Vinnie Burke (born Vincenzo Bucci) (March 15, 1921 – February 1, 2001) was an American jazz bassist.
Vinnie Burke was born Vincent J. Bucci, Jr. in Newark, New Jersey. He played violin and guitar early in life but he lost the use of his little finger in a munitions factory accident and switched to double bass.
In the second half of the 1940s he worked with Joe Mooney and Tony Scott, then played with pianist Cy Coleman for three years. He spent a brief period with the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, then played with Marian McPartland, recording with her in 1953.
He led his own bands after that into the '80s; these were mainly small combos that would work with top jazz players. Burke also made solo dates and sessions with John Mehegan, Chris Connor, Eddie Costa, Tal Farlow, Don Elliott, and Gil Mellé, as well as Vic Dickenson, Bucky Pizzarelli, Mat Mathews, and Bobby Hackett.
He died: February 1, 2002 in New York City, New York.
(Very scant information edited from Wikipedia & AllMusic)
Here’s a clip from Art Ford’s Jazz Party, Newark, NJ, 22 May 1958. Personnel: Anita O’Day, vocal; Marty Napoleon, piano; Mundell Lowe, guitar; Vinnie Burke, bass; Zutty Singleton, drums.
