Performance reviews:

"Newcomer Jon Burr...is a technical master, for whom `In a Sentimental Mood' and `Blue Monk' were perfect frameworks."—Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times "Burr erected solid foundations and filled his accompaniment with clever embellishments as well. His unaccompanied `Makin' Whoopee' was a playground of swings and slides and received one of the evening's biggest ovations."—Bill Kohlhaase, Los Angeles Times "Could hardly have asked for better...Burr was always where he needed to be, his bass lines filled with big, fat bottom notes, his solos bringing the perspective of a high-technique, contemporary improvisational style to a straight-ahead jazz setting.”—Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times "...backed by...Jon Burr on bass, the music radiated effortless joy and ease."—Peter Watrous, New York Times "Burr...proved the bass a solo instrument of energy and grace in the right hands."—John Farrell, Pasadena Journal-News "...bassist Burr, who had a couple of splendid solos..."—Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times "..Burr, in ...
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"Very Good Year" is out, and up on iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby. We've been getting some good press!

Review on axs.com:

“Now we’re talking. Hard bop jazz fans need look no further than this new record, Very Good Year, by the Jon Burr Quintet, coming out on Oct. 10, 2015. Led by a monster bass player, the Quintet is comprised of fearless movers and shakers, New York musicians to the core: Pianist Mike Eckroth, drummer Jerome Jennings, tenor Steven Frieder, and trumpeter Tim Ouimette.

… Together with his Quintet, Burr’s latest invention gives a much-needed punch to the dying art form of hard bop, a style many jazz musicians fear to tread. Burr eats hard bop for lunch, purposely selecting popular covers, standard bearers, and cooking up a hard bop lover’s dream in the selection of 12 songs meant to put on blast full volume.” - By Carol Banks Weber ...
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Review in Bass World Magazine, the publication of The International Society of Bassists.

[This review appeared in the August issue, Vol 35, #1, pp 54-55] The Untold Secret to Melodic Bass - Jon Burr jbQ Media $14.99 32 pages

Jon Burr is a noted first call bassist in the New York area, having performed with such jazz greats as Horace Silver, Stan Getz, Tony Bennett, and Chet Baker. This brief but highly informative book is one of a written series concerning melodic bass lines and improvisation. This is not a book for beginners. Knowledge of jazz harmony and chord changes is necessary. Knowing that, through this book Jon will give you many great ideas on how to “learn how to think like a composer of bass lines, how to plan ahead, and make choices that are appropriate to the style of the song.”

As with many authors of education books, ...
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By Dean Poling  VDT View —

JUST CAN’T WAIT

Jon Burr Band

 Bass player Jon Burr is a stand-up guy. The bass player has worked with luminaries such as Buddy Rich, Tony Bennett, and Chet Baker. In creating this CD and accompanying live DVD, Burr couldn’t wait to work with all-star contemporaries such as Anat Cohen, Joel Frahm, Houston Person, Howard Alden, Bob MIntzer, and Ted Rosenthal. He works with his daughter, Tyler Burr, who co-wrote a few of the lyrics for this CD’s songs. “Just Can’t Wait,” however, is all driven by Jon Burr’s vision and passion as a lyricist, composer and arranger. And let’s not forget as a performer. From the studio-produced CD to the live DVD at New York City’s’ Birdland, this is one album well worth the wait.

...
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Jon Burr Band Just Can’t Wait jbQ cd and dvd By George W. Harris This cd/dvd combo features the steady bass of Jon Burr, who has played with such luminaries as Silver, Getz, Bennett, Baker and O’Day. This release emphasizes his work with singers, which on this disc include the black velvety Ty Stephens, original Transfer Laurel Massee and the smooth pop of Yaala Ballin and Hilary Kole. The tunes range from the good time shuffle of “Just Can’t Wait” (which features the bluesy Houston Person on tenor) to the late night film nourish “Rainbow Over Harlem” Kole is folksy with Bob Mintzer’s soprano on “Snowfall” and mixes with Masee’s rich voice on “Song Of the Broken Word. Stephens is a find, and is justifiably featur ed on the lion’s share of the tunes. All throughout, Burr provides leadership, guidance and a wide array of moods and grooves. The perfect ...
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Jon Burr Band JUST CAN’T WAIT. jbQ Media. www.jbq.net. www.jonburrband.com. Just Can’t Wait, Please Tell Me, Been Here All Along, Snowfall, None of Them Is You, Eden by the Sea, Song of a Broken Word, I Understand You’re Leaving Me, Rainbow over Harlem, Sea Breeze, Nobody Said It Was Easy, Another Kind Love, Dancing with a Stranger, It’s Only Love. PERSONNEL: Jon Burr, bass, leader, composer, lyricist; Ty Stephens, Hilary Kole, Laurel Massé, Tyler Burr, Yaala Ballin, vocals; Houston Person, tenor saxophone; Joel Frahm, tenor & soprano saxophone; Mario Cruz, Bob Mintzer, Anat Cohen, saxophones; Dominick Farinacci, trumpet; John Hart, Yotam Silberstein, Howard Alden, guitar; Jon Davis, Loston Harris, Ted Rosenthal, piano; Anthony Pinciotti, Dave Gibson, drums. [Carlos Gomez, Percussion] [– ed.] By Bill Donaldson   [Drum roll.] “Please give a warm welcome to… The Jon Burr Band!” In the unending spirit of delighting audiences through the act of performing music, ...
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Bass CD Reviews

Jon Burr | "Just Can't Wait", 4/01/2009

Meet Reviewer Damian Erskine Connect with Damian in the Community Jon Burr "Just Can't Wait" www.jonburr.com This CD/Live DVD set is as elegant as they come. Jon Burr's music and playing just oozes class. Having played with Tony Bennett for 5 years, Buddy Rich, Stephane Grappeli, Eartha Kitt, Rita Moreno and a host of others it's no surprise that Jon is such a tasteful player. All original compositions are featured here and the phrase that comes to mind is new-standards. If Jon had been born 30 or 40 years earlier, there is little doubt in my mind that we would all be playing some of these tunes at jam sessions or as another flavor during the set. In my mind, Jon really embodies an era that seems to be slipping away and I found it really refreshing to find ...
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Just Can't Wait  Jon Burr Band | jbQ Media (2009) By Woodrow Wilkins Bassist Jon Burr has spent many years supporting other artists. He brings a lot of that experience into Just Can't Wait, a 14-song collection that reflects the artist's obsession with love.Burr has toured and recorded with musicians such as Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Horace Silver andStéphane Grappelli. Vocalists who have shared the stage or studio with him include Lainie Kazan, Rita Moreno and Eartha Kitt. The CD is paired with Live at Birdland, a DVD featuring many of the same songs during the CD's release party. Burr is accompanied by a variable lineup of pianists, drummers, saxophonists and vocalists, including his daughter, Tyler Burr. The title song features Ty Stephens on lead vocal, with Houston Personperforming a bright saxophone solo. The track is a swinging, pop-blues number. Loston Harris contributes a lively piano solo, and John Hart provides rhythm guitar. For a change of pace, Yaala Ballin sings lead on the ...
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