DON BURROWS

Donald Vernon "Don" Burrows AO, MBE was born in Sydney in 1928 and attended Bondi Public School where, in 1937, a visiting flute virtuoso and teacher, Victor McMahon, played and inspired Burrows to take up the flute. Initially it was a B-flat flute, which he had to pay off at sixpence per week. (He later played the same little flute in Carnegie Hall at the Newport Jazz Festival.) By 1940 he was captain of the Metropolitan Schools Flute Band and studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. By 1942 Burrows had taken up clarinet and played on The Youth Show, a Macquarie Radio show, and in 1944 was invited to play and record with George Trevare's Australians.

He became well known in Sydney jazz circles and was playing in dance halls, nightclubs and radio bands. During the 1960s and 1970s, Burrows was the best-known jazz musician in Australia and had many engagements in Australia and the United States, including six years performing in the Wentworth Hotel in Sydney. One of his early album sessions as a bandleader from 1963 showcased a collection of tunes by Burrows originally recorded for TV programs like The Bryan Davies Show and This Is Jazz. His band, too, featured A-list Aussie players including Judy Bailey (piano), George Golla (guitar), John Sangster (vibes) and Errol Buddle (reeds). In 1972, Burrows was invited to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival and later the Newport Jazz Festival.

The year 1973 was a watershed one for Burrows as he received the first gold record for an Australian jazz musician for his record 'Just the Beginning', instigated the first jazz studies program in the southern hemisphere, at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music (under the direction of Rex Hobcroft) and was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). In 1979 he was appointed Chair of Jazz Studies at the Conservatorium. Burrows had performed to normally classical music audiences through tours with Musica Viva and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation concert series. 

He fronted the nationally televised show The Don Burrows Collection for six years. This was but one of many productions Burrows was involved with for TV and film across his career. Burrows' warm stage presence, coupled with his ability to play a wide range of instruments in varying styles, enabled him to make the most of his appearances on the small screen.

He had an extensive recording career in his own right with his groups and he performed on many more albums with other artists. In the 1980s, Burrows was associated closely with the then young James Morrison. In the 2000s, his public profile had receded somewhat as he performed less than he used to. In 2005, Burrows toured with a small band including renowned Australian jazz pianist Kevin Hunt. He used his photographic images with his music in a show called Stop, Look and Listen. On 12 March 2020, an era of Australian music ended after the multi-instrumentalist died peacefully in his hometown of Sydney.

SINGLES

''Golden Wedding / Titles Theme (From The Bryan Davies Show)'' 1963 Columbia
''Yucatan Man / Minha Saudade'' 1976 Cherry Pie
''God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Edited Version) / Jingle Bells (Edited Version)'' 1981 Cherry Pie
''Sara's Theme / Londonderry Air'' 1982 Cherry Pie

ALBUMS

'On Camera' 1963 Columbia
'A Tribute to Freddy Gardner' 1966 Columbia
'The Jazz Sound of the Don Burrows Quartet' 1966 Columbia
'2000 Weeks' [Movie Soundtrack]1969 Columbia
'Just the Beginning' 1971 Cherry Pie
'Live! at Montreaux' 1972 Cherry Pie
'At The Sydney Opera House' 1974 Cherry Pie
'Duo' [with George Golla and Luis Bonfa) (#98) 1975 Cherry Pie
'The New Don Burrows Quintet' 1975 Cherry Pie
'The Tasman Connection' 1976 Cherry Pie
'Steph 'n' Us' [with George Golla and Stephane Grappelli] (#38) 1977 Cherry Pie
'Don Burrows and the Brazilian Connection' 1978 (#92) Cherry Pie
'Cool Yule' 1978 Cherry Pie
'Other Places Other Times' [with George Golla Duo] (#38) 1980 Cherry Pie
'Don Burrows with Neil Thurgate Orchestra' 1980 ABC
'Bonfa Burrows Brazil' [with Luiz Bonfá and George Golla] 1980 Cherry Pie
'Other Places Other Times' [with Luiz Bonfá and George Golla] 1981 Cherry Pie
'This Time Tassie' [with George Golla Duo] 1981 Cherry Pie
'Sara Dane' 1982 (#86) Cherry Pie
'Fluteman' [with John Sangster] 1982 Rain-Forest NB: Soundtrack to the film Fluteman
'A Retrospective' 1982 ABC
'Burrows at the Winery' 1984 ABC
'Makin' Whoopee!' [with The Adelaide Connection] 1985 ABC
'Jazz at The Opera House' 1985 ABC
'Flute Salad' [with Chris Hinze] 1986 ABC
'Nice 'n' Easy' [with The Adelaide Connection) 1987 ABC
'With Orchestra' 1990 WEA
'Quintet' 1990 WEA
'Duets' 1990 WEA
'Together at Last' [with Julie Anthony] 1994 Castle Communications
'In Flight' 1999 MDM
'Eye to Eye Vol 1+2' [with Kevin Hunt) 2007
'In Good Company' [with James Morrison] 2016

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Burrows