Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family. His father, Thomas Turrentine, Sr., was a saxophonist with Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans, his mother played stride piano, and his older brother Tommy Turrentine became a professional trumpet player.
He began his prolific career with blues and rhythm and blues bands, and was at first greatly influenced by Illinois Jacquet. In the 1950s, he went on to play with the groups of Lowell Fulson, Earl Bostic, and at the turn of the decade, Max Roach.
Turrentine received his only formal musical training during his military stint in the mid-'50s. In 1959, he jumped from the frying pan into the fire when he left the military and went straight into the band of the great drummer Max Roach.
He married the organist Shirley Scott in 1960 and the two frequently played and recorded together. In the 1960s, he started working with organist Jimmy Smith, and made many soul jazz recordings both with Smith and as a leader.
In the 1970s, after his professional split and divorce from Scott, Turrentine turned to jazz fusion and signed for Creed Taylor's CTI label. His first album for CTI, Sugar proved one of his biggest successes and a seminal recording for the label. He worked with Freddie Hubbard, Milt Jackson, George Benson, Bob James, Richard Tee, Idris Muhammad, Ron Carter, Grant Green and Eric Gale, to name a few. He returned to soul jazz in the 1980s and into the 1990s.
Turrentine lived in Fort Washington, Maryland from the early 90s until his death.
He died of a stroke in New York City on September 12, 2000 and is buried in Pittsburgh's Allegheny Cemetery
Journey Into Melody
Stanley Turrentine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Its now time for you to sing along...
We got a journey into melody
A jouuuuuurneyyy into melody.
Oh how long could this last.
Oh how very long could this last.
The lyrics of Stanley Turrentine's "Journey into Melody" seem to be inviting the listeners on a musical journey where they can participate by singing along. As the title suggests, the song is about the journey into the world of melody, where one can experience the sheer joy of music. The opening lines of the song "Hello, we got a journey into melody, it's now time for you to sing along" imply that the song is intended to be a participatory experience. The repeated line, "A journey into melody," emphasizes the focus of the song on the joys of melody and music.
The lines "Oh how long could this last, Oh how very long could this last," suggest that the experience of the musical journey is so enjoyable that the singer wants it to continue indefinitely. The song seems to be a celebration of the beauty and power of music, inviting the listener to join in and experience the same joy and wonder.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, we got a journey into melody
Greetings, we are embarking on a musical voyage filled with various harmonies and rhythms
Its now time for you to sing along...
It is currently the opportune moment for you to participate and sing alongside us
We got a journey into melody
We possess an expedition characterized by an array of melodious sounds
A jouuuuuurneyyy into melody.
An extended and pleasurable excursion into diverse musical timbres
Oh how long could this last.
Expressing deep admiration and contentment towards the musical journey while contemplating the duration it will continue
Oh how very long could this last.
Reemphasizing the appreciation of the enjoyable melodic expedition and questioning the duration of its continuation
Writer(s): Robert Farnon
Contributed by Elena M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.