Ken Burgner

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Born in NYC and growing up on Long Island, 1979 was a hallmark year for me. That is when I took up the bass guitar! A true metal head back then, one of my biggest influences was Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler who held down the bottom with these great bass lines. So my musical journey began! My first bass instructor was Paul Bagin. A Berkley College of Music grad, he started me out heavy with music theory. Even though I moaned and groaned…..I really appreciate it today. I owe allot to Paul because he really opened my eyes up to different styles of music….other then metal.
With the music bug in me….I was eager to learn. I started listening to all styles of music like jazz, funk, blues, reggae and even classical. Like a dry sponge I was soaking it all up. Then I heard my next big influence, Jaco Pastorius.
Jaco just blew my mind! It was not long after listening to him that I got my first fretless bass. From there my interests just grew and grew. A few years after high school I attended Five Town College in NY to study jazz. Only playing fretless basses at the time, I got to study with some great jazz players.
Then along came funk!! Again eager to learn, I got me a fretted bass and some videos and started to learn slap style. I was very lucky because I got to study with Randy Coven (at Focus II Guitar Center on LI)….who is a monster bass player....and that is a understatement!
My first “real” band was called Voices. We were a NY based band with influences ranging from funk, reggae, The Talking Heads and everything in-between! This was also my first time playing with horns….what fun!!
In the late 80’s, I toured the USA with a group called “Back to Eden”. We were a top 40 group and we played from Florida to Nevada and even Alaska! Playing 5-6 nights a week really gives you some chops!!
After 3 years on the road I settled back in NY where I played in some wedding bands (boring) and did some studio and fill in work. I eventually went back to my roots and started playing the blues with a band called the “Blues Dog”. That group really gave me the blues bug…..and style of music I really enjoy playing.
Today I am in South Florida….and still playing the blues. This is a new chapter in my life…..so this bio will only continue!!