JGT contributor Joe Barth interviews Washington DC guitarist Ben Turner.
Ben Turner is a busy guitarist in the Washington, DC area. You can find him up and down the East Coast, including at many of the major jazz clubs in New York. In addition to his freelance work, his primary gig is serving our military, where he holds the guitar chair in the United States Navy’s premier jazz ensemble, The Commodores.
JB: You grew up in southern New Jersey, just across the river from Philadelphia. What inspired you to play jazz guitar?
BT: I owe my interest in jazz to my childhood guitar teacher, Ian Macaulay. Being so close to Philadelphia also exposed me to extracurricular programs at the Clef Club and Kimmel Center, where I met mentors such as legendary educator Lovett Hines, bassist Anthony Tidd, and saxophonist Larry McKenna.
JB: You graduated from the jazz program at Temple University. What did you appreciate most about that era of your development?
BT: Coming from a sheltered suburban environment, I truly had no idea what it meant to be a part of the jazz community. My time at Temple University helped me immensely by giving me a structured environment surrounded by veterans and talented peers, all in a city with a thriving music community that welcomed anyone serious about the music. I learned a lot of important musical and life lessons that stick with me to this day, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been around people like Terell Stafford, Tim Warfield, Dick Oatts, and many more.
JB: Talk about the impact of studying with guitarist Randy Napoleon at Michigan State.
BT: Studying with Professor Napoleon at Michigan State was by far one of the best decisions I have ever made both personally and musically. Coming out of the pandemic, I was awarded the opportunity to be Randy’s graduate assistant for two years, and we spent a lot of time together. Randy is an incredible human being, educator, and musician who uplifts those around him. Most importantly, he helped my approach to playing the instrument in a way that will allow for longevity, i.e., working on posture, sound, and reducing tension. He has also afforded me the opportunity to be a part of his five-piece guitar band, Waking Dream. The first record came out last August, and we recorded and toured the second record this past May.
JB: To you, in shaping your sound and approach, what are three of the most influential jazz guitar albums and why?
BT: First would be The Bridge (Sonny Rollins). Jim Hall’s musical contributions on the record are textbook examples of how to support a horn player and rhythm section as a guitarist. I used to listen to this record almost every day in high school, and it has had a profound impact on me.
Second is Movin’ Along (Wes Montgomery). This record is a bit of a deep cut, and it includes Wes playing on a bass/baritone guitar. Wes’ approach to improvisation is shown in full form on this record. How he weaves through sounds to create compelling musical statements hits me emotionally on this session in particular.
Third is Hustlin’ (Stanley Turrentine). I need to state unequivocally that I’m a huge Shirley Scott and Stanley Turrentine fan. Kenny Burrell on this record exemplifies great organ trio comping and extremely tasteful soloing. Not to mention, his sound and touch are pristine on this date.
JB: What do you find most rewarding and challenging about working in a trio with a vibraphone?
BT: I’ve worked with a lot of vibraphonists in my career, namely Behn Gillece and Chuck Redd. I love working with great vibraphonists because I think the timbre of these two instruments, either in a quartet with bass and drums or organ and drums, blend really well. I’ve always been a fan of this combination, namely Wes & Buddy Montgomery (or Victor Feldman), Grant Green & Bobby Hutcherson, Charlie Christian & Lionel Hampton, etc. This instrumentation is rewarding because when you make it work with sensitive musicians, I feel that the end product is truly special. On the other hand, when you have two harmonic and soloing instruments in the front line, you can easily clash if you aren’t sensitive and tasteful.
JB: My family used to have a summer home near Traverse City, where Interlochen is. What did you appreciate about teaching at the Interlochen Arts Academy?
BT: Interlochen is a special and beautiful place. I was on faculty when the great trumpeter Josh Lawrence was head of jazz studies, and I felt grateful to work with the guitar students. Jack Simpson, one of my students, is finishing up his undergraduate degree in jazz at the University of Southern California, and the other, Mason Bryant, is doing the same at Berklee College of Music. They are incredible musicians and will make a name for themselves in this music. While Josh eventually moved back to Philadelphia, my good friend, trombonist Chris Glassman, is now the head of the program at Interlochen and has kept the tradition of excellence going.
JB: It looks like you have a Heritage 575 as well as a blonde archtop. What do you appreciate most about the guitars that you use?
BT: I sold my Heritage 575 about 5 years ago because I found my current guitar on a whim on Craigslist during the pandemic. I found a guy who was selling a 1997 Megas Athena Archtop who had won it in an estate sale. Having never heard of this luthier, I drove out to central Pennsylvania to try it, and it was one of those instant connections you dream about with an instrument. Paired with my ’65 Fender Vibrolux, I feel like my sound is exactly what I hear in my head.
JB: New York is a town with scores of good guitarists. You’ve been there a few years, so what’s the best piece of advice you’d give another younger guitarist for building a career in music?
BT: New York City is a tough town to be a guitarist because there are so many great guitarists both in my peer group and who have been there for 10, 20, and 30-plus years. I lived in the city for about a year before I relocated to Washington, DC, after winning a job with the US Navy Band Commodores, the premier jazz ensemble of the United States Navy. My “day job” is playing in a big band, with all the financial benefits of a full-time gig, and it lets me prioritize the opportunities I want to pursue rather than saying yes to everything out of the need to survive. I still make the trip up to Philadelphia and New York for gigs too. My main advice to a young guitarist is to live below your means, say yes to every opportunity (knowing that this mindset will eventually allow you to be more selective later on), and to fully pursue the music that you love, not the music that someone tells you that you “should” love.