Donald Vernon Burrows (8 August 1928 – 12 March 2020) was an Australian jazz and swing musician who played clarinet, saxophone and flute.
Life and career Donald Vernon Burrows was born on 8 August 1928, the only child of Vernon and Beryl and attended Bondi Public School. In 1937 a visiting flutist and teacher (Victor McMahon) inspired him to start learning the flute. He began on a B-flat flute which he later played at Carnegie Hall and the Newport Jazz Festival. By 1940 he was captain of the Metropolitan Schools Flute Band and began entering talent quests.
By 1942, aged 14, Burrows had begun playing clarinet and quit school. He began appearing at Sydney jazz clubs, and appeared on The Youth Show, a Macquarie Radio show. In 1944 he was invited to play and record with George Trevare's Australians. He became well known in Sydney jazz circles and was performing in dance halls, nightclubs and radio bands. He was a member of Jim Gussey's ABC Dance Band for five years.
During the 1960s and 1970s Burrows had many engagements in Australia and the United States, including six years performing at the Wentworth Hotel in Sydney in quartets with Ed Gaston, George Golla, and various drummers. It was this association which made his name the "most familiar in Australian jazz". In 1972, he was invited to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival and later the Newport Jazz Festival.
The year 1973 was a watershed for Burrows as he received the first gold record for an Australian jazz musician for his record Just the Beginning, instigated the first jazz studies program in the southern hemisphere, at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music (under the direction of Rex Hobcroft) and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).It's an Honour – Member of the Order of the British Empire In 1979 he was appointed Chair of Jazz Studies at the conservatorium.
Burrows performed to mostly classical music audiences through tours with Musica Viva and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation concert series. He led the nationally televised show The Don Burrows Collection for six years. He had an extensive recording career with his groups and performed on albums by others.
In the 1980s Burrows mentored and was closely associated with James Morrison. He formed the Don Burrows Quartet with George Golla (guitar), Ed Gaston (double bass) and Alan Turnbull (drums). He also worked with Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson, Tony Bennett, Stéphane Grappelli, Cleo Laine, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
In 1981 Burrows played woodwind on a Play School album, Hey Diddle Diddle: it was his only involvement with the show.Hey Diddle Diddle: Songs from Kindergarten / Songs from Play School, ABC Records, 1981.
In 2005 Burrows toured with a small band that included the Australian jazz pianist Kevin Hunt.Award-winning jazz performer Kevin Hunt He used his photographic images with his music in a show called Stop, Look and Listen.
Burrows had arthritis from age 38. In a 2008 interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Andrew Ford, celebrating his 80th birthday, he said that "arthritis is not the greatest for playing a musical instrument. But playing a musical instrument is very, very good for arthritis". In later years he had Alzheimer's disease and lived in a nursing home in northern Sydney. He died on 12 March 2020, aged 91.
Awards and honours 1973: Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) 1987: Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)It's an Honour – Officer of the Order of Australia 1988: Life member of the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music 1989: Named one of the Australian Living Treasures 2000: Honorary Doctorate in Music, Sydney University 2001: Honorary Doctorate in Music, Edith Cowan University, Perth
APRA Awards The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
| 2004 | Don Burrows | Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music
ARIA Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. It commenced in 1987.
! |- | 1988 | Nice 'n' Easy (with Adelaide Connection) | Best Jazz Album | |ARIA Award previous winners. |- | 1991 | Don Burrows | ARIA Hall of Fame
| 2006 | Non Stop Flight – Great Music of the Swing Era (with The Mell-O-Tones & Phillip Sametz) | Best Jazz Album
| 2016 | In Good Company (with James Morrison) | Best Jazz Album
Australian Jazz Bell Awards The Australian Jazz Bell Awards recognised the talent and achievements of Australian jazz artists locally and internationally
| 2008 | Don Burrows | Australian Jazz Bell Hall of Fame
Bernard Heinze Memorial Award The Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award is given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to music in Australia.
! |- | 1999 || Don Burrows || Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award || ||
Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Don Burrows won one award in that time. (wins only) |- | 1992 | Don Burrows | John Campbell Fellowship Award
Discography Albums + List of albums, with Australian chart positions Title Album details Peak chartpositions AUS On Camera (as Don Burrows Plus Six) Released: 1963 Format: LP Label: Columbia (SCXO-7692) align="center" A Tribute to Freddy Gardner Released: 1966 Format: LP Label: Columbia (SCXO-7777) align="center" The Jazz Sound of the Don Burrows Quartet (as Don Burrows Plus Six) Released: 1966 Format: LP Label: Columbia (SCXO 7781) align="center" 2000 Weeks Released: 1969 Format: LP Label: Columbia (SCXO 7883) NB: Soundtrack to the film 2000 Weeks align="center" Just the Beginning (as The Don Burrows Quartet) Released: 1971 Format: LP Label: Cherry Pie (CPS-1009) – Live! at Montreaux (as The Don Burrows Quartet) Released: 1972 Format: LP Label: Cherry Pie (CPS-1010) – At The Sydney Opera House (as The Don Burrows Quartet) Released: 1974 Format: LP Label: Cherry Pie (CPS 1017) – Duo (with George Golla) Released: 1975 Format: LP Label: Cherry Pie (CPS 1021) 98 The New Don Burrows Quintet (as The New Don Burrows Quintet) Released: 1975 Format: LP Label: Cherry Pie (CPF 1023) – The Tasman Connection Released: 1976 Format: LP Label: Cherry Pie (CPF 1026) – St James (with Galapagos Duck) Released: 1976 Format: LP Label: 44 Records (6357704) – Steph 'n' Us (with George Golla and Stephane Grappelli) Released: 1977 Format: LP, Cassette Label: Cherry Pie (CPF 1032) 38 Don Burrows and the Brazilian Connection (with The Brazilian Connection) Released: 1978 Format: 2xLP Label: Cherry Pie (CPF 1035) 92 Cool Yule Released: 1978 Format: LP Label: Cherry Pie (CPF 1037) – Back in Town (with Don Andrews, Andy Brown and Alan Turnbull) Released: 1979 Format: LP Label: 44 Records (6357722) – Other Places Other Times (with George Golla Duo) Released: 1980 Format: LP, Cassette Label: Cherry Pie (CPF 1043) 38 Don Burrows with Neil Thurgate Orchestra (with Neil Thurgate Orchestra) Released: 1980 Format: LP, Cassette Label: ABC (ABC LPX 0005) – Bonfa Burrows Brazil (with Luiz Bonfá and George Golla) Released: 1980 Format: LP, Cassette Label: Cherry Pie (CPF 1045) – Other Places Other Times (with Luiz Bonfá and George Golla) Released: 1981 Format: LP, Cassette Label: Cherry Pie (L 37654) – This Time Tassie (with George Golla Duo) Released: 1981 Format: 2xLP Label: Cherry Pie (L 70201) – Sara Dane Released: 1982 Format: LP Cassette Label: Cherry Pie (LD 37856) NB: Music Inspired By the Series Sara Dane 86 Fluteman (John Sangster with Don Borrows) Released: 1982 Format: LP Cassette Label: Rain-Forest (RFLP-006) NB: Soundtrack to the film Fluteman – A Retrospective (as Burrows' Jazz Brothers) Released: 1982 Format: LP Cassette Label: ABC (ABCL 8207) – Burrows at the Winery Released: 1984 Format: LP Cassette Label: ABC (L 38161) – Makin' Whoopee! (with The Adelaide Connection) Released: September 1985 Format: LP, Cassette Label: ABC (L 38321) – Jazz at The Opera House (as The Don Burrows Quintet with The Australian Vocal Ensemble & The Chris Hinze Combination) Released: 1985 Format: LP, Cassette Label: ABC (L 38402) – Flute Salad (with Chris Hinze) Released: 1986 Format: LP, Cassette Label: ABC (L 38418) – Nice 'n' Easy (as The Don Burrows Quintet with The Adelaide Connection) Released: 1987 Format: CD, Cassette Label: ABC (L 38754) – With Orchestra (as The Don Burrows Quintet) Released: 1990 Format: CD, Cassette Label: WEA (903172626-2) – Quintet (as The Don Burrows Quintet) Released: 1990 Format: CD, Cassette Label: WEA (903172627-2) – Duets (as The Don Burrows Quintet) Released: 1990 Format: CD, Cassette Label: WEA (903172628-1) – Together at Last (with Julie Anthony) Released: 1994 Format: CD, Cassette Label: Castle Communications (CTVCD 1001) – In Flight (Marilane with Don Burrows) Released: 1999 Format: CD, Cassette Label: MDM (MDM 01 CD) – Bob Barnard's Jazz Party 2004 (Bob Barnard) Released: 2005 Format: CD Label: Nif Nuf Jazz Recordings (43/021) – Eye to Eye Vol 1+2 (Kevin Hunt) Released: June 2007 Format: 2×CD – In Good Company (with James Morrison) Released: 2015 Format: CD Label: ABC Jazz –
Compilations Title Album details The Babinda Trilogy Released: 1990 Format: 3xLP Label: WEA (903172628-1) Features Quintet & With Orchestra & Duets The First 50 Years: Volume One (1944–1965) Released: 1992 Format: CD Label: ABC, Polygram (514296-2) The First 50 Years: Volume Two (1967–1976) Released: 1993 Format: CD Label: ABC, Polygram (514297-2) The First 50 Years: Volume Three (1977–1979) Released: 1993 Format: CD Label: ABC, Polygram (514298-2) The First 50 Years: Volume Four (1980–1984) Released: 1993 Format: CD Label: ABC, Polygram (514299-2) The First 50 Years: Volume Five (1985–1992) Released: 1993 Format: CD Label: ABC, Polygram (514300-2) Non-Stop Flight: Great Music of the Swing Era (with The Mell-O-Tones) Released: 2005 Format: 2XCD Label: ABC Jazz (ABC 982 9885)
References
External links Just the Beginning samples