American jazz musician (1971?2022)
Joey DeFrancesco
|
---|
|
|
Born
| (
1971-04-10
)
April 10, 1971
Springfield, Pennsylvania
, U.S.
|
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Died
| August 25, 2022
(2022-08-25)
(aged 51)
Phoenix, Arizona
, U.S.
[
citation needed
]
|
---|
Genres
| Jazz
,
bebop
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Occupation(s)
| Musician
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Instrument(s)
| Hammond organ
, piano, keyboards, trumpet, tenor saxophone
|
---|
Years active
| 1988?2022
|
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Labels
| Blue Note
,
Columbia
,
Concord
,
Mack Avenue
,
Highnote
,
[1]
Muse
,
[2]
Prestige
[2]
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---|
|
Website
| joeydefrancesco
.com
|
---|
Musical artist
Joey DeFrancesco
(April 10, 1971 – August 25, 2022) was an American
jazz
organist
, trumpeter,
saxophonist
, and occasional singer.
[3]
He released more than 30 albums under his own name, and recorded extensively as a sideman with such leading jazz performers as trumpeter
Miles Davis
, saxophonist
Houston Person
, and guitarist
John McLaughlin
.
[4]
DeFrancesco signed his first record deal at the age of 16 and over the years recorded and toured internationally with
David Sanborn
,
Arturo Sandoval
,
Larry Coryell
,
Frank Wess
,
Benny Golson
,
James Moody
,
Steve Gadd
,
Danny Gatton
,
Elvin Jones
,
Jimmy Cobb
,
George Benson
,
Pat Martino
,
Tony Monaco
,
John Scofield
,
Lee Ritenour
,
Joe Lovano
, and had prominent session work with a variety of musicians, including
Ray Charles
,
Bette Midler
,
Janis Siegel
,
Diana Krall
,
Jimmy Smith
, and
Van Morrison
.
[5]
[6]
[7]
Early life and education
[
edit
]
DeFrancesco was born in
Springfield, Pennsylvania
,
[8]
on April 10, 1971.
[9]
[10]
He was born into a musical family that included three generations of jazz musicians. He was named after his grandfather, Joseph DeFrancesco, a jazz musician who played the saxophone and clarinet.
[6]
His father,
"Papa" John DeFrancesco
, is an organist who played nationally and received the
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame
's Living Legend Award in 2013.
[11]
DeFrancesco began playing the organ at the age of 4 and was playing songs by Jimmy Smith verbatim by the time he was 5. His father John began taking him to gigs from the age of 5, letting him sit in on sets.
[12]
At the age of 10, DeFrancesco joined a band in Philadelphia that included jazz musicians
Hank Mobley
and
Philly Joe Jones
. He was considered a fixture at local jazz clubs, opening shows for
Wynton Marsalis
and
B.B. King
.
[13]
DeFrancesco attended the
Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts
. There he studied music specializing in piano and organ.
[12]
During his high school years, he won numerous awards, including the Philadelphia Jazz Society McCoy Tyner Scholarship. He was a finalist in the first
Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition
.
[3]
Career
[
edit
]
Recording
[
edit
]
DeFrancesco was 16 years old when he signed an exclusive recording contract with
Columbia Records
. The following year he released his first record, titled
All of Me
. His performance on
All of Me
has been attributed as helping bring back the organ to jazz music during the 1980s.
[3]
That same year, DeFrancesco joined
Miles Davis
and his band on a five-week concert tour in Europe.
[14]
He followed up with playing keyboards on Davis' album
Amandla
, which reached No. 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart in 1989.
[4]
DeFrancesco started playing the trumpet around the same time, inspired by the sound of Davis.
[15]
DeFrancesco was originally spotted by Davis during a performance on the television show called
Time Out
.
[16]
He was performing on the set along with high school classmate
Christian McBride
when Davis asked the show's host, "what's your organ player's name", referring to DeFrancesco.
[16]
DeFrancesco's recording deal with Columbia included 5 albums. In addition to
All of Me
, he released
Where Were You?
(1990),
Part III
(1991),
Reboppin’
(1992), and
Live at the 5 Spot
(1993).
[17]
Touring
[
edit
]
DeFrancesco began touring with his own quartet at the age of 18. In the early 1990s, he began collaborating with
John McLaughlin
, former guitarist for Miles Davis and the leader of
Mahavishnu Orchestra
. At the age of 22, he became a founding member of the group
The Free Spirits
, along with McLaughlin and drummer
Dennis Chambers
. He toured with the group for 4 years and was part of several recordings, including the albums
Tokyo Live
and
After the Rain
.
[18]
DeFrancesco also played trumpet on the former album.
[19]
In 1999, DeFrancesco recorded his album
Incredible! Live at the San Francisco Jazz Festival
.
[20]
The album featured a performance by his idol
Jimmy Smith
, who joined DeFrancesco for two songs.
[20]
In 2004, DeFrancesco recorded
Legacy
, another album that featured Jimmy Smith.
[20]
The album was Smith's last recording; he died the same year.
[4]
DeFrancesco was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004 for his record
Falling in Love Again
. DeFrancesco's career shifted slightly in 2009 with the film
Moonlight Serenade
, starring
Amy Adams
and
Alec Newman
. He played the role of "Frank D" in the film and was also credited as a composer and producer of the film. DeFrancesco was nominated for another Grammy Award in 2011 for
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
for
Never Can Say Goodbye: The Music of Michael Jackson
.
[4]
The recording was released in 2010 as a tribute to
Michael Jackson
. Some other DeFrancesco tribute albums include a tribute to
Frank Sinatra
titled "Joey DeFrancesco plays Sinatra his way" and a tribute to
Jimmy Smith
. DeFrancesco also turned 40 in 2011, celebrating by releasing
40
, his 29th recording, which had success both on jazz charts domestically and in Europe.
[4]
Music style
[
edit
]
DeFrancesco's music style was referred to as a swinging Philly sound which he "embellished with his own ferocity and improvisation."
[16]
He played 200-plus nights a year throughout the course of his career, a feat that he cut back on as of 2013.
[21]
He received numerous accolades for his performances, including being called the best B3 player on the planet by
JazzTimes
.
[22]
The New York Times
described DeFrancesco as a "deeply authoritative musician, a master of rhythmic pocket, and of the custom of stomping bass lines beneath chords and riffs."
[1]
Chicago Tribune
praised the musicianship of DeFrancesco, stating that "He dominated the instrument and the field as no one of his generation has.
[23]
" DeFrancesco was also involved in musical instrument development, especially product designs and endorsements related to technological advancements in digital keyboards and electronic organ both in the United States and internationally.
[24]
Multi-instrumentalist
[
edit
]
As a multi-instrumentalist, DeFrancesco recorded on various keyboards (including acoustic & electric piano), and trumpet. Although best known as a
jazz
organist
, he also performed as a singer and (since November 2018), played the
tenor saxophone
.
[9]
[10]
Awards and honors
[
edit
]
DeFrancesco was a four time Grammy Award-nominee, with more than 30 recordings as a leader. In addition to Grammy nominations in 2004, 2010, and 2020, DeFrancesco was a 9-time winner of the
Down Beat
Critics Poll (organ) and won the
Down Beat
Readers Poll every year since 2005. He won a number of JazzTimes Awards as well.
[25]
DeFrancesco was an inaugural member of the
Hammond Hall of Fame
, inducted in 2013 along with
Brian Auger
,
Billy Preston
,
Steve Winwood
, and his mentor Jimmy Smith.
[26]
Discography
[
edit
]
DeFrancesco's discography consists of albums released on
Columbia
,
Muse
,
Highnote
, Big Mo Records,
Concord Jazz
, Doodlin' Records, and
Mack Avenue
.
[2]
Personal life
[
edit
]
In addition to his father and grandfather, DeFrancesco's brother
Johnny
is also a musician, focusing on
blues
guitar.
[14]
DeFrancesco was married to his wife Gloria until his death. She served as his manager.
[9]
[27]
DeFrancesco had one daughter with his first wife and her name is Ashley Blue DeFrancesco. She is his only child.
Death
[
edit
]
DeFrancesco died of a heart attack on August 25, 2022, at the age of 51.
[9]
[10]
[27]
The following week, at a concert in Boston,
Van Morrison
paid tribute to his one-time collaborator, dedicating "
You're Driving Me Crazy
" to him.
[28]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
Chinen, Nate (October 15, 2010).
"Frank and Personal Don't Rule Out Commercial"
.
The New York Times
.
Archived
from the original on February 14, 2019
. Retrieved
February 14,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
c
Cordle, Owen (October 1, 2002).
"Joey DeFrancesco: The Philadelphia Connection"
.
Jazztimes
.
Archived
from the original on February 14, 2019
. Retrieved
February 14,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
c
Bogdanov, Vladimir (2002).
All Music Guide to Jazz
. Backbeat Books.
ISBN
9780879307172
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Jordan, Mark (January 31, 2012).
"DeFrancesco matured from young phenom to jazz music master"
.
Go Memphis
.
Archived
from the original on February 11, 2012
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
"DeFrancesco's Jazz Stylings"
.
Brant News
. October 14, 2011.
Archived
from the original on April 7, 2014
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
a
b
"Jazz greats to groove"
.
Manawatu Standard
. New Zealand. August 16, 2013.
Archived
from the original on April 7, 2014
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
Ragogna, Mike (April 18, 2012).
"Look Out Now!: Conversations With the Gaddabouts' Edie Brickell & Steve Gadd, Plus Eric Hutchinson"
.
The Huffington Post
.
Archived
from the original on October 19, 2014
. Retrieved
March 14,
2014
.
- ^
Cordova, Randy (March 1, 2009).
"First family of jazz for Valley's Joey DeFrancesco, musical heritage goes way back"
.
The Arizona Republic
.
Archived
from the original on August 28, 2022
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Genzlinger, Neil (August 26, 2022).
"Joey DeFrancesco, Reigning King of the Jazz Organ, Dies at 51"
.
The New York Times
.
Archived
from the original on August 28, 2022
. Retrieved
August 28,
2022
.
- ^
a
b
c
Chinen, Nate (August 26, 2022).
"Joey DeFrancesco, driving force on the Hammond organ, dies at 51"
. NPR.
Archived
from the original on August 26, 2022
. Retrieved
August 28,
2022
.
- ^
"Papa John DeFrancesco"
.
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame
.
Archived
from the original on January 30, 2014
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
a
b
Lloyd, Jack (December 16, 1994).
"Family Harmony in a Jazz Quartet"
.
Philadelphia Daily News
.
Archived
from the original on March 4, 2016
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
Moon, Tom (June 19, 1989).
"Riff of Success at 18, Joey DeFrancesco Has TouredWith Miles Davis and Recorded a Major-label Album"
.
Jazz Times
.
Archived
from the original on March 4, 2016
. Retrieved
March 14,
2014
.
- ^
a
b
Nelson, Nels (August 30, 1991).
"Our Pal Joey Has Grown Up DeFrancesco Comes To Penn's Landing"
.
Philadelphia Daily News
.
Archived
from the original on March 4, 2016
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
Early, Gerald Lyn (2001).
Miles Davis and American Culture
. Missouri History Museum.
ISBN
9781883982386
.
- ^
a
b
c
Wyckoff, Geraldine (September 2003).
"Joey DeFrancesco: Philadelphia Flyer"
.
Jazz Times
.
Archived
from the original on April 7, 2014
. Retrieved
March 14,
2014
.
- ^
"Joey DeFrancesco ? Album Discography"
.
AllMusic
.
Archived
from the original on July 6, 2015
. Retrieved
August 28,
2022
.
- ^
Heckman, Don (June 19, 1994).
"Jazz Spotlight ? The Free Spirits Featuring John McLaughlin"
.
The L.A. Times
.
Archived
from the original on April 7, 2014
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
Kolosky, Walter (November 20, 2002).
"John McLaughlin and The Free Spirits: Tokyo Live (1993)"
.
All About Jazz
.
Archived
from the original on April 7, 2014
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
a
b
c
Cook, Richard
;
Morton, Brian
(2008).
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings
(9th ed.).
Penguin
. p. 363.
ISBN
978-0-141-03401-0
.
- ^
Reid, Graham (August 16, 2013).
"Joey DeFrancesco: Always going to be this way"
.
Elsewhere
. New Zealand.
Archived
from the original on April 7, 2014
. Retrieved
March 14,
2014
.
- ^
Milkowski, Bill (October 28, 2012).
"Joey DeFrancesco ? Wonderful! Wonderful!"
.
Jazz Times
.
Archived
from the original on April 7, 2014
. Retrieved
March 14,
2014
.
- ^
"Joey DeFrancesco - About"
.
Archived
from the original on August 26, 2022
. Retrieved
June 16,
2022
.
- ^
Kolosky, Walter (2004).
Girls Don't Like Real Jazz: A Jazz Patriot Speaks Out
. Abstract Logix.
ISBN
9780976101604
.
- ^
Prater, Sadie (October 30, 2003).
"Jazz Great Joey DeFrancesco To Perform at U.T. Dallas on Nov. 15"
.
UT Dallas
.
Archived
from the original on January 12, 2015
. Retrieved
March 10,
2014
.
- ^
Tamarkin, Jeff (December 23, 2013).
"Hammond Organ Launches Hall of Fame, Inducts 1st Members"
.
Jazz Times
.
Archived
from the original on December 27, 2013
. Retrieved
March 14,
2014
.
- ^
a
b
Masley, Ed (August 26, 2022).
"
'The best jazz organ player on the planet': Joey DeFrancesco dies at 51"
.
The Arizona Republic
. Phoenix, Arizona.
Archived
from the original on August 28, 2022
. Retrieved
August 28,
2022
.
- ^
Robicheau, Paul (September 7, 2022).
"Concert Review: Van Morrison"
.
artsfuse
. Retrieved
September 19,
2022
.
Further reading
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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International
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National
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Artists
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Other
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