Joey DeFrancesco (April 10, 1971August 25, 2022) 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 majo ...

organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists. In addition, an organist may accompany congregational ...

, trumpeter,

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

, and occasional singer. 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 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 musi ...

, saxophonist

Houston Person Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He received the ...

, and guitarist John McLaughlin. DeFrancesco signed his first record deal at the age of 16 and over the years recorded and toured internationally with

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophone, alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental Pop music, pop and R&B. He released his first solo ...

Arturo Sandoval Arturo Sandoval is a Cuban-American jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer. While living in his native Cuba, Sandoval was influenced by jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1977 he met Gillespie, who became hi ...

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 ...

Frank Wess Frank Wellington Wess (January 4, 1922 – October 30, 2013) was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. In addition to his extensive solo work, Wess is remembered for his time in Count Basie's band from the early 1950s into the 1960s. Critic ...

Benny Golson Benny Golson (born January 25, 1929) is an American bebop/ hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He came to prominence with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, more as a writer than a performer, before launc ...

, James Moody, Steve Gadd, Danny Gatton,

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebra ...

Jimmy Cobb Wilbur James "Jimmy" Cobb (January 20, 1929May 24, 2020) was an American jazz drummer. He was part of Miles Davis's First Great Sextet. At the time of his death, he had been the band's last surviving member for nearly thirty years. He was a ...

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, pla ...

Pat Martino Pat Martino (born Patrick Carmen Azzara; August 25, 1944 – November 1, 2021) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Biography Martino was born Patrick Carmen Azzara in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to father Carmen "Mickey" ...

, Tony Monaco,

John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American guitarist and composer whose music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention in ...

Lee Ritenour Lee Mack Ritenour ( ; born January 11, 1952) is an American jazz guitarist who has been active since the late 1960s. Biography Ritenour was born on January 11, 1952, in Los Angeles, California, United States. At the age of eight he started play ...

Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarin ...

, and had prominent session work with a variety of musicians, including

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

Bette Midler Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received numerous accolades, including four Golden Gl ...

, Janis Siegel,

Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, '' Billboard'' maga ...

, Jimmy Smith, and

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in ...

Early life and education

DeFrancesco was born in

Springfield, Pennsylvania Springfield Township, Pennsylvania may refer to: *Springfield Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania * Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania * Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania *Springfield Township, Erie County, Penns ...

, on April 10, 1971. 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. 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. 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. At the age of 10, DeFrancesco joined a band in Philadelphia that included jazz musicians

Hank Mobley Henry "Hank" Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to des ...

and Philly Joe Jones. He was considered a fixture at local jazz clubs, opening shows for

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awar ...

and B.B. King. DeFrancesco attended the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. There he studied music specializing in piano and organ. 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.

Career

Recording

DeFrancesco was 16 years old when he signed an exclusive recording contract with

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

. 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. That same year, DeFrancesco joined

and his band on a five-week concert tour in Europe. He followed up with playing keyboards on Davis' album '' Amandla'', which reached No. 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart in 1989. DeFrancesco started playing the trumpet around the same time, inspired by the sound of Davis. DeFrancesco was originally spotted by Davis during a performance on the television show called ''Time Out''. 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. 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).

Touring

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 After the Rain may refer to: Film and television * ''After the Rain'' (film), a 1999 film by Takashi Koizumi * ''After the Rain'' (TV series), a 2000 Iranian series * ''After the Rain'' (TV special), a 2009 Christmas special by Regine Velasquez * A ...

''. DeFrancesco also played trumpet on the former album. In 1999, DeFrancesco recorded his album ''Incredible! Live at the San Francisco Jazz Festival''. The album featured a performance by his idol Jimmy Smith, who joined DeFrancesco for two songs. In 2004, DeFrancesco recorded ''Legacy'', another album that featured Jimmy Smith. The album was Smith's last recording; he died the same year. 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 "Moonlight Serenade" is an American swing ballad composed by Glenn Miller with subsequent lyrics by Mitchell Parish. It was an immediate phenomenon when released in May 1939 as an instrumental arrangement, though it had been adopted and perf ...

'', 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''. The recording was released in 2010 as a tribute to

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

. 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. Joey DeFrancesco at NAMM 2022 20220603 151727

Joey DeFrancesco at NAMM 2022 20220603 151727

Music style

DeFrancesco's music style was referred to as a swinging Philly sound which he "embellished with his own ferocity and improvisation." He played 200-plus nights a year throughout the course of his career, a feat that he cut back on as of 2013. He received numerous accolades for his performances, including being called the best B3 player on the planet by ''

JazzTimes ''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade of grow ...

''. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' described DeFrancesco as a "deeply authoritative musician, a master of rhythmic pocket, and of the custom of stomping bass lines beneath chords and riffs." ''Chicago Tribune'' praised the musicianship of DeFrancesco, stating that "He dominated the instrument and the field as no one of his generation has." 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.

Multi-instrumentalist

As a multi-instrumentalist, DeFrancesco recorded on various keyboards (including acoustic & electric piano), and trumpet. Although best known as a

, he also performed as a singer and (since November 2018), played the

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

Awards and honors

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. DeFrancesco was an inaugural member of the Hammond Hall of Fame, inducted in 2013 along with Brian Auger,

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he b ...

, Steve Winwood, and his mentor Jimmy Smith.

Discography

DeFrancesco's discography consists of albums released on

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

Highnote HighNote Records is a jazz record company and label founded by Joe Fields with his son, Barney Fields, in 1997. Joe Fields worked for Prestige Records in the 1960s, and in the 1970s founded Muse Records. After he sold Muse, he started the Hi ...

, Big Mo Records, Concord Jazz, Doodlin' Records, and Mack Avenue.

Personal life

In addition to his father and grandfather, DeFrancesco's brother

Johnny Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females. Varia ...

is also a musician, focusing on blues guitar. DeFrancesco was married to his wife Gloria until his death. She served as his manager. DeFrancesco had one daughter, Ashley Blue DeFrancesco.

Death

DeFrancesco died at his home in Phoenix, Arizona, of a heart attack on August 25, 2022, at the age of 51. The following week, at a concert in Boston, Van Morrison paid tribute to his one-time collaborator, dedicating a song to him.

References

External links

Official site
*

AllMusic entry AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

* *
Joey DeFrancesco Interview - NAMM Oral History Library (2006)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Defrancesco, Joey 1971 births 2022 deaths People from Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania Soul-jazz organists Bebop organists Hard bop organists Post-bop organists American people of Italian descent American jazz organists American male organists American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania American jazz musicians Muse Records artists Musicians from Scottsdale, Arizona 21st-century trumpeters 21st-century organists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians 21st-century American keyboardists Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts alumni Mack Avenue Records artists HighNote Records artists Concord Records artists 20th-century trumpeters 20th-century organists 20th-century American keyboardists 20th-century American male musicians Place of death missing