IN MEMORIAM:
Denver Resident Classical & Jazz Bass Player Charles Burrell Passes at Age 104
Charles Burrell (October 4, 1920 – June 17, 2025) was an American classical and jazz bass player most prominently known for being the first African American to be a member of a major American symphony (the Denver Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Colorado Symphony). For this accomplishment, he is often referred to as “the Jackie Robinson of Classical Music”.
Charles was born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in depression-era Detroit, Michigan. In grade school, he excelled in music. When he was twelve years old, he heard the SFS under renowned conductor Pierre Monteux on his family’s crystal radio and vowed to one day play as a member of the orchestra under his direction.
After high school, Burrell landed a job playing jazz at a club called B.J.’s in Detroit’s Paradise Valley. At the start of World War II, he was drafted into an all-black naval unit located at Great Lakes Naval base near Chicago. He played in the unit’s all-star band with Clark Terry, Al Grey, and O. C. Johnson, and took classes at Northwestern University and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
In 1949, Burrell joined his mother’s relatives in Denver, Colorado, and was soon hired by the Denver Symphony Orchestra. In 1959, he fulfilled his dream of playing for Pierre Monteux by joining the San Francisco Symphony and remained there until 1965. According to the book “Music for a City Music for the World: 100 Years with the San Francisco Symphony”, he charmed his way into an audition with the orchestra after a chance meeting in the street with Philip Karp, the principal bassist for the Symphony, while on vacation in San Francisco. . . .
According to Jet Magazine and Indianapolis Recorder articles in 1953, he quit playing in the Denver Symphony to become the bass player in Nellie Lutcher’s band. He went on to become a prominent jazz player in the scene of Five Points, Denver, and was featured in the PBS documentary on the subject. At that time, the Jazz scene in Five Points was the only one between St. Louis and the West Coast, so it became one of the most alive in the country, often being referred to as “The Harlem of the West”. He played in the first integrated jazz trio in Colorado, the Al Rose Trio. He rose to be a central player in the Five Points jazz scene by becoming the house bass player at the Rossonian Hotel, considered the “entertainment central” spot in Five Points during that era. He shared the stage with jazz legends such as Billie Holiday, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker, Earl Hines, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, as well as Gene Harris.
He was also noted as the teacher and mentor of bass player Ray Brown and multi-Grammy Award-winning vocalist Dianne Reeves (who is also his niece). Keyboardist George Duke (a cousin) also credited Burrell for being the person that convinced him to give up classical music and switch to jazz. Duke explained that he “wanted to be free” and Burrell “more or less made the decision for me” by convincing him to “improvise and do what you want to do”.
He still performed well into his 90s, including playing live in the studio of prominent Jazz radio station KUVO, and was one of the two grand marshals that led the kick-off parade at the Five Points Jazz Festival. In 2021, he appeared in the documentary film JazzTown. [COMBO can verify that Mr. Burrell appeared in Jazz Town as the director of the documentary, Ben Makinen, showed a trailer for the film at a COMBO meeting!]
Burrell died on June 17, 2025, at the age of 104.
Go here to read about some of the many awards that Mr. Burrell received:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Burrell_(musician)
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Charles Burrell, Denver’s “Jackie Robinson of classical music,” dies at age 104
By Anna Alejo, CBS Colorado News
Charles Burrell, the classical and jazz bass player and the first African-American member of a major American symphony, died early Tuesday at age 104. His passing was confirmed by Burrell’s cousin Purnell Steen.
John Shackford, who supported Burrell as a publicist, said he was a “wonderful gentleman and friend.” Shackford said, “I have been honored to know Charlie and his extended family since I met him in 1990 at the Symphony. Driving him to Dazzle and Boettcher Hall on numerous occasions, being able to take many photos of him over the years, and the many visits with him sharing great memories, are memories I will always treasure. In the immortal words of Duke Ellington: ‘Love you madly!'”
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In 2023, Burrell was honored at the MLK Jr. Business Awards, and Aurora Public Schools named a school in his honor, the Charles Burrell Visual & Performing Arts Campus.
Go here to read the full article:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/charles-burrell-denver-s-jackie-robinson-of-classical-music-dies-at-age-104/ar-AA1GUi5i?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=49e536735eaa477d8e235668e0c891aa&ei=40
Chris Daniels: I met Charles Burrell a few times over the years – the night he was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and on a number of other occasions when I was their director. I was in awe. He was a legend in Colorado and around the world. He played with the greatest musicians ever including Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gilisppie – and all his incredible symphony work. He was considered the “Jackie Robinson” of the classical music world by being one of the first black musicians to be hired … as the bassist with a symphony orchestra. And he was one of the kindest and most thoughtful men I ever met. Colorado was lucky to have him call Denver home. Here is a pic of three legends, Freddi, Charles and Lannie. Thank you Mr. Burrell for all the music, kindness and love you shared with us. We will miss you. Big hugs CD [Chris included the photo on his Facebook page.]
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OTHER NOTABLE MUSICIANS’ DEATHS
Andy Bercaw wrote on Facebook that his good friend Chad Aman passed. “My memories with Chad are countless. He was my brother, writing partner, bandmate, confidant, and most of all, my dear friend through thick and thin for over two decades. You will be greatly missed by so many, bud!”
Tage Plantell wrote: “Chad played through his pain for so many years. Never complained; just gave it his all.”
According to Mr. Aman’s Facebook page, he was also a Director at Young Musicians of America.
Warning Signs of Suicide – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or if you want to discuss, call the old numbers at 800-273-TALK or 800-273-8255 for English and 888-628-9454 for Spanish. Learn the signs of someone who may be contemplating suicide.
If you want to know more about any of the musicians we lost, please check them out at http://www.wikipedia.com
JUNE 2025
17: Alfred Brendel, 94, Austrian pianist and composer; Charles Burrell, 104, American classical and jazz bass player; Lou Christie, 82, American singer-songwriter (“Lightnin’ Strikes”, “I’m Gonna Make You Mine”).
16: Hélio Delmiro, 78, Brazilian guitarist, kidney disease; John Reid, 61, Scottish record producer, singer (Nightcrawlers) and songwriter.
15: Petroloukas Chalkias, 90, Greek clarinettist; Sven-Åke Johansson, 81–82, Swedish drummer, composer and visual artist; Masuiyama Daishirō II, 76, Japanese sumo wrestler and singer, liver failure; Barry Vercoe, 87, New Zealand composer and computer scientist, inventor of Csound; Gusti Irwan Wibowo, 25, Indonesian singer and songwriter.
14: Bira Presidente, 88, Brazilian samba musician and composer (Fundo de Quintal); Kollangudi Karuppayee, 99, Indian folk singer and actress (Aan Paavam, Gopala Gopala, Kabadi Kabadi); Cocoy Laurel, 71, Filipino singer and actor (Miss Saigon), multiple organ failure.
13: James Fankhauser, 85, American conductor and music educator; Dill Katz, 79, British jazz bassist; Louis Moholo, 85, South African jazz drummer; Honest John Plain, 73, English guitarist and singer (The Boys).
11: Douglas McCarthy, 58, English musician (Nitzer Ebb); Brian Wilson, 82, American Hall of Fame musician (The Beach Boys), songwriter (“Good Vibrations”), and record producer (Pet Sounds).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2025
Photo: Mel & Chad Aman from Chad’s Facebook page