Gary Burton

Gary Burton (b. Anderson, IN, January 23, 1943) is an American jazz vibraphonist and composer who peculiarly credits jazz pianist

Gary Burton (b. Anderson, IN, January 23, 1943) is an American jazz vibraphonist and composer who peculiarly credits jazz pianist Bill Evans as a main inspiration for his approach toward the vibraphone. At age 6, Burton taught himself piano and formally studied piano and composition when in high school. He came out as gay in his 40s, which he has said had no adverse consequences for his career.

A self-taught vibraphonist, Burton attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston in the early 1960s. He studied with Herb Pomeroy and soon befriended the composer and arranger Michael Gibbs. He has been on the staff of Berklee since 1971, most recently serving as Executive Vice President since 1996. Touring both the USA and Japan with George Shearing in 1963, Burton went on to play with Stan Getz from 1964 to 1966. In 1967 the Gary Burton Quartet was formed along with Larry Coryell, Roy Haynes, and Steve Swallow, and the group released the album Duster. Predating the jazz-rock fusion craze of the 1970s Duster is considered by many to be the first of its kind, infusing rock and country elements into jazz pieces, although some of Burton's previous albums (notably Tennessee Firebird and Time Machine, both from 1966) had already shown his inclination toward such experimentation.