Charlie Burrell was the first black person to break the color barrier in classical music.
In 1949 he was the first black person under contract with the Denver Symphony Orchestra.
In 1959 he became the first black person to play in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Opera.
In addition to being a classical music pioneer, he was a jazz musician as well, playing alongside many world-renowned jazz artists.
He has great stories to tell about critical times in his life. How many people can tell stories about Dianne Reeves, Lionel Hampton, Charlie Parker, Billie...
Charlie Burrell was the first black person to break the color barrier in classical music.
In 1949 he was the first black person under contract w...
