The Talented Mr. Burrell Arrives At UCLA
Guitarist and composer, Kenny Burrell is among the handful of master musicians
whose legacy is measured not only in recordings, compositions, and performances
but in the continuing transformation his presence has inspired in the world
of music. Duke Ellington’s favorite guitar player—and a frequent “best” on lists of both music critics and fans—Burrell may well be the most consistently lyrical guitarist in all of jazz. He is a master technician with the heart of a poet, using his instrument to tell stories and evoke emotions in a way that speaks directly to his listeners. His is a natural, low-volume, acoustic sound, focused on a limited volume range and the subtleties that unfold there, which he has called “my favorite part of the music.”
Burrell’s name has found its place among the who’s who of jazz with whom he has played over the years: Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson, Tony Bennett, Billy Holiday, and Quincy Jones.
Thus, when UCLA asked him, in 1978, to develop and teach a class on jazz, he wasn’t exactly looking for something to do. The same was true in 1996, when Burrell was asked and agreed to accept a full-time position as the first director of a new Jazz Studies program at UCLA. Although he was a man of many accomplishments, Burrell had been looking for an opportunity to teach, and when it came, he didn’t hesitate to take it. Here’s a bit of his story.
Born in Detroit in 1931 to musical parents, Kenny Burrell took up guitar after hearing Charlie Christian on the radio one day, and he was part of the lively Detroit jazz community while still in his teens. Musicians passing through town left with good things to say about the remarkably inventive young guitarist.
Like many musicians who end up in jazz, Burrell studied music composition and theory at what was then Wayne University, now Wayne State. Although his guitar lessons focused on classical music, “I knew that jazz was what I wanted. I found myself wanting to change some of the notes,” he says.
Given his love of jazz, Burrell found it difficult to deal with a music department where jazz was not part of the landscape. Particularly trying was a professor who taught music appreciation. “Every time I mentioned the word jazz it presented a problem to this instructor,” he says. “He really gave me a hard time.” Burrell’s reaction went beyond the personal. “The other kids in the class were being deprived of this information. I remember sitting in that class saying to myself that if I ever get a chance, I’ll teach college and I’ll teach jazz,” he says.