Ted Sturgis began playing piano at the age of five, mastered several other instruments and as a bassist was a favorite of top singers such as Billie Holiday, Mildred Bailey, and Sarah Vaughan. He was in his early twenties when he began gigging in New York City with trumpeter Roy Eldridge, a bandleader who would put Sturgis into service several times during their long careers. In the 1937 band of Eddie Mallory the bassist also doubled on alto saxophone. As the '40s unraveled Sturgis stumped across many bandstands with an ever-growing list of associates including saxophonists Benny Carter and Don Byas as well as the great Louis Armstrong.

Sturgis kept up a sturdy freelance schedule in the '50s and '60s, the schedule including a busy USO affiliation in which he was quite frequently featured as a pianist. The discography of this performer reveals much less of his multi-instrumentalist status as he seems to have been most often recorded as a bassist, albeit a few ringers including guitar on a Lester Young side and drums on a Stuff Smith date. He also tried out the electric bass on some later recording dates. Easing into retirement by the '80s, the talented Sturgis cut his last sides in 1976 and was swinging regularly at Jimmy Ryan's club in New York City throughout that decade. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, Rovi