One of three jazz musicians with this name listed in discographer Tom Lord's epic summary of everyone who has ever entered a recording studio, the trombonist and vocalist Dave Burns is associated with the trad jazz scene in Washington, D.C. He has fronted the Hot Mustard Jazz Band since 1974; the group has released at least seven CDs including Swing Song. Unlike the full-time bebop trumpeter and composer of the same name, the Washington resident is a retired diplomat from the foreign service sector, and a hobbyist who always had a flair for musical instruments. In addition to his trombone and vocalizing, he also plays bass, piano, and tuba. His interest in the craft of songwriting is a dominating force in the repertoire of the Hot Mustard Jazz Band. The process involves Burns hunting around for forgotten or neglected ditties. This pay dirt is then brought to rehearsals, where various players from the Washington area build arrangements around Burns' vocalizing. The fine bassist Steve Novosel has worked with this group, and the master acoustic guitarist Charlie Byrd was even part of the spice in Hot Mustard Jazz Band's more recent recording activities. In 2002, the group toured Indonesia and began working with tenor saxophonist Buck Hill. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide