Rahn Burton obit

RIP: Rahn Burton, jazz pianist best known for his work with Rahsaan Roland Kirk

 

He was not on the list.

Pianist Rahn Burton, also known as Ron Burton and best known for his work with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, died Jan. 25 in New York City. The cause of death was not reported.

Burton was born in 1934 in Louisville, Ky., and began playing in that city in the early 1950s. He joined Kirk’s group in 1953 and stayed with him for six years, recording with Kirk for the Argo label. Later Burton toured with George Adams, rejoining Kirk in the late ’60s and remaining with him into the mid-’70s. He started his own band, the African-American Connection in the early ’70s, while also freelancing with other musicians.

Burton began taking piano lessons at age 13, and worked locally in Louisville before playing his first gigs with Roland Kirk. He toured with Kirk from 1953 to 1959 and recorded with Kirk into the early 1960s, contributing the composition "Jack the Ripper" to the 1960 release Introducing Roland Kirk. He moved on to playing local gigs in New York and Syracuse for a short time in the early 1960s, then returned to local playing in Louisville again. In 1964-65 he played organ in George Adams's touring ensemble, and played briefly with Sirone around the same time.

In 1967, Burton re-joined Roland Kirk's group, playing with him at the 1968 Newport Jazz Festival and on several recordings through 1973. He also founded his own ensemble, African American Connection, which included Roland Alexander, Bob Cunningham, Ricky Ford, and Hannibal Marvin Peterson. He recorded extensively as a sideman in the 1970s and 1980s, with George Adams and Hannibal Peterson, as well as Carlos Garnett, Beaver Harris, Jemeel Moondoc, Charlie Rouse, Leon Thomas and Stanley Turrentine. His associations in the 1990s included work in Austria with Nicholas Simion, and a trio recording in 1992 with Walter Booker and Jimmy Cobb.