Sonny Burke
Encyclopedia
Sonny Burke was a big band
leader. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University
where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke Ambassadors
.
During the 1930s and 1940s he was a big band leader in New York
, including Sam Donahue's band, and during the 1940s and 1950s he worked as a band arranger for the Charlie Spivak
and Jimmy Dorsey
bands, among others. In 1955 he wrote, along with Peggy Lee
, the songs to Disney's Lady and the Tramp
. He also wrote songs with John Elliot for Disney's Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom
which won the 1953 Oscar for Best Short Animated Feature.
He is credited as co-composer of "Midnight Sun", the Lionel Hampton
tune with lyrics by Johnny Mercer
. He was an active arranger and bandleader in major recording studios, including Decca Records
.
Burke was musical director of Reprise Records
and was responsible for many of Frank Sinatra
's albums. He was also bandleader for recordings of leading singers such as Ella Fitzgerald
and Mel Tormé
.
He is one of the original founders of NARAS and is credited with the formation of the Grammy Awards and was on the original selection committee.
He died on May 31, 1980, aged 66.
With Blue Mitchell
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
leader. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke Ambassadors
Duke Ambassadors
The Duke Ambassadors were a student-run jazz big band, active at Duke University from 1934-1964. Student-run big bands continued in 1969 as the Duke Stage Band and from 1971-1974 as the Duke Jazz Ensemble...
.
During the 1930s and 1940s he was a big band leader in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, including Sam Donahue's band, and during the 1940s and 1950s he worked as a band arranger for the Charlie Spivak
Charlie Spivak
Charlie Spivak was an American trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his big band in the 1940s.-Biography:...
and Jimmy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
James "Jimmy" Dorsey was a prominent American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and big band leader. He was known as "JD"...
bands, among others. In 1955 he wrote, along with Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
, the songs to Disney's Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp
Lady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on June 22, 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The fifteenth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it was the first animated feature filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen...
. He also wrote songs with John Elliot for Disney's Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom
Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom
Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom is an educational Adventures in Music animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions, and originally released to theaters by Buena Vista Distribution on November 10, 1953...
which won the 1953 Oscar for Best Short Animated Feature.
He is credited as co-composer of "Midnight Sun", the Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
tune with lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
. He was an active arranger and bandleader in major recording studios, including Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
.
Burke was musical director of Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
and was responsible for many of Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
's albums. He was also bandleader for recordings of leading singers such as Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
and Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
.
He is one of the original founders of NARAS and is credited with the formation of the Grammy Awards and was on the original selection committee.
He died on May 31, 1980, aged 66.
As leader
- Sonny Burke plays Mambos (1951)
- Sonny Burke and his Orchestra I & II (1951)
- The Sonny Burke-Don Elliott Six (ca. 1960)
As sideman
With Brass FeverBrass Fever
Brass Fever was an American jazz musical ensemble, which recorded two albums for Impulse! Records. Consisting of both session musicians and leaders such as Shelly Manne, their two albums covered jazz and R&B genres....
- Time is Running Out (Impulse! RecordsImpulse! RecordsImpulse! Records was an American jazz record label, originally established in 1960 by producer Creed Taylor as a subsidiary of ABC-Paramount Records, based in New York City...
, 1976)
With Blue Mitchell
Blue Mitchell
Richard Allen Mitchell was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter, known for many albums recorded as leader and sideman for Riverside, Blue Note and then Mainstream Records.-Biography:...
- African VioletAfrican Violet (album)African Violet is an album by American trumpeter Blue Mitchell which features arrangements by McKinley Mitchell recorded and released on the Impulse! label in 1977.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 3 stars.-Track listing:...
(Impulse!, 1977)