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Mark O’Keeffe: Horn of Plenty: The Story of James F. Burke (Mar 04/40)

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 Horn of Plenty: The Story of James F. Burke
BY MARK O’KEEFFE
James Francis Burke was born the youngest of three cast each Sunday morning hosted by Milton Cross on
children born to Robert Arthur Burke and Helen WJZ from nine to ten o’clock. It was a sustained show
Marguerite Goebel on April 15, 1923 in Port Jefferson, sponsored by NBC with no commercial sponsors.
New York. Robert Burke was a mason contractor who Then from eleven to noon, he would go to WABC
had built the high school and telephone building in (which was WCBS at that time), to the “Horn and
Port Jefferson. He was also a semi professional cor- Hardart’s Children’s Hour” announced by Paul
netist. Helen was a loyal housewife and pianist who, Douglas. This was Jimmy’s ritual until he was eighteen
together with her husband, years old, a solo
played and entertained at broadcast on each
many private parties in their show every Sunday
area. At the time of his birth, morning. For each
James Burke weighed a hefty performance, he was
fifteen pounds and, because of paid two dollars
this, there were complications. (sometimes a cake
Surgical instruments had to be instead). During his
used. During the birthing pro- high school years, he
cedure, the baby was injured participated in just
causing permanent damage to about all the area All
the right arm, damage so severe State and national
that the arm would remain music conferences,
withered and virtually useless and was eventually
for the duration of his life. declared national
As a child, Jimmy was always champion.
around, hanging on his father’s In 1935, he was
knee looking up at him as he sent to Del Staigers
played his Holton cornet. One for lessons. At that
day, at about the age of five, time, Staigers was
Robert held his cornet up to considered to be the
Jimmy’s mouth and the child world’s foremost cor-
began to blow. This was the net soloist, with a
beginning of his instruction on resume that included
the cornet. For the next five assistant cornet solo-
years, Robert was Jimmy’s ist to the great Frank
James F. Burke at home
teacher. However, something Si m o n i n So u s a’s
had to be done to help the band in 1919 and
child hold the cornet. So 1920, soloist with
Robert had an apparatus constructed to hold the the Victor Salon Orchestra for a term that would span
instrument for the child. It was a tripod stand and that over fifteen years, and soloist with the famed Goldman
was shaped like a horseshoe at the top. The horn would Band under the direction of Edwin Franko Goldman
sit in that stand with a strap over the front of the from 1927 to 1934. His recordings of The Carnival Of
valves, and that would hold the instrument in place. Venice, Napoli, My Heaven Of Love, and Princess Alice
The tripod was on rollers and so it could be rolled are all collector’s items and wonderful demonstrations
around the room. It could also of his marvelous playing.
be raised and lowered like a Burke was clearly in awe of Staigers, and
music stand. At some point in “Burke credited Staig- wanted to impress his new teacher by
time, the pinky ring was ers with teaching him showing him how fast he could play. By
removed from the lead pipe
and remounted onto the bell musicianship, and the his own admission, “it was pretty messy,”
and as a result, Staigers spent a great deal
tubing. art and responsibility of time trying to slow Jimmy down. Burke
By the age of seven, Jimmy of solo cornet perfor- credited Staigers with teaching him musi-
was able to play little solos and cianship, and the art and responsibility of
soon was performing at the mance.” solo cornet performance. Burke consid-
local Rotary Club and various ered Staigers to be the greatest player he
amateur contests in the area. At the age of eleven he had ever heard. “He had a facility and fire and the
auditioned for and eventually became a member of delivery of playing a solo that I had never heard before.
“Coast To Coast On A Bus,” a radio program broad- He was very distinguished in his style…you could see
40 ITG Journal / March 2004 © 2004 International Trumpet Guild
the notes coming out of the bell. There was just that Harold Rehrig, Seymour Rosenfeld, Frank Scimonelli,
much fire. It was electrifying! You would get goose Ray Wetzel, and many others.
bumps listening to him play, and when you get those In 1939, Burke began another aspect of his career,
goose bumps, well, you’re getting the message!” Jimmy that of lecturer and clinician, representing various
derived great inspiration from the aura that Staigers instrument manufacturers including King, Bach,
created. In fact, it was Del Staigers who first had a horn Buescher, and Conn. Just sixteen years of age, he
specially designed by the King Company for Burke, would be contracted to visit various high schools and
one with the bell mounted on the right side to accom- colleges where he would speak, demonstrate and teach
modate the holding problem. through lectures, and then, perform with the band or
In 1936, some of the participants of the “Children’s orchestra as a soloist. For each clinic, he was paid the
Hour” made a short movie for Warner Brothers with a sum of $50.00. It was at this time that he also began
man named Niles T. Grantland. The movie was called substituting with the Radio City Music Hall Orch-
Stars of Tomorrow. The children were all dressed up as estra.
cowboys and they played a special arrangement of During the summer of 1942, World War II was esca-
Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain with guitar, saxophone, lating, and Edwin Franko Goldman found his cornet
accordion, a vocal- section depleted
ist, and Jimmy on because so many
the trumpet. Re- players were either
hearsals lasted six drafted or had en-
weeks and were in listed in the armed
Ne w York City, forces. So he began
about 60 miles searching for a
from Port Jefferson. soloist to replace
Jimmy would make the vacancy left by
this journey with Leonard Smith.
his parents, day in One evening,
and day out. They Goldman was in-
then went to a stu- vited to guest con-
dio in New Jersey duct one of the
(actually a barn) concerts at the
and shot the film. Williams summer
This was the mid- camp in Sauger-
dle of the Great ties, located in up-
Depression and for state New York.
all this effort Burke Burke played a
was paid a grand At a New York Brass Conference reception in 1978 honoring Raymond Crisara's solo and Goldman
total of ten dollars. move to Texas; L to R: William Vacchiano, Raymond Crisara, Ned Mahoney, hired him on the
Around 1937, James Burke spot as his new
Burke began to cornet soloist. Jim-
study with Ned Mahoney. Ned was a highly respected my, at 19 years old, found himself cornet soloist with
and well known teacher, a cornetist with the Edwin one of the greatest bands in the country, if not the
Franko Goldman Band, and one third of the famous world. He graduated from the Williams school that
Goldman cornet trio, which included Frank Elsass and year and a few months later began his 32-year tenure
Leonard Smith. The trio members were all graduates of as first cornet and solo chair with the Goldman band,
the Ernest Williams School of Music in Brooklyn, the longest tenure by any cornet soloist in the history
New York. In 1938, at Ned Mahoney’s recommenda- of the band. During that time he was contracted to
tion, Jimmy began attending the Williams school. play five solos a week. The band played seven nights a
Ernest Williams had been a cornet soloist with both week, with fifty concerts in a summer season. All
the Sousa and Goldman bands as well as principal totaled, Burke played more than 1,100 performances
trumpet with the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1917 to with the Goldman Band. Burke performed most of his
1923 under Leopold Stokowski. Williams came from a solos from memory.
long line of great teachers that included Henry Brown, In 1943, Burke began a seven-year stint as principal
E.W. Garrett (who was also Del Staigers’ teacher), and trumpet with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and
Herbert L. Clarke. During the 1930s and 40s, Wil- as professor of trumpet at the Peabody Conservatory.
liams produced first chair players with many of the During the summers he would return to New York to
best bands and orchestras in the country. The list is work with the Goldman Band. Soon after, he married
impressive. In addition to the Goldman trio, the list another Williams School student, Jolene Mitchell.
also includes: Sidney Beckerman, B.P. Causey, Ray- Jolene was a pianist and would later accompany Jimmy
mond Crisara, Louis Davidson, Milton Davidson, at performances and on some of his solo recordings.
Herbert Eisenberg, Bobby Hackett, Dale McMickle, Over the following decades they would have five chil-
Leonard Meretta, Gilbert Mitchell, Robert Nagel, dren, and many grandchildren.
© 2004 International Trumpet Guild March 2004 / ITG Journal 41
 His earlier substitute work with the Radio City Around 1956, Burke recorded a solo album titled
Music Hall Orchestra would eventually pay off as he Horn Of Plenty. Here he performs with the Burke-
was now playing first trumpet with that fine group. By Hubble Band on one side, and on the other, his wife
now, he was recording extensively. Burke recorded two Jolene accompanies him on piano. Included on the
albums with Leroy Anderson, Leroy Anderson Conducts record are renditions of Arban solos including Carnival
His Music and Leroy Anderson Conducts Leroy Anderson. Of Venice, Deuxième Grand Solo, Deuxième Fantasie
Included on those albums are the definitive recordings Brilliante, and Fantasie sur Aida; all featured double
of Bugler’s Holiday (with Raymond Crisara and John and triple tonguing, his unique sound, and perfect in-
Ware) and A Trumpeter’s Lullaby. In fact his perfor- tonation. Also included on this record is The Volunteer
mance on the latter was so moving, that after the per- written by Walter Rogers (Burke’s favorite composer);
formance, the orchestra, along with the pleased com- Spring Is Never Ending by Harriss Hubble and Larry
poser/conductor, gave Jimmy a standing ovation. He Conley; and two compositions by Burke: Joneta, a
went on to record many albums under the batons of waltz composed for his daughter, and Jolene, composed
Morton Gould, Andre Kostelanetz, Thomas Schippers, for his wife.
and Leopold Stokowski. Morton Gould recorded sev- Burke also made four records for The Artist Workshop
eral albums with the Columbia Concert Band, that Series where he would play a solo with piano accompa-
included a virtual who’s who of many of the best first niment on one side of the 45 RPM record, and on the
chair players in the country (a concept Jimmy would other, he would teach and demonstrate the solo, mea-
years later embrace for sure by measure, phrase
his own band). The by phrase in lecture for-
trumpet section inc- mat. Two of these rec-
luded William Vac- ords were for solo cor-
chiano, John Ware, net or trumpet, the first
Isador Blank, and written for Burke by
Robert Cusumano. Edwin Franko Gold-
Burke recorded The man titled Introduction
Rite Of Spring under and Tarentella, and the
Igor Stravinsky, Bach’s second written by
Mass in B Minor with Burke titled The Magic
the Robert Shaw Trumpet. The other
Chorale, and played two records were trios
on the soundtrack to with Jack Holland and
Victory at Sea with Ted Weis titled Bright
Robert Russell Ben- Eyes and Tropical Trum-
nett. He participated pets. Each record in-
on fifteen Goldman cluded the sheet music
Band albums. with Burke’s personal
Another band Burke hand written notations.
was closely associated He also recorded an
with was The Cities album for the Crest
Service Band of Amer- label titled Clinician
ica under Paul Lavalle, Mark O’Keeffe listens to an awe-inspiring demonstration of Scheherazade Series. This was a 45-
recording an album minute recording of
on the RCA Victor one of the many clinics
label titled A Sunday Band Concert where he was fea- he had given. Here he covered all aspects of trumpet
tured performing an arrangement of Arban’s famous playing including pedal tones, lip trills (which he
cornet solo The Carnival of Venice. The Cities Service would say are really tongue trills), and double and
Band of America did weekly radio broadcasts from triple tonguing with a demonstration of each concept.
1948 through 1954, and Burke was always a featured One such demonstration is the opening cadenza to Del
soloist. The material he covered ranged from many of Staigers’ Carnival of Venice.
Ernest Williams’ solos to Monti’s Czardas, a rendition One of Burke’s proudest accomplishments was
of O Holy Night, and many others. assembling and recording The Burke-Phillips All-Star
In 1954, Burke recorded an album of cornet solos Concert Band in 1960. The band, co-founded by
with pianist Abba Bogin for Polymusic Records titled famed Goldman Band tuba soloist Harvey Phillips,
1954 National Music Contest Selections. Repertoire was composed of virtually every top soloist and first
included: Ernest Williams Sonata and his Concerto chair player in the country. The trumpet section
No. 4, 1st movement; Frank Simon’s Willow Echoes; included Raymond Crisara, Harry Glantz, Robert
Herbert Clarke’s Twilight Dreams and Trixie Valse; Nagel, Wilfred Roberts, Manny Weinstock, and Ted
Mendez’ Jota; Balay’s Petite Piece Concertante; Ropartz’ Weis. Burke conducted the band and performed as
Andante et Allegro, and Giannini’s Concerto, 2nd move- cornet soloist on two of his compositions: Danza
ment. Allegre, composed for his sister Rita Turso, and an
42 ITG Journal / March 2004 © 2004 International Trumpet Guild
encore selection Amourette. Hunter Wiley conducted reproduce what ever came out of the student’s horn
these solos. Also included on this record is a composi- and follow that with a flawless demonstration of the
tion he wrote for band called Lincoln Square March. proper way to play whatever piece they were playing.
One year later, the same group was engaged for anoth- He did this without intimidation, finding a way
er album. Burke again performed as soloist on his own instead to instill confidence. He always had a full slate
composition Hocus Polka, conducted by Lucien Cail- of students, and many have gone on to be successful
let. The distinguished Vincent Abato was also featured trumpet players and instructors themselves.
on clarinet playing the final movement of the Tchai- As a human being, James Burke was one of a kind.
kowsky Violin Concerto. In addition, Harvey Phillips His warmth, generosity, wit, and sense of humor were
and Andrew Loyla on the piccolo were featured in a as legendary as his playing. When asked “how are you
duet titled The Elephant and The Fly. doing, Mr. Burke?” His reply would often be “every-
Along with the aforementioned solos, he also wrote thing is beautiful.” Burke had a wry sense of humor
many others including Zorita, Jimala Beguine, Caprice, and would often crack up laughing (always uproari-
Beguine, and a series of solos with Roger Smith (trom- ously and from the belly) at his own jokes. His laugh-
bone soloist with the Goldman Band) titled The ter would continue at the puzzled look on the faces of
Burke-Smith Series. Published by Mercury Music, this his students as they tried to interpret his jokes.
series of solos included Twilight Tune, Prom Waltz, Burke also had an uncanny ability to look adversity
Strictly G.I., Serenade in 6/8, and The Runaway Trum- in the face with grace and humor. While giving a clin-
pet. He also authored an instruction book titled New ic, a student asked, “do you ever use pressure?” Jimmy
Directions In Tonguing published by Charles Colin. replied “damn right I use pressure! In fact, I use so
The book features a unique much pressure that I wore out
approach of playing traditional “Burke had the remarkable one arm and now I’m working
triple tongue patterns while on the other!” One day, when a
applying double tongue sylla- ability to reproduce what ever student showed up at his home
bles (TKT KTK TKT). came out of the student’s for a lesson only to find the
In addition to his numerous house empty of all furniture
recording and composing cred- horn and follow that with a except for two folding chairs
its, his resume boasts an im- flawless demonstration of the and a music stand, Jimmy sim-
pressive list of television shows ply said “my ‘ex’ stopped by
such as Tic, Tac, Dough; Wide, proper way to play… yesterday…” and the lesson
Wide World with Dave Garro- proceeded as if nothing were
way; Do, Re, Mi, Twenty One with Jack Barry, and Thy wrong. He definitely created his own aura. To this day,
Kingdom Come, all at NBC. His Broadway show cred- I have never heard anyone say a negative word about
its include Oklahoma; My Fair Lady; Song of Norway; him. He was loved by, and a friend to, everyone who
Cabaret; Music Man; I Do, I Do; Rothschild’s; George knew him.
M.; and South Pacific. He also held many orchestra In his later years, Burke moved into an apartment in
positions, playing 1st trumpet with the Sigmund the neighboring town of Islip, and gave lessons out of
Romberg Touring Orchestra, The Brooklyn Philhar- an office above a health food store owned by his agent
monic, The Metropolitan Opera Stage Band, The New Bruce Garben. By now, he had developed some health
York State Ballet Touring Company, the Carnegie Hall problems including a hernia and angina for which he
Orchestra Concerts conducted by Leopold Stokowski had to take nitroglycerine. Doctors recommended that
in memory of Arturo Toscanini, and many ballet per- he quit playing in the early 1970s or there could be
formances composed and conducted by Leonard Bern- dire consequences.
stein and Aaron Copland. Jimmy also held faculty In June of 1981, I unknowingly had my final lesson
positions at Ithaca College (5 years), the University of with Mr. Burke. It was an unusual lesson because he
Bridgeport (1 year), and Hofstra University (8 years). was talking about the fact that he had carved his own
Indeed, he performed as guest soloist with over 800 tombstone. (During the depression, his father lost his
professional, college and high school bands, and orch- shirt like everyone else, and so Robert went into the
estras in forty-four states. tombstone cutting business. When Robert’s health be-
In 1964, Burke was invited to participate in a U.S. gan to fail, he asked his son to help him in the business
State Department good will tour of twenty African and so Jimmy learned how to cut and sandblast tomb-
countries. The tour lasted fourteen weeks. He later said stones. The first one he made was his own.) I asked
it was “the greatest educational experience I have ever him why he made his own and his reply was “every-
had.” The tour began on the Ivory Coast and wound body likes to see his name in print.” Of course he
up in Morocco. Many of his friends who had visited began to laugh hysterically at his own joke, and, of
his home know of the beautiful African furniture he course I laughed along with him. After the lesson he
had purchased while on that tour. There were four gave me a ride to the Bay Shore train station. We shook
chairs and four end tables all carved out of mahogany hands, said goodbye and see you next week. The fol-
tree trunks. No nails, glue, or pegs were used in the lowing week I decided to call Mr. Burke and cancel the
making of these pieces.
As a teacher, Burke had the remarkable ability to Continued on Page 51

© 2004 International Trumpet Guild March 2004 / ITG Journal 43

 Burke continued from page 43

lesson for that week. When I called, a woman ans-

wered. It was his daughter Joneta who explained to me
that Mr. Burke had passed away, and that they had
been unable to contact me to let me know. He had
been conducting a rehearsal of the Guggenheim Band,
(the successor to the Goldman Band) in one of his
favorites, a movement from Scheherazade when he suf-
fered a massive heart attack. One of the band mem-
bers, percussionist Alan Silverman, trained in CPR,
worked feverishly for an hour to revive him, but he
could not. He was just 58 years old. Needless to say,
everyone who knew him was shocked and heartbroken
at the news of his untimely death.
Some 23 years later, it is difficult to believe that he is
now, except for family and friends, all but forgotten.
His solos and recordings are out of print and are found
only by searching various libraries throughout the
country. There is virtually nothing about him on the
Internet. It is my sincere hope that this tribute will
encourage other trumpet players who may be unfamil-
iar with his work to seek out James Burke’s recordings,
compositions, and clinics so that they might have a
chance to experience for themselves the warmth,
charm, and ability that this man possessed, and more
importantly, to learn from his example.
About the author: Mark O’Keeffe is the director of
The All-Star Buglers, a group of professional racetrack
buglers who perform at many major horseracing events
including the Belmont Stakes. O’Keeffe has performed
First Call over 45,000 times at 26 race tracks in 13
states (more than any other bugler in history) in a
career that began in 1987 at Belmont Park. He has
held full time bugling positions at Belmont Park,
Aqueduct, The Downs at Albuquerque, The Downs at
Santa Fe, and Delaware Park. He is currently on staff
at Monmouth Park and The Meadowlands in New
Jersey, Harrington Raceway in Delaware, and performs
at special events at Laurel Park and Pimlico Racecourse
in Maryland, and various steeplechase events in Mary-
land and Pennsylvania. He studied with James Burke
in 1973, 1974, 1980, and 1981.
Learn more about James Burke at Mark O’Keeffe’s
web site (http://www.markokeeffebugler.com).
References:
New Directions In Tonguing. James F. Burke, Charles
Colin Publishing.
The 10th Annual New York Brass Conference For
Scholarships Program
The author’s personal correspondence with James
Burke, James Klages, and James Ode.
Conversations with Joneta Burke, Raymond Crisara,
Eleanor DiDea, Vincent DiDea, Anne Mahoney,
Ned Mahoney, and John Ware.
Recordings and music of James Burke in the author’s
music library.
Obituary of James Burke by Leonard Smith from
The School Musician, October 1981
© 2004 International Trumpet Guild March 2004 / ITG Journal 51