Gary Burton: Who Is Gary Burton? (1963) / Tennessee Firebird (1966) / The Time Machine (1966) / In Concert (1968) / Country Roads And Other Places (1969)

I've just re-upped a few Burton albums elsewhere on request. Seemed a good idea to show them here, too.

Who Is Gary Burton?

Burton's second album as a leader finds the 19 year old among such heavyweights as Clark Terry, Bob Brookmeyer, Phil Woods and Tommy Flanagan playing swinging, advanced hardbop.

The amg likes it:
"It is puzzling why Gary Burton's second recording as a leader, Who Is Gary Burton?, remains out of print.
The talented young vibraphonist had already proven himself as a sideman and was breaking new ground as a master technician on his instrument, utilizing four mallets simultaneously with seemingly little effort. Joining him on this sophomore outing is a septet that includes Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Bob Brookmeyer (who is strangely not listed anywhere on the album jacket), and Joe Morello.
The play list is anything but predictable, with two exciting originals by drummer Chris Swanson (a fellow Berklee alum), a well-crafted arrangement of George Shearing's "Conception," an elegant take of "My Funny Valentine" with a gorgeous flügelhorn solo by Terry, and an obscure but high-energy work by Jaki Byard, "One Note."
Although Burton  is obviously a very confident soloist, he feels no need to hog the spotlight (a common mistake by young jazz musicians in later decades), as he is happy to step back and let the veterans take center stage. Until RCA gets around to reissuing this gem, finding a copy of this long unavailable LP will be very difficult."

RCA Victor LPM-2665

Side A:
1 Storm (Swansen) 4:12
2 I've Just Seen Her (Strouse / Adams) 4:15
3 Fly Time Fly (Sigh) (Gibbs) 4:31
4 Conception (Shearing) 4:01

Side B:
1 Get Away Blues (Swansen) 5:40
2 My Funny Valentine (Rodgers / Hart) 5:22
3 One Note (Byard) 5:20

Clark Terry (tp) Phil Woods (as) Bob Brookmeyer (tb on A2-4, B1,2) Gary Burton (vib) Tommy Flanagan (p) John Neves (b) Chris Swansen (d on A2-4, B1,2) Joe Morello (d on A1, B3)
Recorded in RCA Victor's Studio A, NYC on November 14+15, 1962

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Tennessee Firebird

In 1966 Burton brought his quartet to Nashville to meet such studio heavyweights as Buddy Emmons, Chet Aktins or Buddy Spicher. Some of it worked great, some not so. Especially the more intimate dialogues with Atkins on Alone And Forsaken, with Spicher on Gone or with Emmons on I Can't Help It are really beautiful, while some of the tracks with full band are rather chaotic.

RCA Victor LPM3719

Side A:
1 Gone 4:50
2 Tennessee Firebird 2:55
3 Just Like A Woman 3:47
4 Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair 1:52
5 Faded Love 3:21

Side B:
1 I Can't Help It 2:53
2 I Want You 3:28
3 Alone And Forsaken 2:48
4 Walter L. 4:38
5 Born To Lose 2:42
6 Beauty Contest 1:25
7 Epilogue 0:24

Recorded at RCA Victor's 'Nashville Sound' Studio, Nashville, Tenn., September 19, 1966

Personnel:
(based on the Bruyninckx Discography)

Gone: Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Buddy Spicher (fiddle) Steve Swallow (b)
Tennessee Firebird: Steve Marcus (ts,sop) Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Buddy Spicher (fiddle) Ray Edenton, Jimmy Colvard, Chet Atkins (g) Sonny Osborne (bj) Steve Swallow, Henry Strzelecki (b) Roy Haynes, Kenneth Buttrey (d)
Just Like A Woman: Steve Marcus (ts,sop) Charlie McCoy (hca) Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Ray Edenton, Chet Atkins (g) Bobby Osborne (mand)Henry Strzelecki (b) Kenneth Buttrey (d)
Black Is The Color: Gary Burton (vib) Chet Atkins (g)
Faded Love: Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Buddy Spicher (fiddle) Ray Edenton, Jimmy Colvard, Chet Atkins (g) Buddy Emmons (el-g) Bobby Osborne (mand) Henry Strzelecki (b) Kenneth Buttrey (d)
I Can't Help It: Steve Marcus (ts,sop) Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Buddy Emmons (el-g) Steve Swallow (b) Roy Haynes (d)
I Want You: Steve Marcus (ts,sop) Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Ray Edenton, Jimmy Colvard (g) Bobby Osborne (mand) Steve Swallow (b) Kenneth Buttrey (d)
Alone And Forsaken: Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Chet Atkins (g) Steve Swallow (b) Roy Haynes (d)
Walter L.: Steve Marcus (ts,sop) Charlie McCoy (hca) Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Steve Swallow (b) Roy Haynes (d)
Born To Lose: Gary Burton (vib) Chet Atkins (g)
Beauty Contest: Steve Marcus (ts,sop) Gary Burton (vib,p,org) Buddy Spicher (fiddle) Bobby Osborne (mand) Sonny Osborn (bj) Steve Swallow, Henry Strzelecki (b) Roy Haynes, Kenneth Buttrey (d)

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The Time Machine

Before Burton dived headfirst into jazzrock with the classic "Duster", he recorded this experimental set, on which he expands his trio with Steve Swallow and Larry Bunker by adding overdubed marimba and piano.

The liner notes make a lot of fuss about the technical aspects of overdubbing, which seemed to be a still rather uncommon technique in 1966. To me the album's much more significant for Burton's obvious development away from the still quite straight ahead playing on "Something's Coming" and "The Groovy Sound Of Music" towards a freer, more experimental approach to playing and composing.

"This Gary Burton  LP was a bit unusual in that he overdubbed piano and marimbas in addition to his distinctive vibes. There is still plenty of interaction with bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Larry Bunker, and the material (which includes Swallow's "Falling Grace," "Norwegian Wood" and "My Funny Valentine") is strong. Also unusual is that Burton  (normally never a composer) contributed several pieces, including "The Sunset Bell," "Six-Nix, Quix, Flix" and a few short "Interims." A highlight is the vibraphonist's earliest recording of Jobim's  "No More Blues," although it is not on the same level as his classic unaccompanied version of a few years later. Interesting music overall, but this set has not yet been reissued on CD by RCA. " (AMG)

RCA LSP-3642

Side A:
1 The Sunset Bell 5:04
2 Six-Nix, Quix, Flix 6:08
3 Interim I 1:36
4 Chega De Suadade (No More Blues) (Jobim/de Moraes) 4:43
5 Childhood (Michael Gibbs) 1:02

Side B:
1 Deluge (Michael Gibbs) 4:47
2 Norwegian Wood (Lennon/McCartney) 3:26
3 Interim II 0:54
4 Falling Grace (Steve Swallow) 4:00
5 My Funny Valentine (Rodgers/Hart) 5:33

All tunes written by Gary Burton except as indicated otherwise.

Gary Burton (vib, marimba, p) Steve Swallow (b) Larry Bunker (d, perc)
Recorded in RCA Victor's Studio B, New York City, 1966

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Gary Burton Quartet In Concert

Burton was quite hip to what was happening in the rock world at the time. And if you look at that psychedelic lettering and the group's clothing, you'll be surprised to hear that this was NOT recorded at the Filmore East. I guess that the acid soaked Filmore audience would have enjoyed this quite a bit. In fact, i've just read that Burton's group once opened for a trio called 'Cream'...

The programm is quite varied since it alternates group pieces with solo (Dreams) or duo pieces (Lines) and straighter, more rockish numbers with freeform freakouts (One, Two, 1-2-3-4). It's not really surprising that a live recording takes more freedom than a studio album, but i have to admit that parts of this session are a bit too free for my taste. Still there's a lot of worthwhile music here.

RCA Victor LSP-3985

Side A:
01 Blue Comedy (Mike Gibbs) 8:25
02 The Sunset Bell (Gary Burton) 4:48
03 Lines (Larry Coryell) 2:48
04 Walter L. (Gary Burton) 6:21

Side B:
01 Wrong Is Right (Larry Coryell) 6:02
02 Dreams (Gary Burton) 5:31
03 I Want You (Bob Dylan) 2:38
04 One, Two, 1-2-3-4 (Gary Burton, Larry Coryell) 9:27

Gary Burton (vib) Larry Coryell (g) Steve Swallow (b) Bob Moses (d)
Recorded live at Carnegie Recital Hall, New York City, February 23, 1968

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Country Roads And Other Places

Another one of Burton's early attempts at fusing jazz and rock. This time he sucessfully added elements of country and classical music.

With longtime bassist Steve Swallow, the return of drummer Roy Haynes, and the debut of guitarist Jerry Hahn, Gary Burton's second quartet continued his open-minded policy toward other styles of music. In addition to both melodic and advanced jazz, Burton incorporates elements of country, rock, pop and even classical music on this fairly rare LP. Whether it be a Ravel Prelude, Wichita Breakdown or My Foolish Heart, the music is full of logical surprises that foreshadow the eclectic nature of much of '80s and '90s jazz. (AMG)

RCA Victor LSP 4098

Country Roads (Gary Burton, Steve Swallow) - 5:06
The Green Mountains (Swallow) - 3:41
True or False (Swallow) - 1:45
Gone, But Forgotten (Burton, Mike Gibbs) - 3:45
Ravel Prelude (Le tombeau de Couperin: Prelude) (Maurice Ravel) - 3:14
And on the Third Day (Gibbs) - 4:06
A Singing Song (Burton) - 2:46
Wichita Breakdown (Burton, Jerry Hahn) - 2:43
My Foolish Heart (Ned Washington, Victor Young) - 2:30
A Family Joy (Gibbs) - 4:45

Gary Burton (vib, p) Jerry Hahn (g) Steve Swallow (b) Roy Haynes (d)
RCA Victor's Studio B, NYC, September 24, 25 & 27, 1968