthy tone poem "The Emperor" - whose title undoubtedly refers to the elder trombone giant - and on "Steve's Blues." Afro-Cuban music plays a major role here, as Mongo Santamaria's veteran chartmeister Marty Sheller arranges "Ayer Lo Vi Llorar" for the 81-year-old Queen of Boleros, Graciela Perez - and then Mongo himself duels with the madly comping McCoy Tyner on, of course, "Mongo 'n' McCoy." The booklet notes (by Turre himself) are an exhaustive play-by-play of what was clearly an exhausting project, yet the final product has much of the exuberance of a spontaneous jam session. ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide.
Verve Records, 314 537 133-2,
1997
Recorded 7th May and 20th
June, 1996 at Master Sound Astoria Studios, New York
Personnel:
Steve Turre - Trombone,
Shells
Cassandra Wilson - Vocals
(#1)
Graciela Perez - Vocal (#4)
Randy Brecker - Trumpet &
Flugelhorn
J.J. Johnson - Trombone
Jon Faddis - Trumpet
Alfredo "Chocolate"
Armenteros - Trumpet
Britt Woodman - Trumpet [Open
Solo, #7]
Stephen Scott - Piano
Willie Rodriguez - Piano
Stefon Harris - Marimba,
Balifone, Gong, Vibraphone
Andy Gonzalez - Bass
Robin Eubanks - Shells &
Trombones
Jimmy Bosch - Shells &
Trombones
Douglas Purviance - Shells
& Trombones
Frank Lacy - Shells &
Trombones
Romero Lubambo - Guitar
Mongo Santamaria - Conga
[Solo]
Herculano Federici - Surdo
& Percussion
Manny Oquendo - Bongos,
Timbales [Solo] Guiro & Cow Bell, Percussion
Milton Cardona - Conga &
Shakere
Kimati Dinizulu - Djimbe,
African Drums
Victor Lewis - Drums
Portinho - Drums
Horatio "Negro"
Hernandez - Drums
Akua Dixon - Cello [Solo]
Regina Carter - Violin [Solo]
Carlos Baptiste - Violin
Ron Lawrence - Viola
Tracks:
1. In A Sentimental Mood
{Duke Ellington} (8:26)
2. The Emperor {Steve Turre}
(12:47)
3. Let It Go {Steve Turre}
(8:02)
4. Ayer Lo Vi Llorar {José
Antonio Mendez} (5:42)
5. Coastin' With Bobby {Steve
Turre} (8:43)
6. Steve's Blues {Steve
Turre} (6:38)
7. Inocencia [Basta De
Clamares Inocencia] {Cartola} (5:44)
8. Mongo 'N' McCoy {Steve
Turre} (10:30)
Credits:
Producer - Billy Banks
Engineer - David Merrill
Assistant Engineer - Rob
Farrell, Teddy Trewhella
Pianos Tuner - Max Conti
Mixed, and Mastering - Master
Sound Astoria Studios, Astoria, New York
