Charles Burrell (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Burrell
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Burrell (center) with son Chuck in 2017
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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 | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass |
| Years active | 1938–2021 |
Charles Burrell (October 4, 1920 – June 17, 2025) was a famous American musician. He played both classical and jazz music on the bass. He is best known for being the first African American to join a major American symphony orchestra, the Denver Symphony Orchestra (now called the Colorado Symphony). Because of this important achievement, people often called him "the Jackie Robinson of Classical Music," comparing him to the baseball legend who broke racial barriers.
Contents
Early Life and Music
Charles Burrell was born in Toledo, Ohio. He grew up in Detroit, Michigan, during the time of the Great Depression. His mother's family came from Denver, Colorado.
Discovering Music
From a young age, Charles was very good at music. When he was twelve, he heard the San Francisco Symphony on his family's radio. He was so inspired that he promised himself he would one day play in that orchestra.
Learning the Bass
He played the bass while attending Cass Tech High School. There, he learned from two musicians who played in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. After high school, he continued his music studies at the New England Conservatory of Music. He also attended Wayne State University and the University of Denver.
Career and Achievements
After high school, Burrell started playing jazz music in Detroit. During World War II, he joined the US Navy. He played in an all-star band with other talented musicians. He also took classes with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Breaking Barriers in Orchestras
In 1949, Burrell moved to Denver, Colorado. He became the first African American to join the Denver Symphony Orchestra. This was a huge step forward for classical music.
Later, in 1959, he achieved his childhood dream. He joined the San Francisco Symphony, becoming their first African American musician. He played with them until 1965. After that, he returned to Denver and played with the Denver Symphony Orchestra for many more decades, retiring in 1999.
Jazz Music and Mentoring
Besides classical music, Burrell was also a very important jazz musician. He played in the lively jazz scene of Five Points, Denver. This area was known as "The Harlem of the West" because of its vibrant music. He played with many jazz legends like Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington.
Burrell also taught and inspired other musicians. He was a mentor to famous bass player Ray Brown and Grammy-winning singer Dianne Reeves. He also encouraged his cousin, keyboardist George Duke, to switch from classical music to jazz.
Burrell continued to perform even when he was in his 90s. He appeared in the documentary film JazzTown in 2021. He passed away on June 17, 2025, at the age of 104.
Awards and Tributes
Charles Burrell received many awards and honors for his amazing career:
- In 2008, he received a Denver Mayor's award for excellence in Arts and Culture.
- In 2011, he received a Martin Luther King Jr. humanitarian award.
- A jazz radio station, KUVO, broadcast a special concert to honor him on his birthday.
- Congresswoman Diana DeGette honored him in the United States House of Representatives for his 90th birthday. She called him a "titan of the classical and jazz bass."
- The Alphonse Robinson African-American Music Association named the "Charles Burrell Award" after him.
- In November 2017, he was added to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.
- In 2021, a new arts school in Aurora, Colorado, was named the Charles Burrell Visual and Performing Arts Campus. It opened in 2022.
Discography
- Don Ewell: Denver Concert (Pumpkin)
- Marie Rhines : Tartans & Sagebrush (Ladyslipper)
- Whiskey Blanket: No Object
- Joan Tower / Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop – Fanfares For The Uncommon Woman (Koch International Classics)
