Bruce Turner

Who was Bruce Turner?

Bruce Turner was an English saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader.

Born Malcolm Bruce Turner in Saltburn, and educated at Dulwich College, he learned to play the clarinet as a schoolboy and began playing alto sax while serving in the Royal Air Force in 1943 during World War II. He played with Freddy Randall from 1948-53, and worked on the Queen Mary in a dance band and in a quartet with Dill Jones and Peter Ind. He briefly studied under Lee Konitz in New York City in 1950.

His first period with Humphrey Lyttelton ran from 1953 to 1957, but began inauspiciously. At a concert performed in Birmingham's Town Hall, Lyttelton's more literal traditionalist fans displayed a banner instructing "Go Home Dirty Bopper!" After leaving Lyttelton he led his own Jump Band from 1957-65, which was featured in the 1961 film Living Jazz. Turner arranged the music for this film as well. On 16 and 17 February 1961, Turner and his band recorded the LP Jumpin' At The NFT which was issued later that year, on Doug Dobell's 77 Records label, to coincide with the film's release. In January 1963, the British music magazine, NME reported that the biggest trad jazz event to be staged in Britain had taken place at Alexandra Palace. The event included George Melly, Diz Disley, Acker Bilk, Chris Barber, Kenny Ball, Ken Colyer, Monty Sunshine, Bob Wallis, Alex Welsh, Mick Mulligan and Turner.