Thurman Green

Thurman Green (August 12, 1940 – June 19, 1997) was a jazz trombonist who was primarily thought of as bebop-oriented .

Born in Texas, he did spend time playing in Los Angeles with swinging big bands (including the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra) but he was also an occasional member of the Horace Tapscott Quintet (one of many groups headed by the pianist that no one bothered to record) and was open-eared enough to play quite credibly in free settings now and then.

In 1962, Green and baritonist Hamiet Bluiett were jamming buddies at the Navy School of Music in Washington D.C. They soon went their separate ways but hoped to team up again some day. Thirty-two years later, in December 1994, Bluiett (who had been recording for the Mapleshade label) was able to give his old friend his first opportunity to lead his own record date,Dance of the Night Creatures.

It is a shame that it took over four years for the music to finally come out because, in 1997, Green suddenly died at age 57. Thurman Green was also joined by pianist John Hicks, either Walter Booker or Steve Novosel on bass, and drummer Steve Williams.

Discography

With Willie Bobo

• Tomorrow Is Here (Blue Note, 1977)

With Donald Byrd

• Ethiopian Knights (Blue Note, 1971)

With Ella Fitzgerald

• Things Ain't What They Used to Be (And You Better Believe It) (Reprise, 1970)

With Bobby Hutcherson

• Inner Glow (Blue Note, 1975)

With Jean-Luc Ponty

• Electric Connection (World Pacific, 1969)

With Gerald Wilson

• Live and Swinging (Pacific Jazz, 1967)
• Everywhere (Pacific Jazz, 1968)
• California Soul (Pacific Jazz, 1968)
• Eternal Equinox (Pacific Jazz, 1969)

Sources

• Thurman Green at the Internet Movie Database