Ralph Burns
Ralph Burns studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and, by his own admission, learned the art of jazz arranging through transcribing from records. At first Burns joined the Charlie Barnet organization, but by 1944 he was working with Woody Herman "second herd" as the band's pianist and chief arranger. Burns composed several of the instrumental standards associated with Herman, including "Bijou" and "Apple Honey." But Burns scored a bull's-eye with the three-part extended work "Summer Sequence" in 1945, still regarded as one of the most advanced big-band charts of its day. The final movement of "Summer Sequence," "Early Autumn" became the solo showcase that brought saxophonist Stan Getz into the public spotlight in 1947. With lyrics by Johnny Mercer added, "Early Autumn" became a favorite of jazz vocalists and something close to being a vocal standard.
Burns always cited his days with Herman as being his happiest, but in the dark days of 1946 both artists could see the writing on the wall for the big bands. Burns took to writing charts for singers such as Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, and Ray Charles, Burns arranging Charles' famous recording of "Georgia on My Mind." He later worked closely with film director Bob Fosse and picked up two Academy Awards for his scores for the films Cabaret and All That Jazz. Burns later added to these honors a Tony Award for the 1999 musical Fosse.
Although Ralph Burns' direct involvement in instrumental jazz groups came to an end with the demise of the big bands, he led both small combos and pickup orchestras on about a dozen albums made under his own name between 1951 and 1964. These are only infrequently encountered on reissues; however, they range in quality from respectable to outstanding.
© Uncle Dave Lewis /TiVo
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Discography
19 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Porgy & Bess in Modern Jazz (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 4 Nov 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Essential Jazz Sessions
Bebop - Released by Master Classics Records on 1 Apr 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Ralph Burns Sessions Featuring Ben Webster (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by RevOla on 30 Jul 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Ralph Burns Among the Jatps + Winter Sequence
Jazz - Released by Circadian Jazz on 20 Feb 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ralph Burns With The JATPs
Jazz - Released by Past Classics Jazz on 6 Jun 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Free Forms by Ralph Burns + Jazz Studio 5 (Bonus Track Version)
Jazz - Released by Circadian Jazz on 20 Feb 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Four Classic Albums (Spring Sequence / Very Warm for Jazz / Bijou / Porgy & Bess in Modern Jazz) [Remastered]
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 28 Oct 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Very Warm for Jazz (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 4 Nov 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ralph Burns in Percussion / Where There's Burns, There's Fire
Jazz - Released by Fresh Sound Records on 1 Jan 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Spring Sequence (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 1 Jan 1956
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bijou (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 4 Nov 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ralph Burns and His Ensemble: Bijou + Spring Sequence (Bonus Track Version)
Jazz - Released by Circadian Jazz on 20 Feb 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Taxco
Jazz - Released by Black & Partner Licenses LLC on 7 May 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
1947 WNEW Saturday Night Swing Session
Jazz - Released by CoolNote on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ralph Burns Among The JATPs
Jazz - Released by CoolNote on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Deluxe Series Volume 68 (Bethlehem Collection): Bijou
Jazz - Released by SINETONE AMR on 1 May 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -