Behind the Music: Turner Station's Douglas Purviance is a Part of History, Makes History

Interesting places have interesting people—and interesting people live in interesting places.

Turner Station is one of those interesting places. Founded in the late 1880s and steeped in rich culture, it has the legacy as having been one of the largest African-American communities in Baltimore County.

Turner Station was known for The Bath House on Edgewater Beach and The Anthony Theater built by Dr. Joseph Thomas, which ran the top features of the day. But, it was also known to have one of the hottest spots around: the Adams Bar and Cocktail Lounge. The Lounge attracted the top acts of the time like Redd Foxx and Pearl Bailey.

So, looking back as Douglas Purviance was born on July 18, 1952 into a community known for its culture, it was like the planets had aligned to pave his path to stardom. For decades, the Turner Station native has been one of music’s best and most respected bass trombonists and jazz artists, playing with Cats on Broadway for 18 years and earning Grammy award in 2009.

The Behind The Music story goes something like this…

Douglas is one of three children (two sons and one daughter) born to Paul Purviance and the late Elois McCoy Purviance.

“I remember tapping my foot to the jazz to be like my father,” Purviance told Patch.com in a recent interview. “Jazz was in the house… my mother and older brother listened to jazz.” These are the fond memories of music that Purviance had as a kid—not knowing or even thinking of the impact music would have on his future.

Kids' creative and music interests were encouraged and nurtured in school as well as at home. Believe it or not, schools had viable music programs, and teachers and the cost of the instruments were included in the school budget.

Hence, the virtuoso didn’t have to pay for his instrument until he entered high school. 

“I started playing an instrument when most schools had music programs… that’s how most musicians got started,” said Purviance. And, this is where it all began for him as a fifth grader at Bragg Elementary School.

Imagine a couple dozen fifth grade kids gathered in the music room on the day of instrument selection. As Purviance explained, they were all gathered that day to pick an instrument to learn. 

“Lots of the kids wanted to play the popular instruments—the sax and trumpet. I was waiting and just looking and looking,” he said. He recalls saying to himself, “The next thing that comes up, I’m gonna take it.”

Mr. Suggs, the music teacher, next pulled from the “bag” a trombone. Young Douglas took it. He said he’d always loved the smell of the instruments and the music cases.

“I’m glad that I took the trombone. It’s really beautiful," Purviance said. "I play the bass trombone now and it’s the foundation of an ensemble—keeping time and pitch—everything is affected by the foundation.”

Purviance continued to play the trombone as he entered Dundalk Junior High School. When he started at Dundalk Senior High School, his music career was pushed to another level as he was exposed to a host of ensembles. “I always had a really good sound," he said. "There were a lot of really good players there.”

As a freshman, Douglas attended summer school to take music lessons. He was on the third chair in the school orchestra, which normally plays the bottom notes. At that time, he switched to the bass trombone. All students who played instruments had to buy their own, a change from elementary and junior high school.

“My grandmother, Annie Mae McCoy, bought me my first trombone. I remember going to Highlandtown to the music store to buy it.”

However, there was a catch—he would have to pay her back. "This was to teach me a lesson in responsibility," he explained. Purviance noted he was so grateful to his grandmother; in addition to his father’s support, she was instrumental in him continuing to play the trombone. 

As things progressed, he realized that in order for him to be the very best trombone player, he had to have time to practice. “I remember thinking that in order for me to compete, I couldn’t run from school and go to work [as most neighborhood kids did after school]," Purviance said. "I had to practice. I sat down with my mother and explained that I had to practice to compete and to be better.”

His mother said to him, “You don’t have to get a job, but you have to practice.” This was the key moment in Purviance’s life.

Fast forward—Behind The Music —the later years.

Douglas attended Morgan State College (now Morgan State University), but transferred to Towson State College (now Towson University) after one semester. There were two people who played a very important role in his career at this stage: Hank Levy, head of jazz composition, and John Melick, trombone and brass instructor and principal trombonist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from 1951 to 1967.

Melick was one of the best trombone players in the country, studying under the great Emory Remington.

Purviance’s career was amazing from the start. During college, Melick, who was a music contractor, hired him to perform at the Painters Mill Theater with the BSO and the Maryland Ballet. “John Melick believed in me and thought I was that good," Purviance said.

Later, Purviance became a member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra and toured all over the country, working 50 weeks out of the year. After touring for two years, he received a call from Melick, who asked him if he’d like to play at The Morris Mechanic Theatre. He accepted.

This move started a stunning run in Purviance’s career. In 1977, he took the train to New York City, where he subbed in The Wiz and A Chorus Line. 

“You get work by reputation. Mel Rodman called me and asked if I wanted my own show. I worked on The Act, starring Liza Minnelli and directed by Martin Scorsese.”  

However, the big day came when he was featured as the bass trombonist in the sensational Broadway musical Cats. Purviance held this “to-die-for” gig for 18 years.

It was through Cats that he met his wife, Brenda Pressley, a prominent actress whose television credits include Brewster Place (the series), Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order and New York Undercover. Brenda also starred as ADA MacDonald alongside Bruce Willis and Mos Def in the film 16 Blocks.

 In 1978, Purviance became a member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, now known as the Vanguard Orchestra. Today, Purviance handles production, engineering and the marketing of the orchestra’s recordings. 

Since 1999, the Vanguard had been nominated for a Grammy nine times. Purviance and co-producer Tom Bellino traveled to Los Angeles every year to attend the ceremony. However, the Grammy eluded them.

In 2009, the Vanguard was coming up on its big anniversary and the ensemble was nominated again. This time, Tom decided to stay behind—Purviance went to L.A. to represent the orchestra. All the stars aligned that evening.

Purviance practiced his acceptance speech that was saved on his iPhone and arrived early at the pre-telecast (awards given pre-live show) ceremony in order to get a front-row seat.

“I had a really good feeling about this one," he said. "They read the nominees and all I heard was the word 'Monday.'” I jumped up and ran up there [the stage]… this is so cool.”

The Vanguard Orchestra won the 2009 Grammy in the Best Large Ensemble category for its production of Monday Night Live At The Village Vanguard.

A  kid from Turner Station who received his instrument by chance has taken an incredible journey, from touring with the Stan Kenton Orchestra to playing Cats for 18 years to receiving a Grammy Award.

And, what does he say about it all?

“I’m having fun.”