11/08/2025
In the contemporary jazz scene, Mark Turner is undoubtedly one of the most intellectually profound musicians. With an almost absolute rational rigor, he constructs a grand and deeply insightful jazz landscape.
On July 23, 2025, Mark Turner made his Shanghai debut at JZ Club Shanghai. Before the performance, JZ Radio conducted an in-depth interview with him.
In the conversation, Turner did not recount dazzling tales of success. Instead, like an old friend speaking with quiet warmth, he shared his perspective on “jazz.” He described jazz as America’s classical music; he said improvisation is not merely playing notes but a language’s logic and a continuation of history. He is willing to organize his experience into clear, logical “musical grids” to offer guidance to young people still wandering through the fog.
How does one truly understand jazz? How should improvisation be approached? How do we face complexity? Whether you are a musician, a jazz enthusiast, or simply a curious outsider, you can find answers in this exclusive interview. Turner’s lucid language delivers the clearest responses, like a hermit living in the great metropolis, distilling a lifetime of cultivation into a few succinct maxims. This is not just an interview—it is a rare public lesson about music and philosophy alike.
In the contemporary jazz scene, Mark Turner is undoubtedly one of the most intellectually profound musicians. With an almost absolute rational rigor, he cons...