Joe Beck
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Joe Beck (July 29, 1945 – July 22, 2008) was an American jazz guitarist who was active for over 30 years.


Biography

Born in Philadelphia, Beck moved to Manhattan in his teens, playing six nights a week in a trio setting, which gave him an opportunity to meet various people working in the thriving New York music scene. By the time he was 18,
Stan Getz Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of ...
hired him to record
jingle A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. Jingles are a form of sound branding. A jingle contains one or more hooks and meaning that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised, usually t ...
s, and in 1967 he recorded with
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
. By 1968, at age 22, he was a member of the
Gil Evans Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian–American jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role ...
Orchestra. Beck described his early success in an interview near the end of his life:
My career happened because I happened to be in the right place at the right time in a very unique time of jazz music. ...when I would finish a gig around two in the morning I would go around the corner to the Playboy Club and sit in with Monty Alexander and let
Les Spann Leslie Spann Jr. (May 23, 1932 – January 24, 1989) was an American jazz guitarist and flautist. As a sideman he recorded with Nat Adderley, Benny Bailey, Bill Coleman, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Curtis Fuller, Red Garland, Benny Goodman, Sam Jone ...
take a breather and I would finish the gig for him. Then we would go and listen to Kenny Burrell play around the corner or we would go up to Mintons and listen to
Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a dist ...
and sit in with him ...Joe Beck Interview With ''Jazz Guitar Life'' (08/14/07)
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Beck played in a variety of jazz styles, including
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and jazz improvisation, improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, ...
,
post bop Post or POST commonly refers to: *Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries ** An Post, the Irish national postal service **Canada Post, Canadian postal service **Deutsche Post, German postal service ** Iraqi Post, I ...
,
mainstream jazz Mainstream jazz is a term coined in the 1950s by music journalist Stanley Dance, who considered anything within the popular jazz of the Swing Era "mainstream",McRae, Barry. 2005. "Sound Investment: Mainstream." ''Jazz Journal International'', Au ...
, and
soul jazz Soul jazz or funky jazz is a subgenre of jazz that incorporates strong influences from hard bop, blues, soul, gospel and rhythm and blues. Soul jazz is often characterized by organ trios featuring the Hammond organ and small combos including ten ...
, but also respected rock stylists and cross-over players (he was good friends with
Larry Coryell Larry Coryell (born Lorenz Albert Van DeLinder III; April 2, 1943 – February 19, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist. Early life Larry Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas, United States. He never knew his biological father, a musician. He w ...
) and briefly flirted with rock music styles himself in the late 1960s and early 1970s. An important detail about Joe from Miles Davis' Wikipedia page regarding his compilation album 'Circle in the Round': "The title track, "Circle in the Round," is the first studio recording in which he departed from the acoustic quintet, marking the inception of his "electric" period. Recorded in 1967, it was the earliest released recording of Miles that featured the sound of the electric guitar (played by Joe Beck), something that would become prominent in his music over the years." Joe was Miles' first electric guitar player. Miles' hesitation about how it would be received delayed its release. In 1970
Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
released ''Rock Encounter''. In 1975 he released an eponymous album (upon which he simply referred to himself as "Beck") while recording the
Esther Phillips Esther Phillips (born Esther Mae Jones; December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals.Santelli, Robert (2001). ''The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia''. Penguin Books. p. 376. . She ...
album, ''What a Diff'rence a Day Makes'', both for
Kudu The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus ''Tragelaphus'': * Lesser kudu, ''Tragelaphus imberbis'', of eastern Africa * Greater kudu, ''Tragelaphus strepsiceros'', of eastern and southern Africa The two species look similar, thou ...
. ''Beck'' was subsequently reissued as ''Beck & Sanborn'' to cash in on the success of alto saxophonist David Sanborn. In 1971, Beck left music for three years to become a dairy farmer, citing frustration with his career. In 1978, he went for more of a rock sound by forming a band named "Leader". They performed in the
Northeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...
and recorded demos at Sound Ideas Studios in New York City, but soon disbanded when the band's gear was stolen after a gig at Joyous Lake in Woodstock, New York. In the 1980s Beck recorded for DMP including with flautist
Ali Ryerson Ali Ryerson (born 21 October 1952 in New York City) is a flutist with a background in both classical and jazz, as well as being an instructor. She has performed and toured worldwide with a wide range of artists including Billy Taylor, Kenny Barro ...
. In 1988, Beck left music again for a return to farming, but was touring again by 1992. Beck toured and recorded with duos and small groups, releasing two more solo albums (1988, 1991). In 2000, he collaborated with guitarist
Jimmy Bruno Jimmy Bruno (born July 22, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist from Philadelphia. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Bruno started playing guitar at the age of 7. He began his professional career at the age of 19, touring with Buddy Rich. He played ...
on ''Polarity,'' which extensively featured Beck's Alto guitar, and in 2008 on ''Coincidence'' with John Abercrombie. Beck worked as a sideman or session guitarist with a wide variety of well-known jazz, rock, and fusion musicians, including
Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
,
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...
, Buddy Rich,
Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...
,
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
,
Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...
, Howard Roberts,
Tommy Tedesco Thomas Joseph Tedesco (July 3, 1930 – November 10, 1997) was an American guitarist and studio musician in Los Angeles and Hollywood. He was part of the loose collective of the area's leading session musicians later popularly known as The Wrec ...
,
Larry Coryell Larry Coryell (born Lorenz Albert Van DeLinder III; April 2, 1943 – February 19, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist. Early life Larry Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas, United States. He never knew his biological father, a musician. He w ...
, John Abercrombie, Tom Scott, Jeremy Steig, and Gabor Szabo. In mid-life Beck spent less time playing and worked more as a composer of commercial jingles and as an arranger, writing arrangements for
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
and
Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor ( née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...
. Joe also arranged and produced many records including projects for
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
,
Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor ( née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...
, and two albums for
Esther Phillips Esther Phillips (born Esther Mae Jones; December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals.Santelli, Robert (2001). ''The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia''. Penguin Books. p. 376. . She ...
including her hit single, "What A Difference A Day Makes". Over the years, Joe was signed to contracts with Columbia, Polydor, Verve, Gryphon, CTI, and MGM Records. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences honored Beck five times with its Most Valuable Player Award. Beck also recorded with the
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...
in London, the Milan Philharmonic in Italy, and The Paris String Ensemble in France. Beck's first wife, Sigi, was a model and later married an internationally renowned economist, Dr. Zoran Hodjera. At Beck's death, he was married to Marsi Beck and was survived by five children. Beck died in Woodbury, Connecticut, of complications from lung cancer. His album ''Get Me Joe Beck'' was posthumously released in 2014.


Alto guitar

In 1992 Beck began touring as a duo with flutist Ali Ryerson. To fill out the sound he wanted to present—bass lines, harmony, and melody—in a duo setting, he developed what he called the "alto guitar". This began as a standard, full-body, electric jazz guitar with a unique stringing pattern and reentrant tuning. As described by Beck:
It's pretty straight-ahead, really. Take your whole guitar and tune it down a fifth to the key of A, and then tune the middle two strings up an octave. What I've done is take the normal tuning of the guitar and changed it so that I have bass strings for my thumb; sort of a banjo register for my first two fingers, and then a low melody register for my other two fingers. ..So you don't have to change any of your fingerings; it's the same intervals as in normal tuning, just in the key of A, so it's A-D-G-C-E-A."
While devising the tuning Beck realized that some restringing was going to be needed to obtain optimal resonance from the strings, so he commissioned a custom-built instrument from luthier Rick McCurdy, of Cort Guitars:
I had someone build me a guitar, Rick McCurdy as it happens, and he made me a beautiful guitar and so I started using it on the concert stage.
I'm actually playing through three channels. The reason the guitar is a patented invention is that this pickup is split so that the bass strings have their own output. And the top four melody strings are coming out of another output, which in turn is split stereo by a chorus. The bass strings are .080 and .060. Then a .022 wound and a .016 plain. Then a .026 wound and a .018 plain. ..I wanted to be more pianistic, to play clusters sort of like those Bill Evans employs, that you couldn't possibly play otherwise."
Beck owned and played both Martin (CF-2) and Cort Alto guitars, and both Martin and Cort standard-tuning versions as well.


Signature guitars

Joe Beck worked with guitar manufacturer Cort Guitars in the 1990s to create two hollow-body jazz guitar models. The first was the BECK-6 model, which was an electric, hollow-bodied archtop jazz guitar, and the second was the BECK-ALTO model, a similar instrument but designed for heavier strings and alto tuning. In 2001, the retail price of the BECK-6 model was $895, and the BECK-ALTO model was $1195. Two finishes were available on both guitars, a blonde "natural" finish, and a black-and-orange "vintage burst" finish. The main differences between the models were the accommodations made for thicker strings on the BECK-ALTO model, and only one electronic pickup on the BECK-ALTO versus two on the BECK-6. The single pickup on the ALTO had split bass/treble controls for the lower two strings versus the upper four, and consequently, three knobs on the front of the guitar, versus four knobs on the BECK-6. Both Cort guitar models could be purchased directly from Joe Beck through his website and at guitar dealers. The BECK-6 is much more common, versus the BECK-ALTO, of which an estimated 200 were made. BECK-6 Specifications ** Body sides: Laminate Maple ** Body back: Laminate Maple ** Body top: Laminate Spruce ** Neck wood: Maple ** Fretboard: Rosewood, 12 Inch Radius ** Neck contour: C ** Neck inlays: MOP Dot ** Scale length: 24–3/4" ** Nut width: 1–11/16" ** Lower Bout: 16–1/4" ** Body Depth: 3–11/16 ** Center block: None (hollow body) ** Bound: Multi-Ply binding ** Cutaway: Venetian ** Headstock: Makers Logo and artists signature ** Pickups: Mighty Mite covered vintage alnico humbuckers ** Pickguard: Wood ** Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, and 3 Way Toggle (pickup selection) ** Bridge: Wooden Floating Base and Tune-o-matic Saddles ** Tailpiece: Trapeze (Hofner-like) ** Accessories: Hardshell case


Discography


As leader

* ''Nature Boy'' (
Verve Forecast Verve Forecast is a record label formed as a division of Verve Records to concentrate on pop, rock, and folk music. Founding Jerry Schoenbaum of Verve and Moe Asch of Folkways created Verve Folkways in 1964 to take advantage of the popularity ...
, 1969) * ''
Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...
'' (
Kudu The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus ''Tragelaphus'': * Lesser kudu, ''Tragelaphus imberbis'', of eastern Africa * Greater kudu, ''Tragelaphus strepsiceros'', of eastern and southern Africa The two species look similar, thou ...
, 1975) * ''Watch the Time'' (Polydor, 1977) * ''Beck and Zoller'' (Progressive, 1979) * ''Relaxin'' ' (DMP, 1983) * ''Friends'' (DMP, 1984) * ''Back to Beck'' (DMP, 1988) * ''The Journey'' (DMP, 1991) * ''Live at Salishan'' with Red Mitchell (Capri, 1994) * ''Finger Painting'' (Wavetone, 1995) * ''Alto'' with
Ali Ryerson Ali Ryerson (born 21 October 1952 in New York City) is a flutist with a background in both classical and jazz, as well as being an instructor. She has performed and toured worldwide with a wide range of artists including Billy Taylor, Kenny Barro ...
(DMP, 1999) * ''Polarity'' with
Jimmy Bruno Jimmy Bruno (born July 22, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist from Philadelphia. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Bruno started playing guitar at the age of 7. He began his professional career at the age of 19, touring with Buddy Rich. He played ...
(
Concord Jazz Concord Jazz is a record company and label founded in 1973 by Carl Jefferson, the former owner of Jefferson Motors Lincoln Mercury dealership in Concord, California. The label was named after the city in the East San Francisco Bay area, and the j ...
, 2000) * ''Strangers in the Night'' (Venus, 2000) * ''Django'' with Ali Ryerson (DMP, 2001) * ''Just Friends'' (Whaling City Sound, 2002) * ''What Is My Heart For'' with Sarah Brooks (
Whaling City Sound Whaling City Sound is an independent jazz record label established by Neal Weiss in 1999. History Weiss is president of Fiber Optic Center in New Bedford, Massachusetts. A lifelong fan of jazz, he started Whaling City Sound as a jazz label, thoug ...
, 2002) * ''Brazilian Dreamin' '' (Venus, 2006) * ''Tri07'' (Whaling City Sound, 2007) * ''Coincidence'' with John Abercrombie (Whaling City Sound, 2008) * ''Get Me Joe Beck'' (Whaling City Sound, 2014)


As sideman

With
Gene Ammons Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...
* ''
Big Bad Jug ''Big Bad Jug'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1972 and released on the Prestige label.Got My Own ''Got My Own'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1972 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label.
'' ( Prestige, 1973) With
Gato Barbieri Leandro "Gato" Barbieri (November 28, 1932 – April 2, 2016) was an Argentine jazz tenor saxophonist who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and is known for his Latin jazz recordings of the 1970s. His nickname, Gato, is Spa ...
* ''
Fenix Fenix, Fénix (Spanish and Portuguese) and Fênix (Brazilian Portuguese) all mean Phoenix (mythology), phoenix and may refer to: Business * Fenix Automotive, a British supercar manufacturer founded by Lee Noble in 2009 * Fénix Directo, a Spanish ...
'' ( Flying Dutchman, 1971) * ''The Legend of Gato Barbieri'' (Flying Dutchman, 1973) * ''Caliente!'' (A&M, 1976) * ''Bahia'' (Fania, 1982) * ''Passion and Fire'' (A&M, 1984) With
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...
* '' Star Time'' (Polydor, 1991) * '' Get On the Good Foot'' (Polydor, 1993) * ''
Hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
'' (Polydor, 1995) * ''
Reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...
'' (Polydor, 1996) With
Joe Farrell Joseph Carl Firrantello (December 16, 1937 – January 10, 1986), known as Joe Farrell, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who primarily performed as a saxophonist and flutist. He is best known for a series of albums under his own name o ...
* ''
Penny Arcade ''Penny Arcade'' is a webcomic focused on video games and video game culture, written by Jerry Holkins and illustrated by Mike Krahulik. The comic debuted in 1998 on the website ''loonygames.com''. Since then, Holkins and Krahulik have establish ...
''(CTI, 1974) * '' Upon This Rock'' (CTI, 1974) * ''
Canned Funk ''Canned Funk'' is a jazz album by Joe Farrell for CTI Records. It was recorded at Van Gelder Studios November and December 1974. The album was released in 1975. Track listing Side one # "Canned Funk" (Joe Farrell) – 7:20 # "Animal" (Farrell) ...
'' (CTI, 1975) With Jay Leonhart * ''There's Gonna Be Trouble'' (Sunnyside, 1984) * ''The Double Cross'' (Sunnyside, 1988) * ''Two Lane Highways'' (Kado, 1992) * ''Four Duke'' (LaserLight, 1995) * ''Galaxies and Planets'' (Sons of Sound, 2001) With Mike Mainieri * ''Insight'' (Solid State, 1968) * ''
Journey Thru an Electric Tube ''Journey Thru an Electric Tube'' is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Mike Mainieri first released in 1968 on the Solid State label.Payne, D.Sonny Lester discographyaccessed March 16, 2018Jimmy Scott James Victor Scott (July 17, 1925 – June 12, 2014), known professionally as Little Jimmy Scott or Jimmy Scott, was an American jazz vocalist known for his high natural contralto voice and his sensitivity on ballads and love songs. After ...
* ''Mood Indigo'' (Grooveland, 2000) * ''But Beautiful'' (Milestone, 2002) * ''Moon Glow'' (Milestone, 2003) With Don Sebesky * ''Don Sebesky & the Jazz Rock Syndrome'' (Verve, 1968) * ''
The Rape of El Morro ''The Rape of El Morro'' is an album by American arranger/conductor and composer Don Sebesky featuring performances recorded in 1975 and released on the CTI label.
'' (CTI, 1975) * ''Three Works for Jazz Soloists & Symphony Orchestra'' (Gryphon, 1979) With others *
Franco Ambrosetti Franco Ambrosetti (born 10 December 1941) is a jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and composer. He was born in Lugano, Switzerland; his father, Flavio, was a saxophonist who once played opposite Charlie Parker.Don Sebesky, ''Sleeping Gypsy'' (Gryphon, 1980) *
Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...
, ''Futures'' (A&M, 1977) *
John Berberian John J. Berberian (born October 9, 1941) is an American musician known for his virtuosity on the oud, the Middle Eastern stringed instrument. Berberian was born in New York City as the son of Armenian immigrants. His father, Yervant Berberian, wa ...
, ''Middle Eastern Rock'' (Verve Forecast 1969) * Soledad Bravo, ''Mambembe'' (Top Hits, 1983) *
Rusty Bryant Royal Gordon "Rusty" Bryant (November 25, 1929 – March 25, 1991) was an American jazz tenor and alto saxophonist. Biography Bryant was born in Huntington, West Virginia, and grew up in Columbus, Ohio, becoming a fixture of the local jazz scene ...
, '' For the Good Times'' (Prestige, 1973) *
David Chesky David Chesky is an American pianist, composer, producer, arranger, and co-founder of the independent, audiophile label Chesky Records. He is also co-founder and CEO of HDtracks, an online music store that sells high-resolution digital music. Ches ...
, ''Rush Hour'' (Columbia, 1980) * Willy Chirino, ''Diferente Oliva'' (Cantu, 1980) *
Freddy Cole Lionel Frederick Cole (October 15, 1931 – June 27, 2020) was an American jazz singer and pianist whose recording career spanned almost 70 years. He was the brother of musicians Nat King Cole, Eddie Cole, and Ike Cole, father of Lionel Cole, a ...
, ''Rio de Janeiro Blue'' (Telarc, 2001) *
Larry Coryell Larry Coryell (born Lorenz Albert Van DeLinder III; April 2, 1943 – February 19, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist. Early life Larry Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas, United States. He never knew his biological father, a musician. He w ...
, ''The Lion and the Ram'' (Arista, 1976) * Larry Coryell, ''Tributaries'' (Novus Arista, 1979) *
Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from Rhythm and blues, R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was ...
, ''
Wildflower A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the w ...
'' (Kudu, 1973) *
Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...
, ''
Circle in the Round ''Circle in the Round'' is a 1979 compilation album by jazz musician Miles Davis. It compiled outtakes from sessions across fifteen years of Davis's career that, with one exception, had been previously unreleased. All of its tracks have since been ...
'' (Columbia, 1979) * Richard Davis, ''Song for Wounded Knee'' (Flying Dutchman, 1973) *
Les DeMerle Lester William DeMerle (born November 4, 1946, Brooklyn) is an American jazz drummer, vocalist, and bandleader. Career DeMerle first picked up drums at age ten. He studied drums and percussion with Bob Livingstone in New York from 1960 to 1965, j ...
, ''Spectrum'' (United Artists, 1969) * Paul Desmond, ''Summertime'' (A&M, 1968) *
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...
& Teresa Brewer, '' It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing'' (Columbia, 1983) *
Gil Evans Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian–American jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role ...
, ''Gil Evans'' (Ampex, 1970) * Gil Evans, ''
Where Flamingos Fly ''Where Flamingos Fly'' is an album by jazz composer, arranger, Conducting, conductor and pianist Gil Evans, originally recorded in 1971 for Capitol Records but not released until 1981, and performed by Evans with an orchestra featuring Billy Harp ...
'' (Artists House, 1981) *
Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...
, '' Ridin' High'' (Enterprise, 1968) * Ronnie Foster, ''
Cheshire Cat The Cheshire Cat ( or ) is a fictional cat popularised by Lewis Carroll in ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' and known for its distinctive mischievous grin. While now most often used in ''Alice''-related contexts, the association of a "Ch ...
'' (Blue Note, 1975) * Carlos Franzetti, ''New York Toccata'' (Verve, 1985) *
The Free Spirits The Free Spirits was an American band credited as the first jazz-rock group. The band also incorporated elements of pop and garage rock. Their first album ''Out of Sight and Sound'' was recorded in 1966 and released in 1967. History The band for ...
, ''Live at the Scene February 22nd 1967'' (Sunbeam, 2011) *
Nnenna Freelon Nnenna Freelon (born July 28, 1954) is an American jazz singer, composer, producer, and arranger. Early life and education Freelon was born Chinyere Nnenna Pierce to Charles and Frances Pierce in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she was raised. ...
, ''Maiden Voyage'' (Concord Jazz, 1998) * Nnenna Freelon, ''Soulcall'' (Concord Jazz, 2000) *
Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor ( née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...
, ''Glorious'' (Polydor, 1977) * Gloria Gaynor, ''Gloria Gaynor'' (Atlantic, 1982) *
Gerri Granger Geraldine “Gerri” Granger is an American actress and soul singer. Gerri Granger was a musical guest on the Johnny Carson show from 1962, in the 1969 series, 1973, 1974 and 1977 series. She also guested on The David Frost Show (1969), and ABC ...
, ''Add a Little Love'' (United Artists, 1972) *
Chico Hamilton Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton (September 20, 1921 – November 25, 2013) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He came to prominence as sideman for Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Count Basie, and Lena Horne. Hamilton became a bandleader, ...
, ''
Peregrinations ''Peregrinations'' is an album by American jazz drummer Chico Hamilton featuring performances recorded in 1975 and originally released on the Blue Note label.
'' (Blue Note, 1975) *
Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...
, ''Mostly Blues'' (Musicmasters, 1989) *
Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...
, ''Giant Steps'' (Fantasy, 1973) * Woody Herman, ''Feelin' So Blue'' (Fantasy, 1981) *
Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...
&
Michel Legrand Michel Jean Legrand (; 24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz pianist. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many son ...
, ''Lena & Michel'' (RCA Victor, 1975) *
Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...
, ''Riding High Plus Jazz Symphonies Solo Brothers & Professor Jive'' (DRG, 1989) *
Jackie & Roy Jackie and Roy was an American jazz vocal team consisting of husband and wife singer Jackie Cain (1928-2014) and singer/pianist Roy Kral (1921-2002). They sang together for 56 years and made almost 40 albums. Kral's 2002 obituary in ''The New Y ...
, ''Star Sounds'' (Concord Jazz, 1980) *
J. J. Johnson J.J. Johnson (January 22, 1924 – February 4, 2001), born James Louis Johnson and also known as Jay Jay Johnson, was an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. Johnson was one of the earliest trombonists to embrace bebop. Biograph ...
&
Kai Winding Kai Chresten Winding ( ; May 18, 1922 – May 6, 1983) was a Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is known for his collaborations with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson. His version of "More", the theme from the movie ''Mondo Ca ...
, ''
Betwixt & Between ''Betwixt & Between'' is an album by American jazz trombonists Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson featuring performances recorded in 1968 and released on the CTI label.
'' (A&M, 1969) * Quincy Jones, ''Smackwater Jack'' (A&M, 1971) *
Kimiko Kasai (born December 15, 1945 in Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan) is a retired Japanese jazz singer. Biography Kimiko was born in Kyoto, Japan in 1945. She first became interested in jazz at the age of 13 after hearing Chris Connor, Chris Connor's song "All About ...
, ''This Is My Love'' (CBS/Sony, 1975) * Sarah Kernochan, ''House of Pain'' (RCA Victor, 1974) * Al Kooper, '' Easy Does It'' (Columbia, 1970) * Al Kooper, ''The Landlord'' (United Artists, 1971) * Earl Klugh, ''Wishful Thinking'' (Capitol, 1984) * Hubert Laws, ''
The Chicago Theme ''The Chicago Theme'' is an album by flautist Hubert Laws recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Studio in New Jersey in 1974 and released in 1975 on the CTI label.
'' (CTI, 1975) *
Michel Legrand Michel Jean Legrand (; 24 February 1932 – 26 January 2019) was a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and jazz pianist. Legrand was a prolific composer, having written over 200 film and television scores, in addition to many son ...
, ''Michel Legrand and Friends'' (RCA Victor, 1976) *
Pete Levin Pete or Petes or ''variation'', may refer to: People * Pete (given name) * Pete (nickname) * Pete (surname) Fictional characters * Pete (Disney), a cartoon character in the ''Mickey Mouse'' universe * Pete the Pup (a.k.a. 'Petey'), a character ...
, ''Jump!'' (Pete Levin, 2010) * Webster Lewis, ''On the Town'' (Epic, 1976) *
Jack McDuff Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era ...
, ''
Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring? ''Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring?'' is an album by American organist Brother Jack McDuff recorded in 1970 and released on the Blue Note label.
'' (Blue Note, 1971) * Jack McDuff, '' The Fourth Dimension'' (Cadet, 1974) * Helen Merrill &
Gil Evans Ian Ernest Gilmore Evans (né Green; May 13, 1912 – March 20, 1988) was a Canadian–American jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest orchestrators in jazz, playing an important role ...
, ''Collaboration'' (EmArcy, 1988) * Helen Merrill, ''Casa Forte'' (Absord Music, 1995) * Bingo Miki and the Inner Galaxy Orchestra, ''Montreux Cyclone'' (
Three Blind Mice "Three Blind Mice" is an English-language nursery rhyme and musical round.I. Opie and P. Opie, ''The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), p. 306. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number o ...
, 1979) * Blue Mitchell, '' Many Shades of Blue'' (Mainstream, 1974) *
Red Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell (September 20, 1927 – November 8, 1992) was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet. Biography Mitchell was born in New York City. His younger brother, Whitey Mitchell, also became a jazz ba ...
, ''Empathy'' with (Gryphon, 1980) *
Idris Muhammad Idris Muhammad ( ar, إدريس محمد; born Leo Morris; November 13, 1939 – July 29, 2014) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He had an extensive career performing jazz, funk, R&B, and soul music and recorded with musicians such a ...
, '' Power of Soul'' (Kudu, 1974) * Idris Muhammad, '' House of the Rising Sun'' (Kudu, 1976) * Gerry Niewood, ''Share My Dream'' (DMP, 1985) * Laura Nyro, ''Smile'' (Columbia, 1976) *
Ralfi Pagan Ralfi Pagán (born Rafael Pagán; 1946–1978) was a Bronx, New York-based Latin soul and salsa singer of Puerto Rican and Cuban parentage who was active from the mid-1960s until his death in 1978. He specialized in soul ballads sung both in Spa ...
, ''I Can See'' (Fania, 1975) * Johnny Pate, ''Outrageous'' (MGM, 1970) * Johnny Pate, ''Brother On the Run'' (Perception, 1973) * Houston Person, '' Sweet Buns & Barbeque'' (Prestige, 1973) *
Esther Phillips Esther Phillips (born Esther Mae Jones; December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals.Santelli, Robert (2001). ''The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia''. Penguin Books. p. 376. . She ...
, ''What a Diff'rence a Day Makes'' (Kudu, 1975) * Esther Phillips, ''For All We Know'' (Kudu, 1976) * Doug Proper, ''Seventh Sense'' (Proper Attire Records 2004) * Buddy Rich, ''The Roar of '74'' (Groove Merchant, 1974) * Buddy Rich, ''Ease On Down the Road'' (Denon/LRC, 1987) * Buddy Rich & Maynard Ferguson, ''Two Big Bands Play Selections from West Side Story & Other Delights'' (LRC, 1991) *
Dom Um Romao Dom or DOM may refer to: People and fictional characters * Dom (given name), including fictional characters * Dom (surname) * Dom La Nena (born 1989), stage name of Brazilian-born cellist, singer and songwriter Dominique Pinto * Dom people, an ethn ...
, ''Dom Um Romao'' (Muse, 1974) * Dom Um Romao, ''Spirit of the Times'' (Muse, 1975) * Annie Ross, ''Music Is Forever'' (DRG, 1996) *
Sabicas Sabicas (proper name: Agustín Castellón Campos) (16 March 1912 – 14 April 1990) was a Spanish flamenco guitarist of Romani origin. Biography Sabicas was born in Pamplona, Spain, and began playing guitar at the age of five and made his perfor ...
, ''Rock Encounter'' (
Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
, 1970) * David Sanborn, ''Taking Off'' (Warner Bros., 1975) *
Philippe Sarde Philippe Sarde (born 21 June 1948) is a French film composer. Considered among the most versatile and talented French film composers of his generation, Sarde has scored over two hundred films, film shorts, and television mini-series. He received a ...
, ''Hors-La-Loi'' (Carrere, 1985) *
Doc Severinsen Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''. Early life Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) a ...
, ''Doc Severinsen's Closet'' (Command, 1970) * Ian Shaw, ''Soho Stories'' (Milestone, 2001) *
Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
, ''
Still Crazy After All These Years ''Still Crazy After All These Years'' is the fourth solo studio album by Paul Simon. Recorded and released in 1975, the album produced four U.S. Top 40 hits: " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" (No. 1), "Gone at Last" (No. 23), "My Little Town" (No. 9 ...
'' (Columbia, 1975) * Paul Simon, '' One-Trick Pony'' (Warner Bros., 1980) * Jimmy Smith, ''The Other Side of Jimmy Smith'' (MGM, 1970) * Lonnie Liston Smith, ''
Astral Traveling ''Astral Traveling'' is the debut album by keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith, featuring performances recorded in 1973 and released by the Flying Dutchman label.Lew Soloff, ''Rainbow Mountain'' (Enja, 1999) *
Leon Spencer Leon Spencer (November 1, 1945 – March 11, 2012) was an American jazz organist from Houston, Texas. He played piano with David Newman and organ with Melvin Sparks. Spencer recorded for Prestige Records, Prestige in the early 1970s with Buddy Ca ...
, '' Bad Walking Woman'' (Prestige, 1972) * Leon Spencer, ''
Where I'm Coming From ''Where I'm Coming From'' is the 13th album by Stevie Wonder. The album was released by Motown Records on April 9, 1971 and peaked on the Billboard Pop Albums at #62, and on the ''Billboard'' R&B Albums Chart at #7. All nine songs were written ...
'' (Prestige, 1973) * Marvin Stamm, ''Machinations'' (Verve, 1968) *
Sylvia Syms Sylvia May Laura Syms (born 6 January 1934) is an English actress, best known for her roles in the films ''Woman in a Dressing Gown'' (1957), ''Ice Cold in Alex'' (1958), ''No Trees in the Street'' (1959), ''Victim'' (1961), and ''The Tamari ...
, ''She Loves to Hear the Music'' (A&M, 1978) *
Tom Talbert Thomas Robert Talbert (August 4, 1924 Crystal Bay, Minnesota – July 2, 2005 Los Angeles) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and band leader. Biography He was born on August 4, 1924, in Crystal Bay, Minnesota, and grew up listening to big b ...
, ''This Is Living! Pipe Dream'' (Chartmaker, 1997) * Leon Thomas, '' Full Circle'' (Flying Dutchman, 1973) * Bobby Timmons, '' Do You Know the Way?'' (Milestone, 1968) * Bobby Timmons, ''
Got to Get It! ''Got to Get It!'' is an album by American jazz pianist Bobby Timmons recorded in 1967 and released on the Milestone label.
'' (Milestone, 1968) * Libby Titus, ''Libby Titus'' (Columbia, 1977) * Cal Tjader, ''Last Bolero in Berkeley'' (Fantasy, 1973) * Stanley Turrentine, ''Inflation'' (Elektra, 1980) *
Bill Watrous William Russell Watrous III (June 8, 1939 – July 2, 2018) was an American jazz trombonist. He is perhaps best known for his rendition of Sammy Nestico's arrangement of the Johnny Mandel ballad "A Time for Love", which he recorded on a 1993 albu ...
, ''Manhattan Wildlife Refuge'' (Columbia, 1974) *
Kai Winding Kai Chresten Winding ( ; May 18, 1922 – May 6, 1983) was a Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is known for his collaborations with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson. His version of "More", the theme from the movie ''Mondo Ca ...
, '' Penny Lane & Time'' (Verve, 1967)


References


External links


''The Last Miles'' Interview: Joe Beck


* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beck, Joe 1945 births 2008 deaths People from Woodbury, Connecticut Jazz musicians from Connecticut Deaths from lung cancer in Connecticut 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American jazz guitarists American male guitarists American session musicians Columbia Records artists Jazz fusion guitarists Mainstream jazz guitarists Polydor Records artists American male jazz musicians White Elephant Orchestra members CTI Records artists