Chester Burns, Dallas musician, passes

Chester Burns (wearing hat). Photo: Roman Navarro Ross

The Dallas music scene lost another player in Chester Burns who passed away Friday, February 19. Over the past year, he could be seen playing his guitar every weekend at R.L. Blues Palace. Though known mostly for his guitar playing, he was also a singer and a songwriter.

‘He was a real musician,’ said his nephew Dave Burns, who was a drummer for soul blues superstar Johnnie Taylor. ‘He had heart to be doing what he was doing at his age. He played for over 60 years.

‘Chester was kind. He knew what it was all about. We could come home to a little club or go to Carnegie Hall.

‘Uncle Chester: you just call out a song and he knew it; he would play it on his guitar. He tripped me out: before the gig he would play on his guitar and I would be like God, I didn’t know he had that one in him. It could be country, rock. He was a real inspiration, real classy, real humble.’

Dave said he and his uncle Chester played gigs together practically his whole life in clubs and homes; sometimes with Dave’s father Evie Burns (Chester’s brother). Evie Burns played bass. Dave’s brothers were also musicians Carl (bass) and Ricky (guitar).

Another noted member of Dallas guitar community Andrew Junior Boy Jones was good friends with Chester Burns. ‘He was a good guy,’ Jones said. ‘He was mild and easy to get along with and to talk to.’ Jones said he met Chester Burns in the 1980s when Jones would play the Classic Club and a few small clubs in Dallas.

In describing Chester Burns style, Jones said, ‘R&B blues, old R&B blues in the style of Tyrone Davis, southern soul; it wasn’t hardcore blues.’

Quentin Moore: The Vday EP, Vol 3 (2016)

Quentin Moore at Wit's End in Dallas. Photo: Hoai-Nam Nguyen

Every year around Valentine’s Days the singer Quentin Moore delivers a musical gift for his fans. And this year is no exception as he comes with the third installment – the Vday EP Vol. 3.

It is a soulful offering, encouraging all to take a chance on love. He opens up with some nice vocals on All In. In addition to his singing he shows his versatility by playing all the instruments: drums, guitar, bass, keyboard.

On the next number Grammy Award-winning guitar player Mark Lettieri of Snarky Puppy leaves his mark all over this tune. Kenny Washington also helps out on drums.

Quentin Moore moves into the Red Velvet Suite. This instrumental slows all the way down to what Caribbean people call a ‘slow wine’. (The Red Velvet Suite Part 1; perhaps we would hear more from Quentin on this in the future.)

Quentin closes with his interpretation of Tyrese’s What am I Gonna Do.

Valentine’s Day always a busy time of the year for Quentin Moore with a new release; and he becomes a troubadour appearing at the workplace, at dinners, singing love songs to surprised girlfriends and spouses.

Thaddeus Ford at Twilite Lounge

Horace Bray, Matt Young, Thaddeus Ford, Kevin Butler, Aaron Hedenstrom.

Thaddeus Ford

Twilite Lounge

Dallas, TX

Saturday, February 8, 2016

Thaddeus Ford, the trumpet player, put together a group of young players to put a modern interpretation on some traditional New Orleans jazz and blues numbers. They played before a full house at the Twilite Lounge in Deep Ellum, the historic music district of Dallas.

Playing at these club dates, a band comes together in a fluid way. A band leader would just call around his musician friends to see who is available. Luckily there is a world-renowned jazz university, University of North Texas, just half-hour away.

Several of Thaddeus’ players were from UNT where they are taught to learn all genres of music (funk, R&B, rock and roll, and more). And they are taught the jazz technique of improvisation – within the context of the song, put your own style and interpretation on it.

And that is how great music is made. For the famous record, A Kind of Blue, no music was written ahead of time. Miles Davis’ only instruction to the drummer was: ‘Make it sound like it’s floating.’

Thaddeus Ford’s drummer Matt Young had the music floating. Matt Young, originally from Georgia,  is one of those UNT students. He is studying under UNT professor Ed Soph, a quality drummer in his own right, who has helped to develop famous drummers like Ari Hoening, Keith Carlock, Rich Redmond, Jason Sutter and Robert ‘Sput’ Searight.

Guitar player Horace Bray, another UNT student, was the featured artist in Thaddeus Ford’s band. Horace Bray is from the historic music town of St Louis where he was a member of the Jazz St Louis All Stars, The Missouri All Suburban and All State Jazz bands. Horace Bray is preparing to release his own album in a few months.

Aaron Hedendstrom played alto saxophone and keyboard. He is from St. Paul, Minnesota, and already building a reputation as a composer as shown on his recent album A Moment of Clarity. He has won the Herb Albert ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, the nation’s highest honor for young jazz composers. He has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a Master’s in Jazz Arranging from UNT and is currently working on his Doctorate in Jazz Studies at UNT.

Also on the bill was Kevin Butler who played some bass lines on the tuba. Kevin, who studied at Baylor University, in addition to the Thaddeus Ford band is seen around town in numerous other bands like the Obscure Dignataries, The Freeloaders, and The Big Ass Brass Band.

Thaddeus Ford, originally from New Orleans and steeped in the tradition with songs like Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor and Saints Go Marching In, brought in some young university-trained musicians to put a modern spin on some classics.

Vandell Andrew: For Lovers (2016)

Vandell Andrew has a way of quietly releasing a record that goes on to make a big splash on the Billboard charts and the award shows. For that reason, keep an eye out for his CD, For Lovers (2016), coming out Friday, February 5.

Vandell (alto saxophone) is bringing out a few romantic, R&B covers in the vein of Gerald Albright’s remake of Johnny Gill’s My, My, My and Ne-Yo’s Champagne Life.   

He gave fans a preview with an early release of one of the songs All the Things, a re-work of Joe (All the Things [your man won’t do]).

With help from Quentin Moore on guitar, bass and keyboards, Vandell Andrew steps out as producer; and in addition to saxophone, he plays some keyboards and does programming.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, he would be playing these tunes that weekend in Austin, Dallas and Frisco.

His last release Turn it Up (2014) charted on Billboard’s and was nominated for a Soul Train award.