Bruce Turner

Swing tune Turner 1961

Bruce Turner and his Jump band
In a 1961 clip from a movie series "Living Jazz" following the Bruce Turner Band on tour we see a swing tune of which I don't know the title. In the band are John Chilton trumpet, John Mumford trombone, Colin Bates piano, Jim Bray bass and John Armitage drums
Bruce came to prominence in the late 1940s playing Dixieland clarinet in Freddy Randall''s band. In 1953 Humphrey Lyttelton was changing direction from his very traditional style and moving towards a mainstream style. When trombonist Keith Christie left the Lyttelton band Humph did not immediately replace him with another trombonist, but eventually brought in Bruce on alto to join the front line of Humph and Wally Fawkes. The move infuriated the traditional fans and resulted in a banner with the slogan "Go Home Dirty Bopper" emblazoned on it, being raised at a concert in Birmingham. Bruce, though, was there to stay and despite odd forays into band leading and freelancing, his association with Humph was to last until his death from cancer in 1993. Stylistically Carter and Johnny Hodges are often alluded to when appraising his playing. His "Jump" style owes much to Pete Brown and you can detect his teacher, Lee Konitz, in there, but like all true jazzmen he has listened and borrowed and finally evolved something which is pure Bruce Turner.