Joseph Befumo, known professionally as Joe Holiday (10 May 1925 – 9 February 2016), was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

saxophonist who was born in

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. The father of the Befumo family played clarinet. In 1925 the family emigrated to the United States, taking residence in Newark, New Jersey, where young Joseph picked up his father's instrument and mastered it. While still in his teens he began forming musical groups and obtained his first recording contract (with King Records) in 1949. He adopted the stage name "Joe Holiday" before the recording contract date. Holiday played

hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...

early in his career, but he is best known for his adaptations of the

mambo Mambo most often refers to: * Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...

style. Many of his sessions included members of

Machito Machito (born Francisco Raúl Gutiérrez Grillo, December 3, 1909 – April 15, 1984) was a Latin jazz musician who helped refine Afro-Cuban jazz and create both Cubop and salsa music. Ginell, Richard S. ''Biography''. Allmusic, 2011/ref> He w ...

's ensemble, the Afro-Cubans. He had a hit in the U.S. with "This Is Happiness" in 1951 and recorded for Prestige Records with

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He work ...

and

Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...

. Sarah Vaughan recorded his composition "Serenada". Holiday also does

abstract painting Abstract art uses visual language of shape, form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19t ...

. He and his wife, Kelly Holiday, are president and vice-president, respectively, of the St. Lucie Professional Arts League based in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where he presents annual "Art & All That Jazz" events, which have included Linda Cole (singer and daughter of

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

), Miami musicians Ira Sullivan, violinist Nicola Yearling, and pianist Lenore Raphael.

Discography

As leader

* 1951 ''Joe Holiday Quintet'' (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

) * 1954 ''Mambo Jazz,'' with Billy Taylor (

) * 1957 ''Holiday for Jazz''

As sideman

With Larry Young * '' Testifying'' (Prestige, 1960)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holiday, Joe American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Italian emigrants to the United States 2016 deaths 1925 births 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians 20th-century American saxophonists