Joe Morello

Joe Morello

Joe Morello performing with The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Background information
Birth name Joseph Albert Morello
Born (1928-07-17)July 17, 1928
Springfield, Massachusetts
Died March 12, 2011(2011-03-12) (aged 82)
Irvington, New Jersey[1][2]
Genres Jazz, cool jazz, West Coast jazz, third stream
Occupation(s) Drummer, teacher
Instruments Drums
Years active 1954–2011
Labels Columbia
Associated acts The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Paul Desmond, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright
Website Official website

Joseph Albert "Joe" Morello (July 17, 1928 – March 12, 2011) was a jazz drummer best known for his 12½-year stint with The Dave Brubeck Quartet. He was frequently noted for playing in the unusual time signatures employed by that group in such pieces as "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo à la Turk". Popular for its work on college campuses during the 1950s, Brubeck’s group reached new heights with Morello. In June 1959, Morello participated in a recording session with the quartet — completed by the alto saxophonist Paul Desmond and the bassist Eugene Wright — that yielded “Kathy’s Waltz” and “Three to Get Ready,” both of which intermingled 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures.[1]

Biography

Morello suffered from partial vision from birth,[3] and devoted himself to indoor activities. At six years old, he began studying the violin. Three years later, he was a featured soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, playing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, and again three years later.

At the age of 15, Morello met the violinist Jascha Heifetz and decided that he would never be able to equal Heifetz's "sound". Therefore, he switched to drumming, first studying with a show drummer named Joe Sefcik and then George Lawrence Stone, author of the noted drum textbook Stick Control for the Snare Drummer. Stone was so impressed with Morello's ideas that he incorporated them into his next book, Accents & Rebounds, which is dedicated to Morello. Later, Morello studied with Radio City Music Hall percussionist Billy Gladstone.

After moving to New York City, Morello worked with numerous notable jazz musicians including Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, Stan Kenton, Phil Woods, Sal Salvador, Marian McPartland, Jay McShann, Art Pepper, and Howard McGhee. After a period of playing in McPartland's trio, Morello declined invitations to join both Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey's bands, favoring a temporary two-month tour with the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1955. Morello remained with Brubeck for well over a decade, only departing in 1968. Morello later became an in-demand clinician, teacher and bandleader whose former students include Danny Gottlieb, Bruce Springsteen E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, Rich Galichon, Phish drummer Jon Fishman, Gary Feldman, Patrick Wante, Tony Woo, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons drummer Gerry Polci, Jerry Granelli, and Glenn Johnson.

Morello appeared in many Brubeck performances and contributed to over 60 albums with Brubeck. On "Take Five", he plays an imaginative drum solo maintaining the 5/4 time signature throughout. Another example of soloing in odd time signatures can be heard on "Unsquare Dance", in which he solos using only sticks without drums in 7/4 time. At the end of the track, he can be heard laughing about the "trick" ending. He also features on "Blue Rondo à la Turk", "Strange Meadow Lark", "Pick-Up Sticks" and "Castilian Drums".

During his career, Morello appeared on over 120 albums, 60 of which were with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. He authored several drum books, including Master Studies, published by Modern Drummer Publications, and also made instructional videos. Morello was the recipient of many awards, including Playboy magazine's best drummer award for seven years in a row, and Down Beat magazine's best drummer award five years in a row. He was elected to the Modern Drummer magazine Hall of Fame in 1988, the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1993, and was the recipient of Hudson Music's first TIP (Teacher Integration Program) Lifetime Achievement award in June, 2010.[4] [1][5]

Morello died in Irvington, New Jersey on March 12, 2011, aged 82, and is interred at Saint Michael Cemetery.[6]

Bibliography

Videography

Discography

As leader/co-leader

As sideman

With Gary Burton

With Dave Brubeck

With Hank Garland

References

  1. 1 2 3 Smith, Steve (March 13, 2011). "Joe Morello, Drummer with Dave Brubeck Quartet, Dies at 82". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ "Biography of Joe Morello". joemorello.net. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  3. ↑ "Joe Morello". The Daily Telegraph. London. March 13, 2011.
  4. ↑ “Joe Morello: TIP Lifetime Achievement Award” June 3, 2010 Hudson Music News posted June 15, 2010 Retrieved March 13, 2010
  5. ↑ "Jazz Drummer Joe Morello, Of 'Take Five' Fame, Dies At 82". npr.org.
  6. ↑ "Joe Morello". Drummer World. Retrieved May 12, 2014.

External links

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