Abraham Burton
Abraham Augustus Burton Jr.(born March 17, 1971) is an American saxophonist and bandleader.
Biography
[edit]Burton was born in New York City on March 17, 1971,[1]and was raised inGreenwich Village.[2]He studied at theHartt Schoolfrom 1989 to 1993, graduating in music.[1][3]His teachers there includedMichael CarvinandJackie McLean.[3]During the early 1990s he played withNat Reeves' band, and from 1991 to 1995 he performed withArt Taylor's Wailers.[1]
In 1994 Burton formed his own band, known later as Forbidden Fruit, whose members at various times included pianistsMarc Cary,Allan Palmer,andJames Hurt,the double bass playersBilly JohnsonandYosuke Inoue,and the drummerEric McPherson.[1]With that band he toured internationally and recorded several albums.[1]His first recording as a leader wasClosest to the Sun,which was released byEnja Recordsin 1994.[3]This was followed around two years later byThe Magician,also for Enja.[1][3]In the late 1990s he also performed in ensembles led byLouis Hayes,Ali Jackson,andSanti DeBriano.[1]ForCause and Effect,released by Enja in 2000, Burton switched from alto to tenor saxophone.[4]
Burton is a faculty member at the Hartt School.[5][6]
Playing style
[edit]Grovewrote: "Burton's most obvious influence is his mentor McLean, but elements drawn from the style ofJohn Coltraneare also evident. His recordings reveal him to be a highly capable ballad player; on fast pieces he performs with an inspired level of controlled abandon. "[1]
Discography
[edit]As leader/co-leader
[edit]- Closest to the Sun(Enja,1994)
- The Magician(Enja, 1995)
- Cause and Effect(Enja, 2000)
As sideman
[edit]WithLucian Ban
- Mystery(Sunnyside, 2013)
- Songs from Afar(Sunnyside, 2016)
WithLouis Hayes
- Quintessential Lou(TCB, 1999)
- The Candy Man(TCB, 2001)
- The Time Keeper(18th & Vine 2009)
- Return of the Jazz Communicators(Smoke Sessions, 2014)
- Serenade for Horace(Blue Note, 2017)
WithMingus Big Band
- I Am Three(Sunnyside, 2005)
- Live in Tokyo(Sunnyside, 2006)
- Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard(2010)
- Mingus Sings(Sunnyside, 2015)
WithArt Taylor
- Mr. A.T.(Enja, 1992)
- Wailin' at the Vanguard(Verve, 1993)
WithJack Walrath
- Heavy Mirth(SteepleChase, 2010)
- Forsooth!(SteepleChase, 2011)
- To Hellas and Back(SteepleChase, 2013)
- Unsafe at Any Speed(SteepleChase, 2015)
With others
- Steve Davis,For Real(Posi-Tone, 2014)
- Santi Debriano,Artistic License(Savant, 2001)
- Duane Eubanks,Things of That Particular Nature(Sunnyside, 2015)
- Dusko Goykovich,Bebop City(Enja, 1995)
- Ali Jackson,Groove@Jazz En Tete(Space Time, 2000)
- Jimmy Smith,Damn!(Verve, 1995)
- Horace Tapscott,Aiee! The Phantom(Arabesque, 1996)
References
[edit]- ^abcdefgh*Gary W. Kennedy. "Burton, Abraham (Augustus, Jr.)",Grove Music Onlineed. L. Macy (Accessed October 11, 2015),(subscription access)Archived2008-05-16 at theWayback Machine
- ^Bribetz, Sid (December 1994)."Abraham Burton".JazzTimes.RetrievedSeptember 26,2019.
- ^abcdDillon, Charlotte."Abraham Burton".AllMusic.RetrievedAugust 17,2021.
- ^Corroto, Mark (July 1, 2000)."Abraham Burton – Eric McPherson Quartet: Cause and Effect".All About Jazz.RetrievedAugust 17,2021.
- ^"Abraham Burton".hartford.edu.University of Hartford.RetrievedAugust 17,2021.
- ^Hale, James (February 2002). "Hartt School Extends McLean's Legacy".DownBeat.Vol. 87, no. 2. p. 78.
- 1971 births
- Living people
- American bandleaders
- American jazz alto saxophonists
- American male saxophonists
- Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni
- University of Hartford Hartt School alumni
- Rutgers University alumni
- Jazz musicians from New York (state)
- 21st-century American saxophonists
- 21st-century American male musicians
- American male jazz musicians