The Burke Garrett Orchestra in the University of Washington HUB Ballroom. Burke’s freshman year at the U, circa 1958.

The frontline on the Burke Garrett Septet. These gentleman worked together for many years and double 13 instruments.

During prom season, or when a lot of homecoming dances were being sponsored, the band was in and out of the Seattle hotel ballrooms on a regular basis. This one shows the young dancers in formal attire dancing in front of the band in the Georgian Room of the Olympic Hotel.

Circa Fall of 1958. The big band working in the UW Hub Ballroom, a favorite venue for me in the late fifties and early sixties.

Some players of note: Bill Balcum on piano who went on to make a name for himself as a composer/performer in New York City, Joe Reidy, a swinging guitar player who worked for me off and on at that time, Jock Budelman, a first call lead sax, Clarinet and flute player who anchored the sax section on my big band for many years. Larry McGowan with his big clean piercing sound played lead trumpet on the band in those years. I also see Ken Wiley, our first chair trombonist. I am playing the tenor sax and wearing the dark suit.

Burke’s band in the grand ballroom of the Olympic Hotel, playing the Seattle University homecoming.

The Burke Garrett orchestra, 14 musicians, looking sharp in the Hub Ballroom in 1958 (Burke's sophomore year at the UW).

The Burke Garrett Orchestra providing the music for the Seattle University homecoming in the Grand Ballroom of the Olympic Hotel with recording artist, Buddy Greco out front and in the middle of his show. Tough charts and no rehearsal for that one (you can see everyone intently focused on Greco's' pianist conductor). We played the Seattle University homecoming three years in a row.

I joined Local 76, the Seattle Musician’s Union, when I was 18. We honored the union minimums in all the hotels. This photo shows the band with ten musicians, ten was the minimum for the Grand Ballroom of the Olympic Hotel. We augmented the septet by adding Norm Hoagie (vibes), Thea Hollingsworth (singer) sitting on the piano bench with Jack Gardiner, and Al Turay (guitarist).