Search - Michael James Turre :: Compositions

A fresh approach to Latin jazz is born when jazz greats from Jay Leno?s Tonight Show Band (drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith, saxophonist Ralph Moore, and bassist Robert Hurst) join leader-composer-arranger-saxophonist-flutist Michael James Turre (brother of trombone and conch shell master Steve Turre) to explore the colorful possibilities of Michael?s original compositions, from boleros to straight ahead jazz to mambos to "mariachi jazz?? (their new invention) and beyond. Also on board are some of L.A.?s hottest Latin players, including pianist Otmaro Ruiz, percussionists Mitchito and Munyungo, and bassist Rene Camacho. Thrown in for texture and punch is a surprisingly versatile trombone section featuring Zappa horn honcho turned film orchestrator Bruce Fowler, longtime Poncho Sanchez associate Francisco Torres, Viking berzerker Eric Jorgensen, and current Crusaders member Steve Baxter. Full of surprising arrangements and inspired solos, this CD won the praise of musical greats Horace Silver, Benny Golson, and Danilo Lozano, and from Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars creator José Rizo. They all wrote complimentary notes for the CD booklet. Latin Beat and L.A. Jazz gave it rave reviews.Prior to this solo release Michael James Turre played, composed, arranged, and recorded for Tito Puente (the Mambo Kings soundtrack and several Concord Picante classics), Celia Cruz, Linda Ronstadt (the Grammy winning Frenesi), Mongo Santamaria, Johnny Otis, the Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars, Barbara Morrison, Bobby Matos, Francisco Aguabella, Rudy Regalado, Johnny Martinez, Freddie Crespo, Henry Mora, Caravana Cubana, Brian Wilson (Smile), Ry Cooder (but unfortunately he didn?t record the horn section on Chavez Ravine), and a bunch of lesser known white guys.