Stanley Turrentine Collection

I’ve been really into Stanley Turrentine for the last month or two, so I’ve finally decided to put up a few albums that I’ve really enjoyed that I was unable to find on some of the other blogs, so hopefully you all will find something new here.

STANLEY TURRENTINE – T TIME (1995)

This is the first Turrentine album I’m upping… I just got it in the mail a few days ago and I love it. I believe it’s a compilation album, and they certainly chose some great material. My favorite track would have to be the song “Touching,” which you can find a live rendition of here. There are plenty of other great songs on here, and I didn’t see this anywhere else on the web so enjoy picking this one up.

Track Listing:

1. Don't Mess With Mr. T.
2. A Little Sweetness
3. I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do
4. Impressions
5. Terrible T.
6. The Island
7. Touching
8. Side Steppin'

Sample it here, buy it here.

STANLEY TURRENTINE – LOOK OUT! (1960)

This is one of Turrentine’s first album as the band leader, released in 1960. Contains on of his better known songs, “Little Sheri.” Look Out! contains some of his finest playing early in his early career when he was playing his tight swinging jazz, and not so much his smooth jazz style. This album is definitely worth checking out.

Track Listing:

1. Look Out!
2. Journey Into Melody
3. Return Engagment
4. Little Sheri
5. Tiny Capers
6. Minor-Chant
7. Tin Tin Deo
8. Yesterdays
9. Little Sheri (45 version)

Sample it here, buy it here.

STANLEY TURRENTINE – EVERYBODY COME ON OUT (1967)

This is one of my favorite Turrentine albums, some amazing smooth jazz and soul on here. Stanley really can play any style of jazz, from swinging bebop to scorching smooth sax solos. This album would be categorized by the latter style. This is one that all jazz fans will enjoy and appreciate. My favorite track’s would have to be “There Is A Place (Rita's Theme),” “Everybody Come On Out,” and “I’m Not In Love,” although every track on here is truly enjoyable.

Track Listing:

1. Everybody Come On Out
2. Stairway To Heaven
3. There Is A Place (Rita's Theme)
4. Many Rivers To Cross
5. Hope That We Can Be Together Soon
6. All By Myself
7. Airport Love Theme
8. I'm Not In Love

Sample it here, buy it here.

STANLEY TURRENTINE – UP AT MINTON’S (1961)

The only official live recording of Stanley Turrentine (to my knowledge), and it’s a great one. It’s an hour and a half of pure jazz greatness. The band’s playing is tight and they leave lots of room for Stanley to do his thing. This is one for all fans of music, whether they be fans of Stanley, jazz music, or just music in general. You have to pick this up.

Track Listing:

Disc 1:
1. But Not For Me (Live)
2. Stanley's Time (Live)
3. Broadway (Live)
4. Yesterdays (Live)

Disc 2:
1. Later At Minton's (Live)
2. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Live)
3. Love For Sale (Live)
4. Summertime (Live)

Sample it here (part 1), here (part 2), and here (part 3). Buy it here.

I’ve already uploaded two tight Stanley albums, which I’ll repost.

JIMMY SMITH – BACK AT THE CHICKEN SHACK (1960)

This is the kind of nasty, back-alley music that makes you wince in ecstasy. With Stanley Turrentine's tenor and Kenny Burrell's guitar sharing solo space, the Hammond master digs in with a blues-drenched shovel. While certainly fluent in the bop idiom, Smith's organ work maintains a direct emotional peg that reflects the swing and jump blues of a previous generation. Turrentine, a relative newcomer at this point (1960), proves a perfect foil for Smith's funky ideas, forgoing flashy bop runs in favor of soulful, expressive passages. Even on chestnuts such as "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" and "On the Sunny Side of the Street," the foursome boils the melodies down to their barest bluesy core. Back at the Chicken Shack is the prototypical soul-jazz recording.

This is a great introduction to the B3 Hammond playing of Jimmy Smith and the smooth tenor sax of Stanley Turrentine (also see my prior post for the album Cherry). My personal favorites on this album are “Back At The Chicken Shack” and “When I Grow Too Old To Dream,” although they’re all great tracks. A great mix of jazz, blues, and soul.

Track Listing:

1. Back at the Chicken Shack
2. When I Grow Too Old to Dream
3. Minor Chant
4. Messy Bessie
5. On the Sunny Side of the Street

Sample it here, buy it here.

STANLEY TURRENTINE AND MILT JACKSON – CHERRY (1972)

This is one of the first records that got me into jazz music. I was getting into some older hip hop, and I had come across the track “My Philosophy” by the group Boogie Down Productions. I remembered hearing the saxophone sample from “Sister Sanctified” and I decided that I had to have the original as soon as possible. So I did some searching and I eventually managed to grab a copy of it. This record is a perfect blend of jazz fused with funk and soul. The first track I heard, “Sister Sanctified,” is still my favorite on this album. With Milt Jackson on vibraphone and Stanley Turrentine on sax, you really can’t go wrong. Man, that cat can blow! I’ll be sure to continue the Turrentine uploads; I know his work is extremely hard to find, and I think that everyone needs to have a little Turrentine in their collection.

Track Listing:

1. Speedball
2. I Remember You
3. Revs
4. Sister Sanctified
5. Cherry
6. Introspective
7. The More I See You (Bonus)

Sample it here, buy it here .

Hopefully this should tide the jazz fans over for a while… so I’ve had some big blues and jazz uploads, looks like I’ll have to hit up the hip hop fans next. Expect another big one coming soon.