Mark Turner – American tenor saxophonist – b. November 10, 1965 in Fairborn, Ohio. Performed with Prize Winner Aldo Romano's JAZZPAR Quintet + 1 at the Event 2004.

He graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1990 and played with various groups and performed as a street musician. He studied with Ellis Marsalis and settled in Connecticut before returning to New York in 1994 to be sideman with Jimmy Smith, Seamus Blake, Leon Parker or George Colligan.

One of the most well respected young tenors in North America, Mark Turner, has impressed everyone in the jazz world with his thoughtful and passionate playing on both his solo albums and in his turns as a sideman. He has taken turns with Joe Lovano, which should be taken as a just estimation of his considerable talents as well as evidence of his rapid ascension to the top of the jazz world.

Mark Turner can play sublimely smooth, mellow and romantic and he owes a debt to Bill Evans, John Coltrane and Warne Marsh. Turner’s tone on the tenor is rich and warm – emotionally moving and deeply contemplative. Rhythmically he has a certain scattered and very personal approach. His style is pure – stripped of all superfluous mannerisms.

His first album features the Brad Melhdau Trio plus Kurt Rosenwinkel and the pairing of Turner and Rosenwinkel has generated a lot of interesting and enjoyable music live and on recordings.

As a sideman, Mark Turner has played with Lionel Hampton, Billy Cobham, Tom Harrell, Carmen Lundy, Maria Schneider, to name but few, and appeared on albums with Art Taylor, Chris McBride, Mulgrew Miller, Roy Hargrove, Vincent Herring, Brian Blade, Ira Coleman, Jeff Batts, Joshua Redman, John Pattitucci and Lee Konitz (JAZZPAR Prize Winner 1992)…