Mark Turner Quintet - Yam Yam

First time on vinyl!

Double LP set!

The seminal 1994 Criss Cross album

Yam Yam was Mark Turner's recording debut as a leader. His band on Yam Yam is a gathering of friends who've often played together. He's known drummer Jorge Rossy, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, and saxophonist Seamus Blake since they attended Berklee together. He became friends with bassist Larry Grenadier and pianist Brad Mehldau after settling in New York.

"I think that it's really important to play with bands. That's why I brought these people together," says Turner. "We're all connected I didn't want to make a record with musicians who are great musicians but we have no connections. I play in Kurt's band and each of us writes tunes. The rhythm section is Brad's trio. We play sessions all the time. That's why the music of the past is so great. They worked together all the time. I want to make the music of my generation with the people I play with."

"The history of jazz is littered with tragically foreshortened careers, and we make very much of them, possibly revelling a little too ghoulishly in early death, bad personal habits and sheer-bad-luck accidents. Much less is made of the near-misses. In 2008, saxophonist Mark Turner came close to severing two fingers while cutting firewood at home. Wind players more often fear oral or dental injuries, but Turner's mishap threatened the end of his playing career. It may seem strange to say that few men would have adapted better to such an eventuality." — Brian Morton, co-author of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings.

Side A

1. Tune Number One

2. Cubism

Side B

1. Yam Yam I

2. Moment’s Notice

Side C

1. Isolation

2. Subtle Tragedy

Side D

1. Zurich

2. Blues

3. Yam Yam II

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