1966 · Album
Rough ’n’ Tumble
Blue Note Records · Chart Performance: No. 20 on Billboard Top Soul Albums chart
Warmth and Soul on the Charts
Turrentine's warmth and playing make this a necessity for fans of '60s pre-funk Blue Note jazz.
Rough 'n' Tumble arrived in 1966 without fanfare but found its audience steadily. The album climbed to No. 20 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart, a respectable showing that placed it in the commercial middle ground—not a smash, not forgotten, but clearly heard by the people who mattered. AllMusic reviewer Jason Elias later awarded it three stars, zeroing in on what made the record work: Turrentine himself. His tenor saxophone is the draw here, deployed with a warmth that cuts through every arrangement.
The supporting cast is formidable. Bob Cranshaw anchors the rhythm section with bass, Mickey Roker on drums, and McCoy Tyner at the piano, a pairing that gives the sessions real depth. Grant Green on guitar and Blue Mitchell on trumpet add textural color, while Pepper Adams on baritone and James Spaulding on alto saxophone round out the horn section. It's a large ensemble by Blue Note standards, which means the sound leans toward fullness rather than the stripped-down intimacy Turrentine explored elsewhere. This is less about innovation than about playing well within the soul-jazz pocket that Blue Note was mining heavily in the mid-'60s.
Rough 'n' Tumble sits comfortably in the middle of Turrentine's catalog—solid work that showcased why he had a broad appeal beyond the hardcore jazz audience. It's the kind of record that aged well enough because it never tried too hard to be anything other than what it was: a warm, professional session with a leader who knew how to make listeners feel something without showing off.
Who's playing
Bob Cranshawdouble bass
McCoy Tynerpiano
Grant Greenguitar
Pepper Adamsbaritone saxophone
James Spauldingalto saxophone
Stanley Turrentinetenor saxophone
Blue Mitchelltrumpet
Mickey Rokerdrums
Where next?
More by Stanley Turrentine
All 64 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
