Note: Special thanks to my friend Jonathan Tunick, who was kind enough to suggest names of other forgotten arrangers he’d like to see covered.
Joseph Francis “Sonny” Burke was once a very large presence in the Los Angeles music world, more known for his production work than his music making in later years. But he was one of the top composer/arrangers in the U. S. for several years, and as the case with many of the forgotten names that will be explored in these articles, you’ve heard and been touched by his work perhaps without realizing it.
Burke came from Detroit and attended the University there, transferring to Duke University, where he put together an ensemble which he broke into two, and then both of them played on an ocean liner bound for Europe. When he returned to Detroit, he demonstrated irons while looking for music work. He went to the Hotel Statler in Detroit where the popular Nat Brandwynne Band was playing and introduced himself (Brandwynne was a pianist who led a group that played many hotels; he later led a band in Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas backing big stars). Burke subsequently got work writing for him, which led to him arranging for Xavier Cugat, a popular Latin-American band (Desi Arnaz worked for him).
Saxophonist Sam Donahue led a band in Detroit, and Burke wrote for him. Donahue later joined Gene Krupa, giving Burke the band on the condition that when he left Krupa, Burke would return the band to Sam. Burke got a contract with OKeh Records (the budget label for Columbia) and played an engagement at Roseland Ballroom. Here are two of his recordings from 1940:
(Interestingly, Donahue appears on these sides).
Donahue did in fact leave Krupa and asked for his band back. Happily, Burke was known by that point in the business and had no trouble getting an arranging gig with the Charlie Spivak Orchestra. Spivak, another forgotten musician, was an excellent trumpet soloist who was very busy in the recording studios and on radio before and during the early years of the big band era. His band was backed by Glenn Miller. Burke wrote Spivak’s theme, Stardreams.
Miller believed that the world was ready for a muted trumpet soloist. Spivak resisted this since his open tone was so beautiful, but Miller kept bugging him about it. Spivak plays both open and muted here:
A fabulous instrumental by Burke, Charlie Horse.
A Week-end in Havana is the title song from the 20th Century-Fox musical. It’s a great excuse to also highlight one of the great vocal groups of the era, The Stardusters. The lead was June Hutton, who later became the lead of The Pied Pipers when Jo Stafford went solo. Note that Burke got label credit as arranger on some of these records, which Columbia labels did occasionally during that period.
Burke moved to the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra by mid-1942. It was now WWII, and top leaders who were known to be good to work for had no trouble getting musicians despite many who were in the armed forces. The age range of musicians in these bands was anywhere from 17 to mid-40s, but the music was still excellent. There was a recording ban from August 1942, but the bands were still broadcasting and Jimmy’s label Decca settled with the union in 1943, plus they recorded radio transcriptions for Decca’s transcription service, World.
To end part one, here is my favorite Burke arrangement, Lover, a model for a hip setting of a standard for dance band. Although he wrote it for Jimmy, it was carried over to the band both Dorsey brothers led in the 1950s, which performs it live here. It was originally a trumpet specialty for Charlie Teagarden, but Tommy takes the melody. It also has the legendary Louie Bellson on drums, which makes it extra special.
Stay tuned for part two…
[ ASMAC Board member Dave Black recently published His Time was the Greatest: My Louie Bellson Story, sharing about the impact Louie Bellson had on his life. Read the book review. —Ed. ]
