HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Gary Burton

Birth of Modern Jazz: Gary Burton

Gary Burton

Photo source: Jazz Wax

Born on 23 January 1943 in Anderson, Indiana, vibraphonist, Gary Burton, began to play music at six, he self-taught on marimba and vibraphone. He first played professionally at a restaurant in Evansville while a senior in high school. He was seventeen when he met pianist, Hank Garland, via saxophonist, Boots Randolph, who lived in Evansville. Moving to Boston to attend the Berklee School of Music in 1960, sometime that year before or during Berklee he held a private session with Garland for what would get issued in 1979 as 'Jazz in New York'. The same year saw him participating in the Berklee School of Music's tribute to Benny Golson, 'Jazz in the Classroom Vol V', issued in 1961. July 4th of 1960 resulted in 'After the Riot at Newport' in Newport, Rhode Island, with the Nashville All Stars including Garland, Randolph and Chet Atkins among others. Eight days later Burton contributed to Floyd Cramer's 'Last Date' on 12 July 1960. Garland then invited Burton to record in Nashville in August of 1960 toward 'Jazz Winds from a New Direction' and 'Subtle Swing'. Praguefrank's country sessionography for Hank Garland has 'Jazz Winds' going down on 23 June 1960, differing from Lord's jazz sessionography which places it on 23 August 1960.

'Nashville to Newport' Gary Burton w Hank Garland (guitar)

Composition: Chet Atkins

From the Nashville All-Stars album 'After the Riot at Newport'

Recorded 4 July 1960 at Newport, Rhode Island Issued on RCA LPM-2302

'Last Date' Gary Burton w Floyd Cramer (piano)

Composition: Floyd Cramer

From the Cramer album 'Last Date'

Recorded 12 July 1960 in Nashville Issued on RCA Victor LPM-2350

'Move' Gary Burton w Hank Garland (guitar)

Bass: Joe Benjamin Drums: Joe Morello

Composition: Denzil Best / Paul Walsh

From the Garland album 'Jazz Winds from a New Direction'

Recorded 23 June or August 1960 in Nashville Issued on Columbia CL1572

Burton also contributed to Floyd Cramer's 'Last Date' in 1960. It was the Berklee School of Music's tribute to Quincy Jones, 'Jazz in the Classroom Vol VI', in 1961 before drummer, Joe Morello's big band, 'It's About Time' in June with alto saxophonist, Phil Woods, trumpeter, Clark Terry, and valve trombonist, Bob Brookmeyer.

'Every Time' Gary Burton w Joe Morello (drums)

Composition: Hugh Martin / Ralph Blane

From the Morello album 'It's About Time'

Album recorded 6/7/9/15 June in NYC Issued on RCA LPM-2486

Burton recorded his initial album as a leader, 'New Vibe Man in Town', in two sessions on the 6th and 7th of July, 1961, with his trio consisting of Morello and Gene Cherico (bass). His next LP, 'Who is Gary Burton?', was recorded in September of '62 and released in '63. That septet included Terry, Woods, Brookmeyer, Tommy Flanagan (piano), John Neves (bass) and Morello sharing drums with Chris Swansen, the latter with whom he had attended Berklee.

'Joy Spring' Gary Burton

Bass: Gene Cherico Drums: Joe Morello

Composition: Clifford Brown

From Burton's debut LP as a leader 'New Vibe Man in Town'

Album recorded 6/7 July 1961 Issued on RCA Victor LSP-2420

Burton and Clark Terry found themselves back together again to back Michel Legrand in 1962 and Quincy Jones in 1964, then recorded 'Blue 'n' Boogie' at Radio City Music Hall for Newport in New York on July 6 of 1972. It was 1977 when they joined Peter Herbolzheimer for 'Jazz Gala 77 All Star Big Band' in Dusseldorf, Germany. Burton recorded with Phil Woods again to back Legrand in 1962 and Jones in 1964 along with Terry. Woods then backed Burton's 'The Groovy Sound of Music' on December 21, 1964, along with Bob Brookmeyer, Joe Puma (guitar), Steve Swallow (bass) and Joe Hunt at drums. Burton and Joe Morello would reunite in 1970 for Dick Schory's 'Carnegie Hall'. Burton later surfaced on Morello's 'Percussive Jazz' in 1976.

Backing up a bit to August of 1963 finds Burton in NYC w Jim Hall (guitar), Chuck Israels (bass) and Larry Bunker (drums) toward 'Something's Coming'. It was a quartet of Burton, Bunker, Mike Wofford (piano) and Bob West (bass) for dates in November and December of 1963 toward multiple volumes of 'Live at Shelly's Manne-Hole' by Vault ('66) and Interplay. Burton backed 'Bob Brookmeyer and Friends' in May of 1964 before Brookmeyer's participation in Burton's 'The Groovy Sound of Music' in December.

The year of 1963 also saw the recording of several albums with pianist, George Shearing, with whom Burton toured the US and Japan: 'Latin Rendezvous', 'Jazz Concert', 'Rare Form!' and 'Out of the Woods'. 'Deep Velvet' went down in June of '64, 'That Fresh Feeling' in '65.

'J.S. Bop' Gary Burton w George Shearing (piano)

From Shearing's album 'Out of the Woods' All compositions & arrangements by Burton

Album recorded 28 Dec 1963 in Los Angeles Issued on Capitol Records ST-2272

It was March 4, 1964, when Burton held his first session with saxophonist, Stan Getz, that resulting in 'Nobody Else But Me'. July 18 of 1965 saw them recording in Tokyo w a quartet filled by Steve Swallow (bass) and Larry Bunker (drums) for titles eventually issued variously on CD. It was a trio of Burton, Swallow and Bunker back in NYC to record 'The Time Machine' in April of '66. Burton stayed with Getz through several albums to 'Paris Concert' on November 13, 1966. They would reunite on July 2, 1975, for 'Stan Getz and Friends - Avery Fisher Hall'.

'The Stan Getz Quartet In Paris' Album Gary Burton w Stan Getz (tenor saxophone)

Bass: Steve Swallow Drums: Roy Haynes

Recorded 13 Nov 1966 at the Salle Playel in Paris Issued on Verve Records 711 109

'Scrapple from the Apple' Gary Burton w Stan Getz (tenor saxophone)

Bass: Steve Swallow Drums: Roy Haynes Composition: Charlie Parker

From the film 'Jazz Goes to College' All compositions & arrangements by Burton

Recorded 14 Nov 1966 at the London School of Economics

'General Mojo's Well-Laid Plan' Gary Burton w Larry Coryell (guitar) in Berlin 1967

Bass: Steve Swallow Drums: Bob Moses Composition: Steve Swallow

Burton became a professor at Berklee in 1971. He would remain there until 2004, retiring as Executive Vice President. March of 1973 saw Burton rewarded with a Grammy for his 1971 solo LP, 'Alone at Last', the first of seven.

'Moonchild' Gary Burton From the solo LP 'Alone At Last'

Composition: Keith Jarrett

Recorded 19 June 1971 at the Montreux Jazz Fest in Switzerland

Issued on Atlantic SD 1598

'In the Public Interest' Gary Burton w Michael Gibbs (conducting)

All composition and arrangement by Mike Gibbs

Album recorded 25/26 June 1973 at Electric Lady Studios in NYC

Issued on Polydor PD 6503 & 2383 252

Shortly after joining Berklee one of the more important figures in Burton's career arrived, that pianist, Chick Corea. They are thought to have held their first mutual session in the band of Hubert Laws on January 27, 1972, for 'Yoruba' with a couple more unissued. They recorded together numerously, backing each other when not co-leading projects well into the new millennium, beginning with their duo 'Crystal Silence' in Oslo, Norway, on November 6, 1972. They toured internationally for a year and a half beginning in latter 2006. Six of Burton's seven Grammys were with Corea, their last in 2012 for 'Hot House'.

Gary Burton filmed live in Tokyo w Chick Corea (piano) 1981

Burton and fusion guitarist, Pat Metheny, went as far back as July of 1974 in Ludwigsburg, Germany. when Metheny joined Burton's Quintet for 'Ring' recorded with bassist, Eberhard Weber. Metheny supported several of Burton's projects through the years, eventually to put away 'Reunion' together in New York City on 6-10 May of 1989.

'Reunion' Gary Burton w Pat Metheny (guitar)

Keyboards: Mitchel Forman Bass: Will Lee Drums: Peter Erskine

Composition: Mitchel Forman

From 'Reunion' recorded 6-10 May 1989 in NYC Issued on GRP GR-9598

Gary Burton live in Berlin w Donny McCaslin (tenor saxophone) 2 Nov 1990

Guitar: Wolfgang Muthspiel Bass: Larry Grenadier Drums: Martin Richards

Burton had been recording for forty years as the calendar greeted the new millennium. He hosted weekly shows for Sirius Satellite Radio between 2004 and '08.

Gary Burton filmed live w Chick Corea in Saint Petersburg 2008

Gary Burton filmed live w Chick Corea at Jazzwoche Burghausen 2011

'Afro Blue' Gary Burton filmed live at Jazz Sous les Pommiers 2013

Guitar: Julian Lage Contrabass: Scott Colley Drums: Antonio Sanchez

Composition: Mongo Santamari 1969

'Never the Same Way' Gary Burton filmed live at Jazz Sous les Pommiers 2013

Guitar: Julian Lage Contrabass: Scott Colley Drums: Antonio Sanchez

Burton released his final name album, 'Guided Tour', in 2013. His autobiography, 'Learning to Listen', was published on 1 August 2013 by Berklee Press. In September of 2015 he accompanied the Mack Avenue Super Band for 'Live from The Detroit Jazz Festival 2015'.

Burton was named an NEA Jazz Master in April 2016 prior to the August issue of the last recording to which Tom Lord traces him, that 'Epistrophy' on John Beasley's big band renditions of compositions by Thelonious Monk, 'John Beasley presents MONK'estra vol. 1' released on Mack Avenue Records MAC1113. The next year Burton gave his last concert tour performance in March of 2017.