Norman Burns (11 March 1920 – June 1994) was a British dance band and jazz drummer.
Burns questing nature and his feeling for bop helped to make him one of the most important if unacclaimed figures in British drumming of the 30s and 40s.He was one of the very few drummers able to orchestrate.
Norman Burns was born in London, England and began playing drums as a child. While still a teenager he worked as a professional musician on P&O ocean-going liners. In the late 30s and early 40s he was active in dance band circles in London, playing with many leading bands including those of Lew Stone, Ambrose, Frank Weir, Ted Heath and Geraldo.
He also played with George Shearing and with Tito Burns (no relation). The drummer was one of the coterie of London-based jazzmen who dedicated themselves to the new music of the 40s, bop, and was a member of an all-star bebop band formed in 1948.
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| George Shearing, Jack Fulton & Norman Burns 1947 |
In the early 50s Burns formed a quintet which he modelled upon the currently popular group being led in the USA by his former leader, Shearing. The vibraphone player in this group of Burns’ was Victor Feldman. Burns eventually left music and emigrated to Australia where he became an A & R man for Pye records in Sydney from the late 1950,s. He married singer Alan Dean’s sister Peggy in 1956. He remained in Australia until his death during June 1994.
(Very Scarce biographical information edited mainly from AllMusic & My Heritage)