Tonight the Hopkins Center is going to blast Hanover out of the winter blues with the hot music from Steve Turre's trombone and his shells. Turre is not a typical trombonist. Listening to his 1997 self-titled album, Turre's trombones and shells take you on a magical musical tour from Brazilian samba beats to the sultry swing of a big band.
Turre's music isn't bound by any genre of jazz. Like any true visionary, Turre's music mixes up a variety of instruments that play off each other, constructing beautiful works of music that leave your body swaying to his horn.
Steve Turre is a master craftsman who has been playing the trombone since he was in the fourth grade. Traveling from his native California, Turre has been working in New York City at a variety of jazz clubs and on Saturday Night Live as a long time member of the band.
Turre's appearance is as striking as his music with his long pony tail and fu manchu mustache. Working as a band member on Saturday Night Live has allowed him artistic freedom to develop his talents on a variety of stages and with a variety of performers.
His relentless pursuit of beautiful sound has landed him opposite jazz "gods" like Cassandra Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie and Woody Shaw. Turre is known around the world for not only his talented trombone skills but also his use of shells in his music.
The use of conch shells, an Aztec tradition Turre studied in Mexico, adds intense notes into any piece he plays. In his quest to do that, Turre has traveled the globe picking up ideas and instruments whose evolution under his skilled hands have become his signature style.
When listening to Turre and his band play, one is anything but bored. His ability to move the listener from a sweet, hot jazz tune to rapid-fire salsa beats makes his eclectic performance outstanding.
His fearlessness in plunging music into new worlds is proof that the world of jazz is moving into a great new era that is sure to have an impact not only on the jazz world but music in general.
Steve Turre, besides being a gifted musician, is interested in sharing music with others. Beyond the Tuesday night performance at the Hopkins Center, Turre will be leading a trombone workshop on Wednesday from 10 to 11 a.m. in Hartman.
The free workshop is open to students and the community. Anyone interested in participating in this opportunity must contact Hopkins Center Outreach Manager Elinor Marsh at 646-3812..
Its not every day one gets the chance to listen to a master in his element. Steve Turre is a rare performer in an age of apathetic, uncreative music. He transcends genres and styles to create a form that uniquely his own.
