<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=content-type content=text/html;charset=us-ascii> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2912" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><B>Subject:</B> Russ Burgher passes</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hi, All,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This has nothing to do with pianos, but I felt it was a  <STRONG><U>notable message</U></STRONG>    to the  " Music World."</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>A sad  "note"  for a legend I once had the honor to play along side for a few years in our Jazz Band </DIV> <DIV>here in Jackson, Tenn.   Russ Burgher, one of the original members of the Stan Kenton (Big Band) Orchestra,</DIV> <DIV>has passed away.  Russ was a very intelligent, talented, and honored man.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>This note from Gerald McGuire, below,  the director of our band,  " <STRONG><U>The Jackson Swing Orchestra</U></STRONG>, "  tells a bit</DIV> <DIV>about Russ.   He was very interesting to stand next to when we performed from time to time, and especially</DIV> <DIV>at rehearsals.   Wow !!   Russ told us some neat stories from the past and about the Big Band era.  It had been a </DIV> <DIV>pleasure in <STRONG><U>my</U></STRONG> life to have known Russ, AND to have played trumpet along side him in our jazz band.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Oh, BTW,  Russ once was a  Sales  Representative of  BALDWIN  PIANO  CO.   ( PTG, and Baldwin, Please Take Note.)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>FYI : Russ was the last of the living original band members from Kenton's Band.  I'm not sure how old Russ was,</DIV> <DIV>         but I'd say he was mid-80's at least, maybe late 80's,  at his passing.   ( Newspaper did not say.)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I thought you all would be interested in knowing this ...  that is all.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>______________________________</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Dan Tassin, RPT</STRONG><BR>Asst. Piano Tech, Blair SOM</DIV> <DIV>Nashville Chapter, V.P.<BR><A href="mailto:DLTassinpiano@Juno.com">DLTassinpiano@Juno.com</A><BR><STRONG>|| ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| <BR></STRONG>_______________________________<BR></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>PS:  Past the "forward" (below) on to others who would like to know the pasting of   "a bit of history"  in the Music World, and for Big Band Era historians. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV #cccccc\? ? background:>================================  Forwarding Message  ===================================</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><B>Subject:</B> Russ Burgher passes</DIV> <DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>I was saddened this morning when one of my church choir members told me of reading the obituary for Russ Burgher in this morning's Jackson Sun. Russ was a charter member of the community concert band and the jazz band, and played with our jazz band until his health prevented him from doing so a few years ago. Russ was a fine musician, and I learned a great deal by playing with him in small groups over the years when he come to live in Jackson. As a former member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, he was our direct link to the Big Band Era. Russ played with Kenton when Buddy Childers was the lead trumpet. If you check out the "Time-Life Series" recordings on Stan Kenton you will see Russ' name in the personnel listing. I was always proud to announce that we had an actual veteran of that era playing in our band. I know many of you (Jackson Jazz Band members) knew Russ and played with him, and would want to know of his passing. I have included the link to his obit on the Jackson Sun website below.<BR><BR><A href="http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?OBITS/obitsGO3detail.mv+link=20060730243229" eudora="autourl">http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?OBITS/obitsGO3detail.mv+link=20060730243229</A><BR><BR><BR><X-SIGSEP> <P></X-SIGSEP> <DIV align=center>------------------------------------------------------------<BR>Gerald W. McGuire -- <FONT color=#008080>The Sax Doctor<BR></FONT><FONT color=#ff0000>McGuire Band Instrument Repair<BR></FONT>saxdoctor@charter.net      <A href="http://www.saxdoctor.com/" eudora="autourl">www.saxdoctor.com</A><BR><FONT color=#800000>Greetings from Jackson, TN - home of legendary Carl Perkins<BR></FONT>Jackson Area Community Jazz Band - <A href="http://www.jacbinc.com/" eudora="autourl">www.jacbinc.com</A><BR>------------------------------------------------------------<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>