Norman Burns (11 March 1920 – June 1994) was a British dance band and jazz drummer.
Burns questing nature and his feeling for bop helped to make him one of the most important if unacclaimed figures in British drumming of the 30s and 40s.He was one of the very few drummers able to orchestrate.
Norman Burns was born in London, England and began playing drums as a child. While still a teenager he worked as a professional musician on P&O ocean-going liners. In the late 30s and early 40s he was active in dance band circles in London, playing with many leading bands including those of Lew Stone, Ambrose, Frank Weir, Ted Heath and Geraldo.
He also played with George Shearing and with Tito Burns (no relation). The drummer was one of the coterie of London-based jazzmen who dedicated themselves to the new music of the 40s, bop, and was a member of an all-star bebop band formed in 1948.
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| George Shearing, Jack Fulton & Norman Burns 1947 |
In the early 50s Burns formed a quintet which he modelled upon the currently popular group being led in the USA by his former leader, Shearing. The vibraphone player in this group of Burns’ was Victor Feldman. Burns eventually left music and emigrated to Australia where he became an A & R man for Pye records in Sydney from the late 1950,s. He married singer Alan Dean’s sister Peggy in 1956. He remained in Australia until his death during June 1994.
(Very Scarce biographical information edited mainly from AllMusic & My Heritage)
2 comments:
I couldn’t find much of Norman Burns on the music blogs, from the 33 tracks he cut between 1952 and 1955, I could only find 6 tracks on this compilation via the usual streamers.
For “Various – Bebop In Britain - Disc Four - In All Directions (1991 Esquire)” go here:
https://pixeldrain.com/u/JKbdHZdT
1 The Johnny Dankworth Seven– Bopscotch
2 The Johnny Dankworth Seven– Our Delight
3 Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists– Mango Walk
4 Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists– Pina Colada
5 Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists– Over The Rainbow
6 Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists– Chloe
7 Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists– Skylon
8 Kenny Graham's Afro-Cubists– Dome Of Discovery
9 Norman Burns Quintet– Knock Yourself Out
10 Norman Burns Quintet– Nearing Shearing
11 Norman Burns Quintet– Stars Fell On Alabama
12 Norman Burns Quintet– 1066
13 Norman Burns Quintet– Dance Little Lady
14 Norman Burns Quintet– Bye Bye Blackbird
15 Tito Burns And His Sextet– Johnny Come Lately
16 Tito Burns And His Sextet– East Of Suez
17 Tito Burns And His Sextet– Somebody Loves Me
18 Tito Burns And His Sextet– Everloving Blues
19 Tito Burns And His Sextet– A Lesson In Bop
20 Tito Burns And His Sextet– Festival Hall
21 Vic Lewis New Music– Why Do I Love You?
22 Vic Lewis New Music– JD To VL
23 Vic Lewis New Music– Street Scene
24 Vic Lewis New Music– Haru
Thanks for harvesting these and collecting them in one place for us. His quintet does sound a lot like George Shearing.
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