Richard Burton

I started out with a love for jazz that goes back to the alto sax of Jimmy Dorsey, and Herbie Mann's flute, but when I heard Roland Kirk in 1960 my musical taste as well as my playing went in some roots/blues directions that still figure heavily in what I do today. I was in a high school jazz combo (the Continental Jazz Sextet) that used to occasionally play the intermission set at the Lighthouse, in Hermosa Beach, CA. This meant that Dizzy Gillespie would play from 3pm till 6:pm, then we would play from 6-9, and then Dizzy would be back at 9 and take the night out. We did it on and off for a summer, and got sandwiched by The Jazz Crusaders, Cannonball Adderley, Chico Hamilton, Gerald Wilson big band (with Carmel Jones, Teddy Edwards, and Joe Pass), almost everybody in jazz except Rhassan Roland Kirk. I have to say that the house band included Howard Rumsey, Bob Cooper and Bud Shank, and they were just super to "the kids in the band". The band then went on to become Cold Blood, and during my loose association with the band we toured and played with everybody in San Francisco including the Airplane, the Dead, Moby Grape, Canned Heat, Country Joe & Barry Melton, Janis Joplin & Linda Rondstant. I had a draft case to deal with so I went back to So. CA. & formed a band with Joan Coogan (Jackie Coogan's daughter, who died a few years ago) called The Graven Image - if anyone knows where a copy of 'Mushroom fields' on A&M - please let me know, it's a real treasure. After that, I spent several years working on a PhD in primatology and working in zoos and primate research centers without doing anything musical except play for 700 rhesus macaques and Patas monkeys until the mid 70's when I played top 40 music in Asheville, NC. I was curator of the Asheville Nature Center, and playing 6 nights a week at the Holiday Inn central on Tunnel Road, and even did a stint in a country band in Waynesville NC & Maggie Valley. After a very long period of playing what other people liked, I came to Florida, and got into a blues band (Mercy Road) which allowed me to play what I felt instead of what was pre-thought. Now I play whenever I get a chance which means at least on Saturdays from 2 pm till 6 pm at Gilligan's on Siesta Key, with The Acoustic Pete Blues Trio, and I'm trying desperately to get back into jazz. I also try to blend well with some of the local vocalists, so I wind up doing duets and such. Acoustic Sunshine is one of those projects with Brian Intrary, but we add musicians as necessary to form other bands. I'm also working with Randy Tracy (great ribs, better brisket) and Richard Leps as Randy Tracy's Two Rich at the Old Packinghouse every Tuesday. When Richard Leps can't make it Randy and I are Randy Tracy and Rich enough. I add whatever it is that I add to other bands as well whenever they want it. I prefer live performance, but I do a lot of studio work as well. I'm in the process of getting some material together for the Sub Contra Bass Flute (the 21st one made), and all of this takes place in Sarasota, FL. I've also been reading Finnegans Wake by James Joyce for about four years now, even though it's my second time through it, I'm still having a great time - and if you want to find out why please visit: http://www.trentu.ca/faculty/jjoyce/fw.htmThere is a pun on every page I swear....