Gary Burton

Gary Burton on vinyl: vibraphone with four mallets

In short: Gary Burton (b. 1943) from Indiana reinvented the vibraphone: with four mallets he plays chords like a pianist. In the sixties his quartet mixed jazz and rock, and in the seventies he became one of the defining voices of the Munich label ECM. The Vinyl Room currently has 5 Gary Burton records.

What makes Gary Burton special?

Clear sound, plenty of space, great technique: on “The New Quartet” (1973) and “Times Square” (1978) he shows the bright, chamber-music-like jazz ECM became known for.

He is especially strong in duo. With guitarist Ralph Towner he recorded “Matchbook”, with bassist Steve Swallow “Hotel Hello” – both recorded in 1974 and released in 1975, both quiet and closely attuned.

From our stock

First pressings

Records by Gary Burton

→ ECM Records · Ralph Towner · Contemporary jazz · Jazz on vinyl

FAQ

Which instrument does Gary Burton play? Vibraphone – usually with four mallets instead of two.

Which label were these records on? ECM from Munich.

Who did he play duos with? Among others Ralph Towner, Steve Swallow and Chick Corea.

Which records do you have? Mostly seventies albums – 5 records in all.