Charles Burrell (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Burrell
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Charles Burrell at home with his son, Chuck.
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| Background information | |
| Born | October 4, 1920 Toledo, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | June 17, 2025 (aged 104) Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, classical |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass |
| Years active | 1938–2021 |
| Associated acts |
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Charles Burrell (October 4, 1920 – June 17, 2025) was a groundbreaking American musician who played the bass in both classical and jazz music. He is famous for being the first African-American musician to play in a major American symphony orchestra, the Denver Symphony Orchestra.
Because he broke racial barriers in the music world, he is often called "the Jackie Robinson of Classical Music." This nickname compares him to Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball.
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A Musical Kid in Detroit
Charles was born in Toledo, Ohio, but he grew up in Detroit, Michigan, during the Great Depression, a time of great economic hardship. Even as a kid, he was a talented musician.
When he was 12, he listened to the San Francisco Symphony on his family's crystal radio, a simple type of radio popular at the time. He was so inspired by the famous conductor Pierre Monteux that he promised himself he would one day play in that orchestra.
Music and the Military
After finishing high school, Burrell began playing jazz at a club in Detroit. When World War II started, he was drafted into the U.S. Navy. He served in an all-black naval unit based near Chicago.
There, he played in the unit's all-star band with other future jazz stars like Clark Terry and Al Grey. During this time, he also took music classes at Northwestern University and studied with musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Breaking Barriers in Music
In 1949, Burrell moved to Denver, Colorado, to be with family. He soon earned a spot in the Denver Symphony Orchestra. This made him the first African-American musician to become a member of a major symphony in the United States.
A Dream Comes True
In 1959, Burrell achieved his childhood dream. He joined the San Francisco Symphony and got to play for the conductor he had admired as a boy, Pierre Monteux. He stayed with the orchestra until 1965.
A story from a book about the symphony says he got his audition by a lucky chance. While on vacation in San Francisco, he happened to meet the symphony's main bass player, Philip Karp, on the street. This meeting led to his chance to play for the orchestra.
The "Harlem of the West"
Besides his work in classical music, Burrell was a major figure in the jazz world. For a time, he left the Denver Symphony to play bass for the singer Nellie Lutcher. He became a key player in the lively jazz scene of Five Points, a neighborhood in Denver.
At the time, Five Points was a major hub for jazz music, often called "The Harlem of the West." Burrell played in Colorado's first integrated jazz group, the Al Rose Trio. He was also the main bass player at the Rossonian Hotel, the center of entertainment in Five Points. He performed on stage with some of the biggest names in jazz, including:
A Teacher and Mentor
Burrell was also a respected teacher. He taught and guided many young musicians, including his niece, the Grammy Award-winning singer Dianne Reeves, and the famous bass player Ray Brown.
His cousin, the keyboardist George Duke, said Burrell was the one who convinced him to switch from classical music to jazz. Duke said Burrell encouraged him to "improvise and do what you want to do," which gave him the freedom he wanted in his music.
Later Life and Performances
Burrell continued to perform music even after he turned 90. He played live on the jazz radio station KUVO and was a grand marshal (a leader of a parade) at the Five Points Jazz Festival. In 2021, at the age of 100, he appeared in the documentary film JazzTown.
Burrell passed away on June 17, 2025, at the age of 104.
Honors and Legacy
Throughout his life, Charles Burrell received many awards for his contributions to music and culture.
- 2008: He received the Denver Mayor's Award for Excellence in Arts and Culture.
- 2011: He was given a Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award for his work in breaking down barriers.
- Tributes: The jazz radio station KUVO held a special concert for his birthday. Congresswoman Diana DeGette honored him in the United States House of Representatives for his 90th birthday, calling him a "titan of the classical and jazz bass."
- The Charles Burrell Award: An award was named after him by the Alphonse Robinson African-American Music Association.
- 2017: He was added to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.
- 2021: A new school for the arts in Aurora, Colorado, was named The Charles Burrell Visual and Performing Arts Campus in his honor.
Recordings
Burrell's bass playing can be heard on several albums, including:
- Don Ewell: Denver Concert
- Marie Rhines : Tartans & Sagebrush
- Whiskey Blanket: No Object
- Joan Tower / Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop – Fanfares For The Uncommon Woman
