Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Mark Turner: Ballad Session

Mark Turner: Ballad Session

By Mark Corroto
March 1, 2000
View read count

When I was a young man, my father would describe a particular jazz recording as being “sexy.” To a testosterone-enriched lad, Stan Getz’s music wasn’t exactly what I would call sexy. As one ages, what one finds sensual becomes more cerebral. Tenor saxophonist Mark Turner’s offering of ten ballads is that grown-up kind of sexy. This is his fourth release as a leader, two previous Warner Bros. and one on Criss Cross Jazz; all are worth going back and listening to. What is evident in Turner’s music, is maturity beyond his 35 years on this planet. His sound is introspective, not showy. By releasing an album of all ballads, it is as if he was trying to deflect the attention away from himself and onto the melody. And by sharing the spotlight with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, who plays as if a second horn, Turner notches a true sophistication. Obvious references can be found to John Coltrane’s Ballads album, including a shared rendition of “All Or Nothing At All.” Turner has definitely been influenced by Coltrane, but also by Joe Lovano and Joe Henderson. The former Berklee College of Music student studied with saxophonists Billy Pierce and George Garzone. He went on to work with Ryan Kisor, Seamus Blake, Leon Parker and is featured on Rosenwinkel’s new Verve release Enemies Of Energy.

The recording maintains its nobility of manner throughout, selecting the famous as well as the obscure in ballads. Gershwin’s “I Loves You Porgy” and Wayne Shorter’s “Nefertiti” are heard next to Paul Bley’s “Jesus Marie” and Bobby Hutcherson’s “Visions.” But then again, these are consistent with Turner’s approach, favoring the cerebral romanticism over a showy tumble in the hay. Listening to “Some Other Time” brings to mind the Tony Bennett/Bill Evans version from 1975. Mark Turner, like Tony Bennett hits upon pensiveness born of love lost and a hope of return-an adult kind sexiness.

Track List:I Loves You Porgy; Some Other Time; Nefertiti; Skylark; No More; All Or Nothing At All; Visions; Alone And I; Late Lament; Jesus Maria.

Personnel

Mark Turner

saxophone, tenor

Mark Turner

Album information

Title: Ballad Session | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Warner Bros.

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Helium
< Previous

Ron Carter: Brazilian Charm
Next >

Mark Turner Concerts

Oct 15 Wed

Jason Palmer Quartet

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

Mar 26 Thu

Unlimited Miles: Miles Davis at 100

Wharton Center For Performing Arts
East Lansing, MI

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.