Gary Burton - Bus Pass...

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

"As Gary says, “I have been preparing for this (retirement) for the past two years, gradually reducing my commitments and making the final decision for when to step back from my six decades of performing. Let’s just say, for health reasons, this is the right time to start a new chapter in my life.”

Gary will begin his final USA tour March 1 in D.C., touring with his long-time collaborator, pianist Makoto Ozone — the leading jazz musician in Japan. Gary and Makoto have recorded a number of CDs together and played too many concerts to count over the 30-some years of their musical partnership. Gary chose their critically acclaimed duet setting as the way he wanted to closeout his musical career."

BN.

[Old Grumpy]

"As Gary says, “I have been preparing for this (retirement) for the past two years, gradually reducing my commitments and making the final decision for when to step back from my six decades of performing. Let’s just say, for health reasons, this is the right time to start a new chapter in my life.”

Gary will begin his final USA tour March 1 in D.C., touring with his long-time collaborator, pianist Makoto Ozone — the leading jazz musician in Japan. Gary and Makoto have recorded a number of CDs together and played too many concerts to count over the 30-some years of their musical partnership. Gary chose their critically acclaimed duet setting as the way he wanted to closeout his musical career."

BN.

Fair dos - according to my abacus he'll be 74. Some great comments here.

OG

[Ian Thumwood]

I've seen Gary Burton perform a couple of times including with Pat Metheny. It seems odd that he is retiring because he has always seemed a "contemporary" player as opposed to someone from an earlier generation. The best Burton album I have heard is the duet with Paul Bley which I think was recorded around 1990 and is terrific. More recently, Burton seems to have become increasingly mainstream and, whilst I have enjoyed his concerts, I find his style of jazz a bit too polite. The odd thing about him is that he is supposed to have an affinity for guitar players yet I have always felt to hear him at his best he need to be in a duo with a pianist. The collaboration with Chick Corea is a strong case in point., ditto Makoto Ozone.

When I was getting in to jazz I had a book by Stan Britt which was an encyclopedia of the music which had Burton down as an avant garde player. The first time I heard him was on a record called "The loft fake anagram" and the music seemed like a light breeze that did not do a great deal. It put me off his music for a long while but I found his work from the 1980's far more inspiring. However, I think the argument for him being a progressive player has always felt like a non-starter. It has always been clear that he was technically accomplished yet I have felt his music has always been centred on the mainstream and perhaps a role model for many of today's vibes players like Joe Locke who has the same kind of proficiency but who also seems a bit tame these days. I must admit that I find players like Jason Adasiewicz a refreshing change to some other players who appear to have a greater technique but sound a bit too pretty to my ears.

[Tenor Freak]

Sorry to read this, at least he has his Berklee pension to retire on and doesn't need to keep on working to the bitter end. Also interesting he has chosen this way to bow out - he could have got an all-star band of old collaborators together (Chick, Pat, Swallow etc).

I've always liked his work - tempted to ask Alyn for a request for the version of Keith Jarrett's "Semblence" on the LP "Times Square": probably the fastest thing on the ECM label.

[richardfinegold]

My former College roommate had a brother, also named Gary, who was a Jazz Pianist. We were in College and Burton and Chick Corea came to Ann Arbor, Mi soon after the album Crystal Silence was released. Corea became ill hours prior to the concert and Gary was pulled from Detroit at the last minute to deputized for him. He was terrified and very self critical but we attended with front row seats and spent time afterwards backstage. I remember Burton being very gracious to the overawed Gary, but due to the excellence of the hashish that was passed around. I don't remember much else about that night...

[Old Grumpy]

My former College roommate had a brother, also named Gary, who was a Jazz Pianist. We were in College and Burton and Chick Corea came to Ann Arbor, Mi soon after the album Crystal Silence was released. Corea became ill hours prior to the concert and Gary was pulled from Detroit at the last minute to deputized for him. He was terrified and very self critical but we attended with front row seats and spent time afterwards backstage. I remember Burton being very gracious to the overawed Gary, but due to the excellence of the hashish that was passed around. I don't remember much else about that night...