Historical Dictionary of Jazz. John S. Davis
BRUSH
A type of beater used by drummers that consists of a tube containing many thin straight wires that can be fanned out. Many drummers frequently use brushes when playing slower songs because of their timbre and light feeling. Brushes are much softer in volume than drumsticks.
BUCKET MUTE
A type of mute that resembles a bucket and attaches to the bell of a brass instrument. The bucket mute dampens the sound, resulting in a mellower, rounded sound.
BUCKNER, MILTON BRENT “MILT” (1915—1977)
A piano player and organist, Buckner began studying piano at the age of 10 and began writing arrangements for the Earl Walton Band in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 15. He became very active in the Detroit music scene, playing with McKinney’s Cotton Pickers and later with Cab Calloway. He joined the band of Lionel Hampton in 1941, serving as the band’s pianist and staff arranger for seven years. Buckner had a big band of his own for a short period before rejoining Hampton in 1950. In 1952 he formed his own trio and pioneered the use of the electric Hammond organ.
BURRELL, KENNETH EARL “KENNY” (1931–)
Developing his jazz skills in Detroit, Burrell’s career as a jazz guitar player began while working in his hometown with many of the musicians who spent time in that area, including pianist Tommy Flanagan. Burrell moved to New York in the mid-1950s and found work with Dizzy Gillespie, Hampton Hawes, and fellow former Detroit musicians Donald Byrd and Thad Jones. Toward the end of the decade, Burrell began to lead his own groups, many of which would continue for several years. He transitioned to studio work in the 1960s for a brief period while also recording albums as both a leader and a sideman. Burrell became an active educator in the 1970s, teaching for several decades at the University of California, Los Angeles, including assuming the role of chair of the jazz studies program in 1996. He received the 2004 Jazz Educator of the Year award from DownBeat magazine and was named a Jazz Master by the NEA in 2005.
BURTON, GARY (1943–)
An important vibraphonist, Burton was raised in Indiana, where he taught himself to play the vibraphone. At the age of 17, he made his recording debut in Nashville, Tennessee, with guitarists Hank Garland and Chet Atkins. Burton’s career took off after a brief time studying at the Berklee College of Music in a partnership with George Shearing. After working with Stan Getz in the 1960s, Burton became active as a leader and made a series of important recordings during the 1970s with artists including Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and Chick Corea. In 1971, he began his career as a music educator at Berklee as an instructor of percussion and improvisation, and in 1985 he was named dean of curriculum. He received an honorary doctorate of music from the college in 1989, and in 1996 he was appointed executive vice president, responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the college. After retiring from the college in 2003, Burton formed a new band and began touring regularly. Over the next years, he continued to focus on recording projects and touring, playing in a variety of ensembles. Burton frequently recorded in duos with pianists, including Corea and Makoto Ozone. Burton is the recipient of seven Grammy Awards. He announced his retirement in the spring of 2017.
BUTMAN, IGOR (1961–)
A saxophone player, bandleader, club owner, and television host, Butman is one of Russia’s top jazz personalities. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Butman started playing the clarinet at the age of 11. He entered the Rimsky-Korsakov College of Music in 1976 and in his second year dropped his focus on classical clarinet in favor of the jazz saxophone. In 1983, he began playing in top big bands and became widely known, placing first in the Soviet critic polls. He appeared with many touring musicians, including Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, and Grover Washington Jr., who became a mentor to Butman. Butman immigrated to the United States in 1987 and attended the Berklee College of Music. He released his first solo album in 1993, Falling Out (Violent Journey). In 1998, after having returned to live in Russia, Butman was invited by Wynton Marsalis to perform with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Then in 2003, Jazz at Lincoln Center opened its season with a collaboration between the Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Igor Butman Big Band. From 1998 to 2006, Butman served as artistic director of a legendary Moscow jazz venue, Le Club. He has performed at many international jazz festivals and has performed at every Olympic Games since 2004. Butman was recognized as a People’s Artist by the Russian Federation for his service to Russian music.
BUTTERFIELD, BILLY (1917–1988)
A trumpet player, Butterfield performed in Broadway pit orchestras while also working in various touring jazz bands. After attempting to front his own band, Butterfield worked steadily in the 1950s, including performances with Louis Armstrong, Bobby Hackett, and the World’s Greatest Jazz Band.
BUTTERFIELD, DON (1923–2006)
Primarily a tuba player, Butterfield worked mostly as a studio musician in New York. Butterfield spent time working with famous jazz musicians including Charles Mingus, Teddy Charles, Bill Evans, and the Thad Jones–Mel Lewis Orchestra.
BYAS, DON (1912–1972)
One of the first great tenor saxophonists and a figure very influential in the development of bebop, Byas received his first professional work in groups led by Bennie Moten and Walter Page. In the 1930s, he worked with Lionel Hampton, Buck Clayton, and Ethel Waters while developing his own approach to improvisation. The 1940s proved to be an important decade for Byas as he was first hired to fill in for Lester Young in the Count Basie Orchestra and later was called to join a small group led by rising trumpet star Dizzy Gillespie. Along with other bebop jazz musicians at Minton’s Playhouse, Byas played in jam sessions with Charlie Christian and Thelonious Monk, among others, further developing the new style. Before the decade was over, Byas had worked with many of the great names in jazz, including Coleman Hawkins, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach, and Charlie Parker, along with some time spent playing as a duo with bassist Slam Stewart, which resulted in a memorable concert at Town Hall in New York City in 1945. Byas lived in the Netherlands during the later years of his career, primarily freelancing or performing as a guest artist with different groups.
BYERS, BILLY (1927–1996)
An important arranger of the 1950s and 1960s, Byers contributed arrangements to many top touring bands, including those of Benny Goodman, Quincy Jones, Count Basie, and Frank Sinatra. Byers’s work was recorded on several labels including Mercury and Verve.
BYRD, CHARLIE (1925–1999)
Considered a very proficient guitarist at a young age, Byrd’s career was shaped by his early association with Django Reinhardt. Byrd was greatly influenced by Reinhardt’s style, although Byrd decided to pursue a career in classical guitar. After spending part of the 1950s working on developing his classical technique, Byrd decided to apply all he had learned to jazz. Working mostly as a leader, Byrd also did some tours with Woody Herman and Stan Getz in the 1950s and 1960s. Byrd spent some time in the 1970s performing with the all-guitar group Great Guitars, which also featured Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis. Byrd died due to complications of lung cancer.
BYRD, DONALD(SON) TOUSSAINT