Dan Polletta reviews Gary Burton's "Vibes"

Aired April 30, 2000

The use of the vibraphone in jazz was at first as a novelty instrument. But after some exploration, it became apparent that striking this long row of metal keys with mallets could add a new and wonderful sound to the music. Among the instrument's early champions were Adrian Rollini, Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo. In the mid 40s, Milt Jackson adapted the instrument to the challenges of modern jazz. Jackson's emphasis was more melodic and less percussive than his predecessors. "Bags" slowed the instrument's tremolo giving his metallic instrument a warmer sound. The legato lines Jackson played were long and bluesy with a rhythmic approach that owed much to Charlie Parker. Jackson's style of playing was the dominant one until the early 60s when the arrival of some new players on the scene, namely Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton.

Burton's approach was less bluesy and more keyboard-like than Jackson. Burton played the instrument with four mallets rather than the traditional two, which gave the lines he created an unusually rich sound. Burton also looked outside traditional jazz sources, including country and rock, to incorporate into his music.

Burton, born in Indiana in 1943, was a self-taught player who made his recording debut at age 17, playing on sessions led by guitarists Hank Garland and Chet Atkins. After a few years studying at the Berklee College of Music in the early 60s, Burton left school to play jazz in bands led by George Shearing and Stan Getz. During his stint with Getz, Burton started to gain notice for his playing, including winning Down Beat magazine's "Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition" award in 1965. Burton was also recording albums under his own name during his days with tenor saxophonist. After leaving Getz, Burton formed his own quartet in 1967 which included guitarist Larry Coryell. The recordings were among the first to mix elements of rock with jazz.

As the 1960s moved in the 70s, Burton's music continued to grow and change. He received a Grammy for his 1971 album ALONE AT LAST, a solo vibraphone concert recorded at the 1971 Montreux Jazz Festival. In 1973, Burton began a fifteen year relationship with the German ECM label. Manfred Eicher's pristine recordings were the perfect fit for the vibist's many projects which included a number of quartet sessions that featured Burton protege, guitarist Pat Metheny and brilliant duets with pianist Chick Corea. These recordings continued to document Burton's explorations of a mixture of jazz, rock and occasionally classical music. After leaving ECM, Burton went on to record for GRP and now makes albums for Concord. Last year's all-star collaboration LIKE MINDS with Metheny, Corea, bass player Dave Holland and Roy Haynes won a Grammy. Burton's brand new recording LIBERTANGO documents his continuing interest in music of the late bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla, one of the masters of the tango.

In addition to his work as a performer, Burton is heavily involved in jazz education. In 1971, Burton started teaching percussion and improvisation classes at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 1985 he was named Dean of Curriculum; in 1989, he received an honorary doctorate of music from the college. In 1996, he was appointed to his current position overseeing the operations of the college as Executive Vice President.