Grammy Winner Jams at GSE

Grammy-winning jazz musician Gary Burton gave a two-hour performance lecture and performance to an audience of 150 at Longfellow Hall last night.

Burton's presentation, "The Art of Improvisation," part of the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Askwith Education Forum series, featured five improvisations, a question and answer session and a multimedia PowerPoint exhibition.

"He made my soul dance," said Hugh Morgan Hill '48.

Burton, 56, has recorded 50 albums and been inducted into the Percussionists Hall of Fame since his debut album with Hank Garland at age 17. He won his latest Grammy in the instrumental solo category along with longtime collaborator Chick Corea for their piece "Rhumbata" last month.

The renowned vibraphonist included detailed lessons on the workings of musical improvisation and performing, mixed with live music and complemented by a sense of humor.

"He got to something so deep, so wonderful," said Hill, who described himself as a longtime Cambridge "street poet" and storyteller nicknamed "Brother Blue" who took notes during Burton's performance.

Matthew C. West, a master's student at the Graduate School of Education, said he was impressed by Burton's versatility.

"You're not only a talented musician, but you're a talented presenter," West said to Burton during the question and answer session.

West added that he believed a teacher that could use PowerPoint, a vibraphone and a piano at once is rare.

Burton, who is also executive vice president of Boston's Berklee College of Music, began his performance with a 10-minute improvisation to a Chick Corea composition honoring the be-bop style of 1950s pianist Bud Powell. Burton was accompanied by a Yamaha piano recording of Makuto Ozone, a Berklee graduate and frequent collaborator of Burton's now living in Japan.

Burton followed up on his musical improvisation with a detailed explanation of his views on collaborative creativity and "music as language."

"I don't have to stop and think. And in fact, there's no time to think," said Burton, describing his live improvisational performances.

Burton also addressed the mental aspect of musical improvisation, outlining three stages of development. Initially, he said, beginning musicians play completely consciously, paying attention to technique and trying not to make mistakes.

At the intermediate stage, musicians combine both the conscious and the unconscious, which includes reading notes and playing with scales and chord outlines.

Finally, at the advanced stage, musicians play primarily unconsciously, reserving their conscious energy for internal observation, comment and focus on the audience.

Burton's ease on stage was apparent, leading one audience member to describe his playing as "Zen-like detachment."

Burton also performed selections by Miles Davis, James Williams and Ozone during the evening. Following an encore piece, the audience gave him a standing ovation.

After the performance Burton said that concerts with Corea, including a gig at the Globe Jazz Festival on the Esplanade June 20, as well as a European summer tour are in store for the near future.

The Askwith Education Forum is a series of events designed to provoke debate about the arts, education, and society. Radical historian and Cambridge resident Howard Zinn was a featured speaker last month.