1964 · Album
In Memory Of
Recorded 1964 · Blue Note · Personnel: Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone), Blue Mitchell (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Herbie Hancock (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass), Otis Finch (drums)
A Delayed Masterpiece Emerges from the Vault
Turrentine and his ensemble deliver a session of pure, unhurried sophistication—no gimmicks, just honest conversation.
In Memory Of arrived fifteen years after it was recorded, landing in 1979 as a rediscovered gem from Blue Note's vaults. By then, Turrentine was already established, but this album offered something fans hadn't heard: a snapshot of him in 1964, in his prime, surrounded by an exceptional lineup. AllMusic reviewer Michael Erlewine gave it 4½ stars, treating it not as a curiosity but as a major statement. The delay didn't diminish its impact—if anything, it deepened the mystique.
What makes this session special is its restraint. Turrentine's tenor is warm and deliberate, never hurried, conversing naturally with Herbie Hancock on piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone. The rhythm section of Bob Cranshaw and Otis Finch locks in with the kind of quiet authority that lets soloists breathe. There's no flash here, no overdubs or studio trickery—just five musicians making music that sounds like it could happen in a room. Tracks move at their own pace, and Turrentine plays with the confidence of someone who knows exactly what he wants to say.
This isn't a debut or a turning point in Turrentine's career, but rather confirmation that he was capable of genuine depth. It's worth seeking out if you're past the obvious Turrentine records and want to hear him in a smaller, more intimate setting. The album rewards patient listening—not every solo is a headline, but every one matters.
