Gary Burton

Vibraphone master Gary Burton became a prime mover in post-bop jazz starting in the '60s, becoming one of jazz's premier vibraphone stylists. Born on January 23, 1943 in Anderson, Indiana, he was influenced by pianists like Bill Evans, and he studied at the Berklee College of Music before launching his career at the start of the '60s. He began in bop, playing with the likes of George Shearing and Bob Brookmeyer, and he released his first solo album, New Vibe Man in Town, in 1961 on RCA, remaining with the label for several years. By the late '60s, like many other jazz artists of his generation, Burton was venturing into post-bop and fusion by the late '60s/early '70s. Surrounded by envelope-pushing young players like Larry Coryell, Steve Swallow, and Bob Moses, he cut prescient milestones like Duster and Lofty Fake Anagram, and collaborated with pioneering composer/bandleader Carla Bley on A Genuine Tong Funeral. After a short run on Atlantic, Burton began a tenure at ECM in 1972 that would take him through the mid '80s. He helped to define the label's reflective, impressionistic aesthetic, starting a fruitful partnership with Chick Corea, with whom he released several duo albums, as well as partnering with Eberhard Weber, Ralph Towner, and others, and releasing a multitude of solo records. From the late '80s to the mid '90s, Burton recorded several albums for GRP as well as appearing on records by everyone from Dave Grusin to k.d. lang. In the 2000s, Burton had a long run with the Concord Jazz label, including more collaborations with Corea and a live recording with Pat Metheny. In 2013 Burton released an autobiography, Learning to Listen. Four years later, after finishing a farewell tour, the legendary vibes man retired from live performance.