Whatever Happened To Jean Turner?

[JSngry]

Can't say that I really dug her album with Kenton that much, but still curious what happened to her.

[sidewinder]

I had a look in the Michael Sparke bio of Kenton but there's no mention of what happened to her after she left the band, unfortunately.

[epistrophy007]

(short resumé, edited, once send to me by a fellow collector)

Capitol Records produced one album where Jean Turner was featured as the Kenton band singer, but there other lesser known sides she made for Capitol and numerous live recordings in the short time she spent with the band. she also appeared (and was taped) at the Newport Jazz Festival in July 1963.

Jean, who was the last vocalist employed by Kenton, joined the band in March 1962 and stayed until after the European Tour at the end of 1963. This was the band known as the Mellophonium Band - an experiment with these difficult instruments never to be repeated.

Her first recordings with the band were made on 3 April 1962 were designed to feature Stan's new singer before the band went on the gruelling 1962 National Tour. They were issued by Capitol initially on a 45 single and later appeared on compilation albums released by Stan's own Creative World label in the 1970s. Two rejected titles were also recorded at that session.

Two further titles for Capitol were recorded on 28 September 1962 again released initially on a 45 single. Like the earlier 45 they appeared later on 'Creative World' compilations. Her final recording for Capitol was held back from her only Capitol lp and not issued until the 1970s on 'Creative World'.

. Also recorded in concert at the Manchester Free Trade Hall during the 1963 UK tour.

When the band returned to the USA before Christmas 1963, Jean had a brief spell with Harry James (Stan generously lent Harry her charts) and then left the music business. She was last spotted in 1974 at a Kenton concert near San Francisco by drummer Peter Erskine but her present whereabouts are unknown.

All of her known sides with Kenton (live and studio) have been issued...even a track were she bearsk down in coughing...

I think she's rather good =)

j.

[marcello]

I took it as a challenge to find something about he on the web and found nothing except for the above and that she was from San Francisco. Nothing after Kenton.

[JSngry]

Harry James' band, eh? Playing those Kenton charts (mostly Niehaus & a few Holman, as I understand it)...I'd like to have heard that, especially if her time with James overlapped Buddy Rich's time with James.

Hope she retired to a life of sanity and relative domesticity, and not one of frustrated singer trying to get gigs.

[Chuck Nessa]

Saw her with Kenton once.

[JSngry]

How was that?

I said I wasn't crazy about the record, and I'm not, but in all fairness, the mix sucks. The vocals are way too up-front, the band too far back, and the result is what comes across as two different time feels and melodic senses independently occurring simultaneously.

Maybe that would have happened anyway, no matter the mix, but...maybe not.

[Chuck Nessa]

I don't remember the quality of the set. I do remember noticing she was the only non-white on the stage. Seemed creepy to me at the time.

[JSngry]

Creepy, eh?

As I am in the middle of a somewhat halfway serious (and reasonably successful) attempt to re-evaluate Kenton as objectively as I can, I''ll refrain from saying,"well, DUH!"

Creepy, eh?

[Vycious Arts Studio]

I am the Ex-Wife of one of Jean Turners Grandchildren and knew the woman personally. Her story after her departure from the band was bittersweet.

She went on to have 3 children and at least 11 grandchildren, I am the proud mother of 3 of her great grandchildren. Her talent was incredible and it is sad how she let her fame fade, but I can attest, she NEVER lost her talent.

Sincerely,
Christina Venegas
Vycious Arts Studio