Charles Burrell (musician) explained

Charles Burrell
Birth Date:4 October 1920
Birth Place:Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
Instrument:Bass
Genre:Jazz, classical
Occupation:Musician
Years Active:1938–present

Charles Burrell (born October 4, 1920) is a classical and jazz bass player most prominently known for being the first African-American to be a member of a major American symphony (the Denver Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Colorado Symphony). For this accomplishment he is often referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of Classical Music".[1] [2] [3]

Early life

Charles was born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in depression-era Detroit, Michigan. In grade school, he excelled in music. When he was twelve years old, he heard the SFS under renowned conductor Pierre Monteux on his family's crystal radio, and vowed to one day play as a member of the orchestra under his direction.[4]

Start of musical career

After high school, Burrell landed a job playing jazz at a club called B.J.'s in Detroit's Paradise Valley. At the start of World War II, he was drafted into an all-black naval unit located at Great Lakes Naval base near Chicago. He played in the unit's all-star band with Clark Terry, Al Grey, and O. C. Johnson,[5] and took classes at Northwestern University and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Career as an orchestral and jazz musician

In 1949, Burrell joined his mother's relatives in Denver, Colorado, and was soon hired by the Denver Symphony Orchestra,.[4] In 1959 he fulfilled his dream of playing for Pierre Monteux by joining the SFS and remained there until 1965.[6] According to the book "Music for a City Music for the World: 100 Years with the San Francisco Symphony", he charmed his way into an audition with the orchestra after a chance meeting in the street with Philip Karp, the principal bassist for the Symphony, while on vacation in San Francisco.[7]

He was called the first African-American to become a member of such a prestigious orchestra, and thus has been referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of classical music".[1] [2] [3] [7] [8] [9]

According to Jet Magazine and Indianapolis Recorder articles in 1953, he quit playing in the Denver Symphony to become the bass player in Nellie Lutcher's band.[10] [11] He went on to become a prominent jazz player in the scene of Five Points, Denver, and was featured in the PBS documentary on the subject.[12] [13] At that time, the Jazz scene in Five Points was the only one between St. Louis and the West Coast, so it became one of the most alive in the country, often being referred to as "The Harlem of the West". He played in the first integrated jazz trio in Colorado, the Al Rose Trio.[14] [15] He rose to be a central player in the Five Points jazz scene by becoming the house bass player at the Rossonian Hotel, considered the "entertainment central" spot in Five Points during that era.[16] He shared the stage with jazz legends such as Billie Holiday, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker, Earl Hines, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton[17] as well as Gene Harris.[18]

He is also noted as the teacher and mentor of bass player Ray Brown and multi-Grammy Award-winning vocalist Dianne Reeves (who is also his niece).[17] [19] Keyboardist George Duke (a cousin) also credited Burrell for being the person that convinced him to give up classical music and switch to jazz.[20] [21] Duke explained that he "wanted to be free" and Burrell "more or less made the decision for me" by convincing him to "improvise and do what you want to do".He still performed well into his 90s, including playing live in the studio of prominent Jazz radio station KUVO,[22] and was recently one of the two grand marshals that led the kick-off parade at the Five Points Jazz Festival.[23] [24] In 2021, he appeared in the documentary film JazzTown.[25] "

Awards and tributes

Discography

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Charlie Burrell, pioneer black musician in Colorado, releases memoir. 2016-12-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20190426081531/https://www.cpr.org/news/story/charlie-burrell-pioneer-black-musician-colorado-releases-memoir. 2019-04-26. dead.
  2. Web site: Charlie Burrell: A Denver Musical Legend . Andrew . Hudson . Purnell . Steen . Denver Urban Spectrum . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230406051204/http://www.urbanspectrum.net/archives/burrell.html . Apr 6, 2023 .
  3. Web site: Professor releases book on life of renowned local artist Charles Burrell. 1 December 2014. CU Denver Today . Emily . Williams . usurped . https://web.archive.org/web/20170104163554/http://www.cudenvertoday.org/professor-releases-book-on-life-of-renowned-local-artist-charles-burrell/ . Jan 4, 2017 .
  4. Web site: Charles Burrell. Thehistorymakers.com.
  5. Web site: Band of brothers. Nwitimes.com. 2 March 2003 . 30 November 2021.
  6. Web site: San Francisco Symphony Orchestra Musicians List. Stokowski.org. 30 November 2021.
  7. Book: Rothe, Larry. Music for a City Music for the World: 100 Years with the San Francisco Symphony. 56. 22 July 2011. Chronicle Books. 9781452110240. 30 November 2021. Google Books.
  8. Web site: Congressional Record, Volume 157 Issue 22 (Friday, February 11, 2011). Govinfo.gov. 30 November 2021.
  9. Prominent African-American classical musicians preceding Burrell by approximately a century include composer Francis Johnson, classical guitarist Justin Holland, and National Peace Jubilee grand orchestra members Frederick E. Lewis and Henry F. Williams.
  10. Web site: Jet. Johnson Publishing. Company. 23 July 1953. 39. Johnson Publishing Company. 30 November 2021. Google Books.
  11. Web site: Indianapolis Recorder 25 July 1953 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program. Newspapers.library.in.gov. 30 November 2021.
  12. Web site: RMPBS Specials | Rocky Mountain Legacy: Jazz in Five Points | Season 1 | Episode 105. 30 November 2021. Pbs.org.
  13. Web site: Archived copy . 2016-12-21 . 2017-01-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170104163551/https://www.congress.gov/crec/2011/02/11/CREC-2011-02-11-pt1-PgE211.pdf . dead .
  14. Web site: The Jazz Roots of Denver's Five Points, Uncovered. Innovatorspeak.com. 30 November 2021.
  15. Book: Handy, D. Antoinette. Black Women in American Bands and Orchestras. 30 November 1998. 19. Scarecrow Press. 9780810834194. 30 November 2021. Google Books.
  16. Web site: Frontporchstapleton.com. Frontporchstapleton.com. 30 November 2021.
  17. Web site: Bass player Charlie Burrell lays foundation for classical, jazz followers. Denverpost.com. 18 June 2011. 30 November 2021.
  18. Book: Elegant Soul: The Life and Music of Gene Harris. Janie. Harris. Bob. Evancho. 90. 30 November 2005. Caxton Press. 9780870044458. 30 November 2021. Google Books.
  19. Web site: Dianne Reeves Celebrates Grammy Award at Hartford's Infinity Music Hall. 10 February 2015. Connecticut Public. 30 November 2021.
  20. Book: Jazz-rock Fusion: The People, the Music. Julie. Coryell. Laura. Friedman. 30 November 2000. 192. Hal Leonard Corporation. 9780793599417. 30 November 2021. Google Books.
  21. Web site: Legendary Jazz Artiste George Duke's Final Bow - Entertainment News < . 2016-12-22 . 2017-01-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170104163136/http://www.sde.co.ke/m/pulse/article/2000111793/legendary-jazz-artiste-george-duke-s-final-bow . dead .
  22. Web site: Renowned bassist Charles Burrell bangs out the bass with vocalist.... Getty Images. 30 November 2021.
  23. Web site: Five Points Jazz Festival and Project Pabst Come to Denver This Weekend. Jon Solomon, Katie. Moulton. Westword.com. 30 November 2021.
  24. Web site: Five Points Jazz 2016. Kuvo.org. 4 May 2016. 30 November 2021.
  25. Web site: JazzTown . IMDb . June 17, 2024.
  26. Web site: Mayor's Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture - 2014 Winners . Artsandvenuesdenver.com. 30 November 2021.
  27. Web site: Eight Martin Luther King Jr. Awards presented at reception, concert. Denverpost.com. 15 January 2015. 30 November 2021.
  28. http://kuvo.org/post/tribute-charles-burrell-today-4pm
  29. Web site: Jazz Masters. Cmhof.org. 19 September 2017 . 30 November 2021.
  30. Web site: Visual and Performing Arts Campus Named for Charles Burrell. Westword.com. 14 April 2023.
  31. Web site: Marie Rhines – Tartans & Sagebrush (1982, Vinyl). 30 November 2021. Discogs.com. 1982 .
  32. Web site: Joan Tower / Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop – Fanfares For The Uncommon Woman (1999, CD). 30 November 2021. Discogs.com. 1999 .

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