Joey DeFrancesco

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Joey DeFrancesco (b. April 10, 1971) is an American jazz organist, trumpeter, and vocalist. Down Beat's 2003 Critics Poll selected him as the top jazz organist.

DeFrancesco was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania. His grandfather was multi-instrumentalist Joe DeFrancesco; his father was Hammond B3 player "Papa" John DeFrancesco, who took his son to jazz clubs from the age of seven. Joey DeFrancesco started playing the piano at the age of four, switching to the B3 shortly after. By age six, he was sitting in on his father's gigs; by ten, he was playing out on his own, also sitting in with organ legends like Jack McDuff and Richard "Groove" Holmes.

When DeFrancesco was only seventeen years old, Miles Davis asked him to join his band. DeFrancesco toured Europe and recorded Amandla with Davis. He became well known in the 1990s, however, through his work with John McLaughlin's trio Free Spirits. He has also played with jazz guitarists Pat Martino, Paul Bollenback, Jimmy Bruno, and Dave Stryker.

DeFrancesco's own recordings as leader--first with Columbia; later, with labels such as Muse and Big Mo--established what Chris Parker has referred to as "his importance as one of the most unfussily virtuosic torch-bearers of contemporary organ jazz."[1]

DeFrancesco listened and learned from the B3 masters, especially Jimmy Smith, to whom he pays homage in his 1999 High Note release, The Champ. In 2000 he recorded the album Incredible! with Smith. He also pays tribute to Don Patterson in Tribute to Don Patterson: The Philadelphia Connection released in 2004. DeFrancesco also learned from McDuff, and recorded with him as well. DeFrancesco paired with Jimmy Smith on Smith's last effort, called "Legacy," finished just days before Smith died in 2005.

Joey DeFrancesco is considered by many an astonishing natural talent. Blistering speed, complete control of the organ at all times and a tremendous ear for harmonics. His repertoire runs the gamut from straight-ahead jazz to blues, gospel and rock. He claims because of his father, he heard the music in the womb and when old enough to know--he knew the organ was his instrument.

Joey DeFrancesco has been credited with the resurgence of the Hammond B-3 organ in jazz. He is also credited with a resurgence of young people wanting to learn to play jazz.

Many of the jazz organ greats spent good portions of their later careers playing piano or synthesizers in the 70s and 80s when demand for the B-3 dried up due to change in musical taste. Many jazz critics agree DeFrancesco paved the way for many of his mentors to dust off their Hammonds and get back on stage. He did this before he was 25 years old.

Today, Joey DeFrancesco plays an average of 200 nights a year on the road with various musicians. His core bands include Byron Landham (drums) and Paul Bollenback (guitar); also Jake Langley (guitar) and Carmen Intorre (drums). When not on the road, he resides with his family in Cave Creek, Arizona.

Contents

[edit] Discography

  • 1989: "All of Me" (Columbia)
  • 1990: "Where Were You?" (Columbia)
  • 1991: "Part III" (Columbia)
  • 1992: "Reboppin'" (Columbia)
  • 1993: "Live at the 5 Spot" (Columbia)
  • 1994: "All About My Girl" (Muse)
  • 1994: "Relentless (with Danny Gatton)" (Columbia)
  • 1995: "The Street of Dreams" (Big Mo)
  • 1998: "All in the Family" (High Note)
  • 1998: "All or Nothing at All" (Big Mo)
  • 1999: "The Champ" (High Note)
  • 1999: "Joey DeFrancesco's Goodfellas" (Concord Jazz
  • 2000: "Incredible!" (Concord Jazz)
  • 2000: "The Champ: Round 2" (High Note)
  • 2001: "Singin' and Swingin'" (Concord Jazz)
  • 2002: "The Philadelphia Connection: A Tribute to Don Patterson" (High Note)
  • 2003: "Falling in Love Again featuring Joe Doggs (Joe Pesci)" (Concord Jazz)
  • 2004: "Plays Sinatra His Way" (High Note)
  • 2005: "Legacy" (Concord)
  • 2006: "Organic Vibes" (Concord Jazz)
  • 2006: "The B3 and Me" by Mort Weiss
  • 2007: "Live: The Authorized Bootleg with Special Guest George Coleman" (Concord)

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Carr, et al., p.197.

[edit] Sources

  • Ian Carr, Digby Fairweather, & Brian Priestley. Jazz: The Rough Guide. London: Rough Guides. ISBN 1-85828-528-3
  • Richard Cook & Brian Morton. The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD 6th edition. ISBN 0-14-051521-6

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Defrancesco, Joey
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION American jazz musician
DATE OF BIRTH April 10, 1971
PLACE OF BIRTH Springfield, Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Languages