Raymond Burke (clarinetist) - Popularity

Popularity

While Burke was an active musician for most of his life, he did not achieve mainstream popularity, or commercial success. He was, and remains a relatively obscure figure in the Jazz world . This can be attributed to both his musical style and his personal aversion to fame or reputation. Raymond Burke was known for playing modestly and, when playing in large ensembles, his Clarinet could easily be overpowered. Thus, while he was widely recorded throughout his career, his records did not make an impression. Burke also refused to let contemporary music influence his sound for commercial reasons, and played in what many considered an outdated style. Another possible factor in Burke's obscurity is his association with “Second Line” Jazz. Although the term has several different meanings, the term has been used to differentiate white musicians who played New Orleans Style Jazz, from Black or Creole musicians. Since New Orleans Jazz is typically associated with the African American population in that city, “Second Line” can be used negatively to refer to white musicians who have simply imitated and simplified this style. Thus, Charles Suhor argues that Burke, as well as other talented white New Orleans Jazz musicians, was neglected throughout much of his early career and not taken seriously. However, while the general public remains unaware of him, Burke is a popular and greatly admired player among New Orleans Jazz Musicians and a small, but devoted, community of record collectors and enthusiasts. According to John Steiner, 1939 was an important year for the discovery of Burke's music, as well as for other relatively low key Jazz musicians. This year marked the general availability of cheap, portable recorders. Jazz enthusiasts would subsequently bring these devices to local jam sessions and record their favorite musicians. Among these collectors, recordings were passed around, and Burke's audience increased gradually over the next two decades. As a result, Burke became especially popular with Jazz music insiders rather than the general music listening public. According to John Steiner, Jazz enthusiasts feared that Burke could become another forgotten Jazz great, similar to the legendary Buddy Bolden, and so attempted to spread his music.