James F. Burke

James Francis Burke (April 15, 1923 – June 26, 1981) was an American cornet soloist. He was the principal cornet soloist with the Goldman Band from 1943 to 1974. He was also the principal trumpet with The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra from 1943 to 1949. Mr. Burke, who had the use of only one arm, was considered the greatest virtuoso of his time on the instrument, according to Ainslee Cox, conductor of the Guggenheim rendering his right arm useless. He began to play the trumpet at age 5, but since he could not hold the horn, his father had a tripod stand built for him. The top of it was shaped like a horseshoe and the horn would sit in that stand with a strap going over it in front of the valves. The stand was on rollers and could also be raised and lowered like a music stand.

When he was seven years old, he started performing for the Rotary Club and for different organizations. In 1936 he played on WJZ (AM) on Sunday mornings from 9 to 10 o'clock. The program was called "Coast To Coast On A Bus" and Milton Cross was the announcer. Then from 11 to 12 o'clock, he went to ABC (which was CBS at that time) to The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour. Paul Douglas (actor) was the announcer. Jimmy played on these 2 shows for 7 years, playing 2 different solos every morning. When he was 13, some of the participants from The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour made a movie for Warner Brothers called "Stars Of Tomorrow". In the film, 5 boys make up a hillbilly band.

Education Jimmy's first teacher was his father from the age of 5 until the age of 13. and solo chair with The Goldman Band. During the summers, he took the train to New York City to play with The Goldman Band.

Cities Service Band of America Upon his return from Baltimore in 1950, Jimmy received a call from Paul Lavalle who asked him to join his band. Jimmy stayed with the band for six years. He had a featured solo performance of "The Carnival of Venice" on the RCA Victor LP "A Sunday Band Concert".

All-Star Concert Band In 1960 he co-founded The All-Star Concert Band with American tubist Harvey Phillips. The band recorded two LPs under the Golden Crest label. The first, titled "The All-Star Concert Band" was recorded September 17–18, 1960 at the Huntington Theatre, Huntington, New York. The second LP titled "The Burke-Phillips All-Star Concert Band" was recorded a year later.

Awards National Champion, 1939 National Trumpet Competition New York Brass Conference For Scholarships Associated Musicians of Greater New York Local 802 Port Jefferson High School Wall of Fame

Death On June 26, 1981, Jimmy suffered a massive heart attack while conducting a rehearsal of The Guggenheim Memorial Band, the successor to The Goldman Band. Clinician Series (1960) [Golden Crest CRG-1004] The All-Star Concert Band (1960) [Golden Crest CR-4025] The Burke-Phillips All-Star Concert Band (1961) [Golden Crest CR-4040] Artist Workshop Series The Magic Trumpet (1958) [Artist Workshop Series AWS 101] Tropical Trumpets (1959) [Artist Workshop Series AWS 102] (Trumpet trio with Jack Holland and Ted Weis) Introduction and Tarentella (1959) [Artist Workshop Series AWS 103] Bright Eyes (Trio) (1959) [Artist Workshop Series AWS 104] (Trumpet trio with Jack Holland and Ted Weis)

With The Goldman Band America Marches (1947) [Regent MG-6021] Sousa - Goldman Marches (1949) [Columbia CL 6080] On The Mall (1951) [Decca DL-5386] America Marches (1955) [RCA Camden – CAL-125] On Parade! (1955) [Decca DL 5546] Here Comes the Band! (1955) [Decca DL 8185] I Love to Hear a Band (1957) [Decca DL 8445] Semper Fidelis - The Marches of John Philip Sousa (1957) [Harmony HL 7001] Band Masterpieces (1958) [Decca DL 8633] The Sound of the Goldman Band (post 1959) [Decca DL 8931] Golden March Favorites (1960) [Decca DL 4453] Sousa Marches in Hi Fi (1960) [Decca DL 8807] Cavalcade of the American Band (1962) [Capitol W 1688] Marching Along Together (1963) [Decca DL 4450] With Leroy Anderson Leroy Anderson Conducts His Music (1951) [MCA 531] (Featured Soloist on "A Trumpeter's Lullaby") Leroy Anderson Conducts Leroy Anderson (1954) [MCA 555] ("Bugler's Holiday" trumpet trio with Raymond Crisara and John Ware) With Archie Bleyer S'il Vous Plait (1954) [Cadence 1241] With Robert Russell Bennett Victory at Sea (1955) [RCA Victor Red Seal LM 1779] With Paul Lavalle America's Favorite Marches (1951) [RCA Victor LPM-6] A Sunday Band Concert (1953) [RCA Victor LPM-3120] (Featured Soloist "The Carnival of Venice") "The Carnival of Venice" (1953) [RCA Victor 47-5203] (Vinyl, 7-inch 45 rpm) Lavalle at Work (1954) [RCA Victor LPM-1026] Great Band Music (1955) [RCA Victor LPM-1133] With Morton Gould Hi Fi Band Concert (Columbia Concert Band) (1956) [Columbia CL 954] Brass and Percussion (1957) [RCA Victor 09026-61255-2] The Band Plays On (Columbia Concert Band) (circa 1959) [Columbia Masterworks AL 57] With Robert Shaw Mass in B Minor (1960) [RCA Victor Red Seal LSC-6157] With Igor Stravinsky The Rite of Spring (1960) [Columbia MS-6319] With Andre Kostelanetz (see notes) Wonderland of Sound - Star Spangled Marches (1962) [Columbia CS-8518] The Thunderer - The Spectacular Sound of John Philip Sousa (1965) [Columbia CS-9159]

With Thomas Schippers (see notes) Menotti - Amahl And The Night Visitors (1952) [RCA Victor Red Seal LM-1701]

With Leopold Stokowski (see notes) Swan Lake (1955) [RCA Victor LM-1864]

(Others- See notes)

Notes – According to his self published resume, James F. Burke played on "many recordings conducted by Stokowski, Morton Gould, Andre Kostelanetz and Thomas Schippers". In the early days of recordings, musicians rarely (if ever) received credit in the liner notes of album jackets so it is unknown for certain on which albums Mr. Burke performed. In the case of Morton Gould, credit was given to musicians on the album jacket. In the case of Andre Kostelanetz, his overall discography suggests that the two albums listed are where Jimmy would most likely have been contracted to perform.

Broadway shows My Fair Lady Oklahoma! Hofstra University 1974–1981 Manhattan School of Music 1980–1981 (he taught (briefly) in the MSM Preparatory Division.) Hocus Polka (1952) Mercury Music Corporation(www.presser.com) Begine (1956) Chas. Colin Caprice (1956) Chas. Colin Danza Allegre (1960) Carl Fischer Jolene (1963) Chas. Colin

Method book New Directions In Tonguing (1956) Chas. Colin