Biography
Stanley William Turrentine, nicknamed 'Mr. T' or 'The Sugar Man,' was born on April 5, 1934, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, into a musical family; his father was a saxophonist, and his older brother Tommy played trumpet. He began playing saxophone early, inspired by his father's technique, and started his professional career at age 17 touring with Lowell Fulson's blues band in 1951 alongside Ray Charles. In 1953, he joined Earl Bostic's band, replacing John Coltrane, and later worked with Tadd Dameron; his only formal musical training came during a mid-1950s military stint, after which he joined Max Roach's band in 1959.
Turrentine rose to prominence in the 1960s with Blue Note Records, signing in 1960 after session work with Jimmy Smith on albums like Back at the Chicken Shack. He married organist Shirley Scott that year, forming a key soul jazz duo; they recorded together extensively until their 1971 divorce, producing works like Hustlin' (1964). His style blended hard bop, soul jazz, blues, and bebop influences, characterized by a big, warm, blues-drenched tenor saxophone tone, as heard in leader debuts like Look Out! (1960). In the 1970s, he explored jazz fusion with CTI, achieving commercial success with Sugar (1970) and Don't Mess with Mister T. (1973).
Returning to soul jazz in the 1980s and 1990s, Turrentine earned four Grammy nominations and a #1 hit, cementing his legacy as a versatile tenor saxophonist bridging R&B, jazz, and fusion. He passed away on September 12, 2000.
Fun Facts
- Replaced John Coltrane in Earl Bostic's band in 1953.
- Toured at age 17 with Lowell Fulson's band alongside a young Ray Charles in 1951.
- Nicknamed 'The Sugar Man' for his hit album Sugar and sweet, bluesy tone.
- Received his only formal musical training during U.S. military service in the mid-1950s.
Associated Acts
- Horace Parlan Quintet
- CTI All-Stars
- Fuse One
- Max Roach Quintet - tenor saxophone
- Max Roach Plus Four
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Illinois Jacquet - major stylistic influence on his big-toned tenor saxophone sound (early career inspiration) [1950s]
- Earl Bostic - band leader who hired him, replacing John Coltrane (Bostic's R&B/jazz band)
- Tadd Dameron - pianist/composer whose group he played in (Dameron's bands) [1950s]
Key Collaborators
- Shirley Scott - wife and frequent organ trio partner (Hustlin' (1964), Dearly Beloved (1961)) [1960-1971]
- Jimmy Smith - organist for key session work leading to Blue Note signing (Back at the Chicken Shack, Midnight Special) [1960s]
- Max Roach - drummer's band after military service (Roach's band)
- Freddie Hubbard - trumpeter on CTI fusion recordings (Sugar (1970)) [1970s]
Connection Network
External Links
Tags: #hard-bop, #jazz, #jazz-musicians
References
Heard on WWOZ
stanley turrentine has been played 8 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.