Jon Burr Band:Just Can’t Wait CD/DVD
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“Burr … went beyond a Buddy Rich, Tony Bennett or Stan Getz because he was the songwriter and lyricist as well as a performer. Burr simply dared to take that extra step of creating and presenting original, unfamiliar material. These artists really had respect for the music… Throughout, it was clear this was not an ego trip but a group of musicians performing with a common goal of creating the best music with the highest standards of musical performance. Finally, someone had the courage to try something new within the traditions of jazz and popular music.”—Greg Waters/AllAboutJazz.com
“Slapping the bass for over 30 years with a lot of greats before they died and quite a few other greats that haven’t died yet, this stylistic genre bender gets back to his pop jazz roots with a swinging, yupscale jazz set that deceptively hides it’s deep chops and is specially geared to bringing non-jazz ears into the tent. A fun romp throughout, this set also includes a DVD to give you a taste of how it feels if you come out to catch it all happening live. He knows a lot of cool players and it seems like a boatload of them showed up to help power these proceedings. A winning collection throughout.”—CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher, MidwestRecord.com
“Those of you lucky enough to have attended the November NJJS Member Meeting were treated to an in-depth visit with one of the top bassists on the scene, JON BURR. Burr is more than a cat who shows up on a gig to play his axe. He is also a fine composer, lyricist, leader and jazz educator. On Just Can’t Wait (jbQ Media-205), a CD/DVD set, the programs consist entirely of original songs by Burr. The 14-song CD was recorded in a studio, and the DVD was recorded during a performance at Birdland with a 15-song program tha tincludes13 of the songs on the CD. The band personnel on the CD varies, while on the DVD, the players are Burr on bass, Jon Davis on piano, John Hart on guitar and Anthony Pinciotti on drums, with Houston Person and Joel Frahm sharing the saxophone chair. There are five singers involved in the project with Hilary Kole, Ty Stephens, Yaala Ballin and Tyler Burr present on both discs, and Laurel Masse only singing on the CD. Stevens and Ballin handle most of the vocal chores, and they are each outstanding at handling material that covers a fairly wide stylistic spectrum. Tyler Burr is the daughter of Jon Burr, and her contribution is as vocalist and lyricist on “It’s only Love,” an impressive accomplishment for a young artist. Burr has a nice way with both melody and words, and his chosen players and singers effectively immerse themselves in the spirit of the songs. Just Can’t Wait is a nice way to spend some time with the eclectic artistry of Jon Burr.”—Joe Lang, Jersey Jazz (Journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society)
Jon Burr Quartet: In My Own Words CD
“This is a terrific recording, a first class quartet under the leadership of a fine bassist, Jon Burr. Bassists have a way of surprising people when they come out of the rhythm section role and reveal a talent for composition, arrangement, and the balance and direction of an ensemble. There is a feel here not unlike that of vintage Steps Ahead: certainly Rich Perry’s tone on tenor recalls Michael Brecker, and the leader’s supple sense of time in ensemble playing matches up well with that of Eddie Gomez. Burr’s solos bring out a voice very much his own, however, a voice we hear more of in the even dozen engagingly melodic compositions that he has contributed to the session. Bill Charlap on piano and Terry Clarke on drums round out the band—and the result is as well-rounded as one might ask.—Bill Bennett/Jazz Times
“An impressive debut recording featuring NYC bassist Jon Burr as leader. Working with pianist Bill Charlap, saxophonist Rich Perry, and drummer Terry Clarke, Burr explores the heart of mainstream jazz. But this talented group is not working over standards; twelve of the thirteen compositions are Burr originals. Gorgeous is the word for them. From the contrapuntal “Blear” to the evocative, Horace-inspired “Silver Water,” Burr’s melodic gift is omnipresent and roams from the sweet to moody. “Lament” and “Snowfall” are particularly staggering compositions.
Burr’s is the kind of work that makes you think jazz isn’t being made in the obvious places, by the “young lions.” Even though he’s a well-known bassist on the New York scene, Burr seems to have escaped notice by the major U.S. jazz labels. The reason why escapes me.—Philip Dawdy, Bassics Magazine,Vol VI, #2
“It is the latter efforts – “Nobody Said it was Easy” and “Three for All” – that best summarize this happy-fingered program. The melodies are hummable, the tempos are toe-tappers…”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“..a terrific Burr original, `Rainbow Over Harlem’…
Chip Deffaa, New York Post
“Bassist Jon Burr’s “[3[For All” sets a soaring violin melody above a jaunty
stepwise bass to create a mood of ultimate cool..”—Wayne Lee Gay, Ft. Worth StarTelegram
“Hot Swing’s bassist Jon Burr contributed a beautiful tune called “Lament” to the program”—Jack Walton, South Bend Tribune