Otha Turner

Subject: Otha Turner
From: Felipa
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 10:07 AM

Otha Turner is another musician I only found out about via a documentary, in this case one Martin Scorese produced or directed about blues music and African music. The late Otha Turner played fife, had a fife and drum band with his family, not what I usually think of as "the blues". I only found a fleeting mention at on a Mudcat thread

Subject: RE: Otha Turner
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 10:48 AM

He appears on a North Mississippi Allstars CD and there is at least one of himself (which I was kindly supplied by 'Catter fat B*****d). I think he's on at least one of the "roots of the blues" type compilations (Lomax or Oliver).

RtS

Subject: RE: Otha Turner
From: masato sakurai
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 11:31 AM

If my memory is correct, Otha Turner appeared in Alan Lomax's video The Land Where the Blues Began (PBS).

Subject: RE: Otha Turner
From: georgeward
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 02:23 PM

He was also the subject of "Gravel Springs Fife and Drum", a video made by David Evans, Judy Peiser and Bill Ferris some years ago for the Center for Southern Folklore.. here's a link:

http://www.folkstreams.net/film,59

Subject: RE: Otha Turner
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 18 Oct 05 - 05:32 PM

" fife and drum band ..., not what I usually think of as "the blues" "

Felipa, actually his fifeing was had a stong blues influence. It was totally different than any other form of fife and drum I've ever come across.