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Musician

Ralph Burns

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Of the dozens of fine composers and arrangers to come out of New England, none was ever more accomplished or more prolific than Ralph Burns, who left indelible marks on music in America from coast to coast and not only in the jazz idiom. While with Herman in the late 1940s, Burns was the anchor of a composing/arranging staff unsurpassed in big band history. Among his colleagues were Nat Pierce, Neal Hefti, Shorty Rogers, Red Norvo, Bill Harris, Terry Gibbs, Jimmy Giuffre and even Igor Stravinsky, who was inspired to compose “Ebony Concerto” for Herman after hearing some of the works Burns had done for the band. Burns was impressionable himself and often stayed up all night listening to records of Stravinsky, Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker. According to British jazz journalist and radio man Steve Voce, “Burns was befriended by Alexis Haieff, Stravinsky’s protégé, and he studied composition and orchestration with him. It was to serve him in good stead, for Burns went on to be not only a jazz figure to rank with Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Gerry Mulligan and Gil Evans, but also to become one of the finest orchestrators of popular music. “Burns kept busy with writing, never short of work throughout the best part of 60 years, manuscripts for a projected musical on his desk when he died. His skills were directed at chamber composition, jazz writing and at enhancing those who performed the great American songbook. He was matchless, and it is certain that the timeless nature of his work will ensure its survival along with the best of Ellington and Strayhorn, whom he so much admired.” Outside of his legendary work with the Woody Herman band, Burns played a major role in the musical scores for some of the biggest hits on Broadway, including “Chicago,” “No, No, Nanette,” “Sweet Charity,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” and “Dancin’.” His Hollywood work included “Cabaret” and a collaboration with Jule Styne and Barbra Streisand on “Funny Girl.” He received Academy awards for “Cabaret” and “All That Jazz,” and a Tony for “Fosse.” Burns’ masterpiece was “Summer Sequence,” a 20-minute suite introduced to the world by Herman at Carnegie Hall on March 25, 1946. “That was something I wish I could remember more,” said Burns years later. “It was a thrilling night. The band was at its absolute peak. We thought nothing of it at the time, like a baseball team that went on to the World Series.”

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Article: Interview

Dino Betti van der Noot: la big band tra suono e racconto

Read "Dino Betti van der Noot: la big band tra suono e racconto" reviewed by Neri Pollastri


Nel mondo del jazz, e non solo in quello, Dino Betti van der Noot è una personalità decisamente unica: formalmente un dilettante, ha però pubblicato quindici album, molti dei quali pluripremiati; scrive per big band, una cosa oggi ormai rarissima, dando inoltre vita a opere che si discostano dalla tradizione della formazione; dotato di una cultura ...

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Article: Radio & Podcasts

Art of the Arranger

Read "Art of the Arranger" reviewed by David Brown


This week, we continue exploring the art of the arranger with large ensembles and jazz orchestras. Charles Mingus sets Meditations on Integration on a big band, The Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band presents a tone poem with traditional Japanese vocalists, we look at the Fletcher Henderson influence on Sun Ra, plus works by Satoko Fujii Orchestra ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

Jon Hendricks: An Essential Top Ten Albums

Read "Jon Hendricks: An Essential Top Ten Albums" reviewed by Peter Jones


Considering he reached the ripe old age of 37 before recording an album, Jon Hendricks' jazz legacy is remarkable. Although a singer, in his head he was more of an instrumentalist. When he improvised, he would imitate the tenor saxophone, the flute, the trombone, or the double-bass. His professional singing career lasted from 1932, when he ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

Eddie Sauter: A Wider Focus

Read "Eddie Sauter: A Wider Focus" reviewed by Chris May


For many people, composer and arranger Eddie Sauter's reputation begins and ends with Stan Getz's Focus (Verve, 1962). The album is, indeed, a masterpiece. But it is only one of the pinnacles of Sauter's career, which started during the swing era. Nor is Focus Sauter's only collaboration with Getz. The partnership continued with the less widely ...

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Article: Album Review

Jeff Hamilton Trio: Catch Me If You Can

Read "Catch Me If You Can" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Any trio anchored by drummer Jeff Hamilton has a clear head start when compared to any would-be rivals. That's because Hamilton's unerring and tasteful timekeeping and resourceful use of brushes and sticks would be any trio's dream come true. In this case it's Hamilton's own trio, recording at least the sixteenth album under that name, the ...

Article: Profile

Jerry Wexler e Aretha Franklin: quando la Soul Music conquistò il pianeta

Read "Jerry Wexler e Aretha Franklin: quando la Soul Music conquistò il pianeta" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Nei giorni successivi il 16 agosto, tutti i media del mondo hanno commentato la morte di Aretha Franklin, la straordinaria soul singer e una delle massime voci del Novecento. Una scomparsa avvenuta in singolare coincidenza di quella di Jerry Wexler dieci anni prima. Il 15 agosto 2008 se n'era andato quel produttore dell'Atlantic Records che fece ...

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Article: Big Band Report

Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 4-4

Read "Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 4-4" reviewed by Simon Pilbrow


Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival “Woodchoppers' Ball" Four Points by Sheraton at LAX Los Angeles, CA May 23-27, 2018 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Panel 3: Cousins -Moderated by Ken Borgers Moderated by Ken Borgers, this panel featured Woody Herman ...

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Article: Big Band Report

Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 3-4

Read "Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 3-4" reviewed by Simon Pilbrow


Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival “Woodchoppers' Ball" Four Points by Sheraton at LAX Los Angeles, CA May 23-27, 2018 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Concert 8: The Herdsmen -Bobby Shew meets Larry McKenna Trumpeter Bobby Shew is a well- known ...

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Article: Big Band Report

Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 2-4

Read "Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 2-4" reviewed by Simon Pilbrow


Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival “Woodchoppers' Ball" Four Points by Sheraton at LAX Los Angeles, CA May 23-27, 2018 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Concert 4: Keen and Peachy: Music of the Woody Herman Second Herd -Directed by Michael Berkowitz ...


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