Happy Birthday to Jazz Guitarist Kenny Burrell On His 75th Birthday
Kenny Burrell and Friends
Venue: University of California, Los Angeles - Royce Hall
Date: December 2, 2006
Reviewed by Eddie Becton
Guitarist Kenny Burrell, born in Detroit, Michigan in 1931, recently celebrated his 75th birthday at UCLA's Royce Hall on December 2, 2006. Burrell is no stranger to the jazz scene, having held a major presence for over 40 years. And, the list of people he's recorded with consists of a "who's who" of names, none whose first name need mentioning: Armstrong, Ellington, Coltrane, Gillespie, Davis, Hawkins, Rollins, Blakey, etc. A catalyst for so many other icons in the jazz world, Burrell was reminded of how special he is to the jazz world during a packed-house series of performances, awards, accolades, and well-wishes.
Considering Burrell's impact on musicians from virtually every genre of music, it was no surprise that the likes of Hubert Laws, George Bohannon, Russell Malone, Pat Metheny, Lalo Shifrin and a host of others came out to celebrate with the iconic guitarist. Perhaps most important, Burrell was showered with commendations and awards for his long tenure as an educator. In 1978, he developed a jazz class at UCLA and was later hired in 1996 as a full-time professor to teach jazz and, fittingly, a course on Duke Ellington (the first and only course on the accomplished composer, arranger, and pianist).
For just under four hours, this birthday celebration was the consummate gift for and to Burrell, a master of his craft for decades. Traversing many of his earlier works as well as a commissioned piece honoring Nobel Laureate and fellow Detroit native Ralph Bunche, the concert complimented Burrell's colorful and vast career.
We at The Lamp extend our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to professor Burrell for his undying commitment to furthering jazz education and for tirelessly giving the world his artistic and humane spirit. Happy birthday professor Burrell, and we wish you many, many more!