Gary Burton

Gary Burton (born January 23, 1943) is an American jazz vibraphonist, composer, and educator who pioneered the four-mallet technique for vibraphone, expanding its harmonic and melodic possibilities beyond traditional two-mallet playing.

Born in Anderson, Indiana, Burton began playing vibraphone as a child, largely self-taught, and entered professional music early, joining the Stan Getz Quartet in 1961 at age 18. His innovative approach influenced jazz by integrating rock elements, helping forge the jazz fusion genre in the late 1960s alongside figures like Chick Corea, with whom he recorded multiple Grammy-winning albums. Burton has earned seven Grammy Awards from 22 nominations across categories such as Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo, including for collaborations like Hot House (2013) with Corea.