Johnny Turner Ensemble (Adelaide)
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 @ 7:30 pm
Doors open at 7:00 pm
Johnny Turner is a 19-year-old Adelaide-based musician, composer, arranger, and educator, driven by a love of creative, expressive jazz. As a saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist, he balances strong musicianship with a distinctive compositional voice—writing music that is both tasteful and adventurous, and always rooted in authenticity.
Over the past few years, Johnny has grown through a wide range of performance experiences, including holding the Alto 1 chair in the Generations in Jazz Superband from 2022 to 2024, and performing with artists such as Julian Wilson and Lazaro Numa. Receiving the 2025 COMA Emerging Artist Award and a scholarship to the University of Adelaide’s Advanced Music program marked key milestones, helping to solidify the beginning of his creative journey in tertiary education. In 2026, he was selected as part of the ANJO Youth Big Band on baritone saxophone—an opportunity that will see Johnny Turner performing alongside some of the country’s leading young musicians, as well as international artists Bert Joris and Florian Ross.
He has performed at a wide range of notable venues, including The Gov, the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, the Generations in Jazz Awards Stage, the Wheatsheaf Hotel (for COMA), the Adelaide Town Hall, the North Adelaide Town Hall, the Adelaide Ballroom, the Capri Theatre, Hal’s Hall, Norwood Live, and the Southern Jazz Club, among others. In addition, Johnny Turner regularly performs at restaurants, bars, weddings, and corporate functions, with appearances at venues such as the National Wine Centre and the South Australian Museum.
Influenced by musicians such as Pat Metheny, Jacob Collier, Vanessa Perica, and Chris Potter, Johnny is currently working toward his second album while preparing new music for an upcoming big band project in Adelaide. Alongside performing, he is deeply passionate about teaching and sharing music with others. His goal is to continue growing as a musician and to create music that connects with as many people as possible.
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