3 MORE SOUNDS
Jazz enthusiasts worldwide connect immediately with some of the immortal small bands that have graced us with their music: The John Coltrane Quartet, the Miles Davis Quintet/Sextet, the Bill Evans Trio, the Ornette Coleman Quartet, the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, and so many more. Included in this pantheon of artists is The Three Sounds. Pianist Gene Harris, bassist Andrew Simpkins, and drummer Bill Dowdy set the standard for swinging, soulful, and lyrical music making in the 1960’s. Ultimately, Bill Dowdy and Andy Simpkins left the band, to be replaced by Carl Burnett and Henry “The Skipper” Franklin, respectively.
After the death of Gene Harris in 2000, Carl and Henry, joined by pianist Bobby Pierce, came together in 2002 to pay tribute to Harris. The trio called itself, appropriately, 3 More Sounds. Veteran, east-coast-based pianist Bill Heid, continued the legacy with Carl and Henry, recording a couple of dates between 2014/2015.
Ultimately, the current iteration of 3 More Sounds came together when a young phenom, Robert Turner, assumed the piano chair in 2018 with, fittingly, a tribute to Gene Harris. With three recordings and counting, this dynamic trio continues to dazzle listeners with their soulful, lyrical, and rhythmically compelling sounds.
Each of these brilliant musicians has an extensive credits listing. Briefly, bassist Henry Franklin, a Los Angeles native, has worked with and/or recorded with the likes of Willie Bobo, Roy Ayers, Hugh Masekela, the aforementioned Gene Harris, Freddie Hubbard, Harold Land, Hampton Hawes, Doug Carn, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, Pharoah Sanders, Freddie Redd, and many, many more. In addition, “The Skipper” has led twenty-eight (and counting!) recording dates over the last 6+ decades.
Drummer Carl Burnett, a long-time Southern California resident and founder of Art Works 4 (which pre-dated The World Stage in Leimert Park), has stoked the fire via his trap kit for some of the immortals, including Cal Tjader, Vince Guaraldi, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, George Coleman, Dwight Dickerson, Freddie Hubbard, Gene Harris, Kenny Burrell, Freddie Redd, Art Pepper, Lorez Alexandria, Horace Silver, Eddie Harris, et al.
Robert Turner continues to amaze his audiences, whether working in a trio setting, as a solo artist, or as the pianist with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. He has worked with such stalwarts as Azar Lawrence, Ronnie Laws, Charles Owens, Stevie Wonder, and even Dr. Dre. Robert redefines the whole notion of dynamic kinetic energy.
The latest release by 3 More Sounds celebrates the legacy of the great Ray Charles. “The Genius” remains one of the most brilliant interpreters of song the world has ever known. While performing such classics as “Hit the Road Jack,” “Hallelujah I Love Her So,” and “Let The Good Times Roll,” this brilliant trio never lets the listener forget the spirit of Gene Harris and The Three Sounds.