Perhaps the most visible trombonist of the 20th and 21st centuries, Steve Turre is one jazz musician who transcends category. He learned his lessons early from his Mexican-American heritage, salsa bands, and tenures with Ray Charles and Art Blakey. Turre absorbs and imparts inspiration from every context he's played in, most notably with Rahsaan Roland Kirk and the band for the TV show Saturday Night Live. He's also become a noted bandleader and composer in his own right. ~ Mark Keresman