Ernest Turner is a GRAMMY-nominated pianist, composer, and educator based in Durham. Ernest began learning the piano at the age of four from his mother. Since launching his professional career more than twenty years ago, the musician has performed with three of the Marsalis brothers (Delfeayo, Branford, and Jason), R&B artist John Legend, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, saxophonist Stephen Riley and the late saxophonist Brian Horton, and many others in the Triangle. The pianist shares about his conversational approach to performances to engage with and educate audiences, his philosophy on improvisation, incorporating spirituality into his music, reflections on fatherhood and his career, and more.
Ernest Turner is a GRAMMY-nominated pianist, composer, and educator based in Durham.
Ernest began learning the piano at the age of four from his mother. Since launching his professional career more than twenty years ago, the musician has performed with three of the Marsalis brothers (Delfeayo, Branford, and Jason), R&B artist John Legend, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, saxophonist Stephen Riley and the late saxophonist Brian Horton, and many others in the Triangle.
The pianist shares about his conversational approach to performances to engage with and educate audiences, his philosophy on improvisation, incorporating spirituality into his music, reflections on fatherhood and his career, and more.
He also offers his thoughts on the use of the word “jazz,” versus terms like “Black American Music” or “BAM,” as the jazz trumpeter Nicholas Payton has promoted since at least the early 2010s.
Ernest earned his bachelor’s degree in jazz studies from Loyola University and a master’s in jazz performance from the University of New Orleans.
The pianist is an adjunct instructor at UNC Greensboro and a former faculty member in jazz piano at Eastern Carolina University (2006–2010).
Follow Ernest:
Ernest released the album Original Mind with saxophonist Stephen Riley in 2021 and My Americana in 2019.
Music credit
This episode features the songs “Return of Thanos,” from the album My Americana (2019), by Ernest Turner, and “Blessed Assurance” from the album Original Mind by Stephen Riley and Ernest Turner (2021).
This season features the songs “Forged in Rhythm” and “Callous & Kind” by Keenan McKenzie & The Riffers (2017), used by Six Count with permission from the artist.
How to listen
You can find Six Count on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other listening app! The series also airs on taintradio.org, an online jazz radio station based in North Carolina, on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. and Fridays at 8:00 p.m. EST.
Support the show
If you’d like to support Six Count, you can make a gift on DonorBox or Venmo @thexarawilde. Follow Six Count on Instagram at @sixcountpodcast and Xara Wilde on Facebook and Instagram @thexarawilde.