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Pianist Dave Burrell, raised in Hawaii, entered the New York free-jazz scene
with a solo piano recital,
High Won - High Two (september 1968), that contained the suites
East Side Colors (a response os sorts to West Side Story) and Theme Stream Medley.
His French collaboration with Archie Shepp and friendship with drummer Sunny Murray led to the two lengthy suites of Echo (august 1969) with trombone, alto, tenor and cornet.
During that time he even undertook a jazz revision of Puccini's opera "La Boheme": La Vie De Boheme (december 1969).
Two more suites appeared on After Love (1970) that employed strings (Alan Silva), reeds (Roscoe Mitchell) and two basses.
His percussive style was popular among improvisers, but he probably gave his
best performances in his solo compositions, notably:
8th Ave. Rendez-vouz Blues, off Only Me (october 1973),
Teardrops for Jimmy (1978), off Black Spring (march 1977),
and
Love Dance, off Teardrops for Jimmy (september 1977).
His obsession with the classical opera led to the jazz opera Windward Passages (september 1979) for orchestra, eight singers, dancers and choir.
Notable collaborations of the later years were
Daybreak (march 1989) with David Murray on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet;
and
the live duet Consequences (october 2005) with drummer Billy Martin of Medeski, Martin & Wood.
Turning Point (january 2013) contains live duets by pianist Dave Burrell and trombonist Steve Swell.
1.11.18 (november 2018) documents two lengthy live piano solos (lasting 43 and 47 minutes).
The solo album Harlem Rhapsody (september 2021) was recorded over ten years and contains the 21-minute Red Summer March and a solo piano version of his Dancing With Monika.
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