Joe Ford (born May 7, 1947) is 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 major ...

saxophonist.

Early life and education

Ford was born in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

. He studied saxophone under

Makanda Ken McIntyre Makanda Ken McIntyre (born Kenneth Arthur McIntyre; also known as Ken McIntyre) (September 7, 1931 – June 13, 2001) was an American jazz musician, composer and educator. In addition to his primary instrument, the alto saxophone, he played flu ...

Jackie McLean John Lenwood "Jackie" McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their deat ...

, and Frank Foster, and percussion under

Joe Chambers Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...

. He earned his bachelor's degree in

music education Music education is a field of practice in which educators are trained for careers as elementary or secondary music teachers, school or music conservatory ensemble directors. Music education is also a research area in which scholars do origina ...

in 1968 from

Central State University Central State University (CSU) is a public, historically black land-grant university in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Established by the state legislature in 1887 as a two-year program for te ...

Career

After graduating from college, Ford taught in

Buffalo Public Schools Buffalo Public Schools serves approximately 34,000 students in Buffalo, New York, the second largest city in the state of New York. It is located in Erie County of western New York and operates nearly 70 facilities. History The Buffalo Public Sc ...

from 1968 to 1972. While working at the

Buffalo Public Library The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is located on Lafayette Square, Buffalo, New York. The current facility, designed by Kideney Architects and built in 1964, replaced the original Cyrus Eidlitz Buffalo Public Library Building dedicated i ...

in 1974 and 1975, Ford played in the Birthright Ensemble, then with

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

in 1976. Since the early-1980s, he has worked extensively as a sideman, playing with Sam Jones,

Lester Bowie Lester Bowie (October 11, 1941 – November 8, 1999) was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and co-founded the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Biography Born in ...

, Jimmy Owens,

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 ...

Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahim (born Adolph Johannes Brand on 9 October 1934 and formerly known as Dollar Brand) is a South African pianist and composer. His music reflects many of the musical influences of his childhood in the multicultural port areas of Cap ...

Chico O'Farrill Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill (October 28, 1921 – June 27, 2001) was a Cuban composer, arranger, and conductor, best known for his work in the Latin idiom, specifically Afro-Cuban jazz or "Cubop", although he also composed traditional jazz pieces a ...

, Saheb Sarbib (1984),

Avery Sharpe Avery Sharpe (born August 23, 1954) is an American jazz double-bassist, electric bassist, composer, educator and founder of the artist-owned record label, JKNM Records. Sharpe has a distinguished percussive and rhythmic approach on double bass. ...

(1988),

Jerry Gonzalez Jerry may refer to: Animals * Jerry (Grand National winner), racehorse, winner of the 1840 Grand National * Jerry (St Leger winner), racehorse, winner of 1824 St Leger Stakes Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Jerry'' (film), a 2006 Indian fil ...

(from 1988),

Larry Willis Lawrence Elliott Willis (December 20, 1942 – September 29, 2019) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz, bebop, and avant-garde jazz, avant-garde. Willis was b ...

(1989), Michael Logan (1990),

Malachi Thompson Malachi Richard Thompson (August 21, 1949, Princeton, Kentucky — July 16, 2006), was an American avant-garde jazz trumpet player. In addition to his own work as a bandleader, Thompson was known for his work in the brass ensemble led by fellow tr ...

(1991), John Blake (1992),

Ronnie Burrage Ronnie Burrage (born James Ronaldo Burrage October 19, 1959) is an American jazz drummer. His style draws from jazz, funk, and soul. Career He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Burrage sang in the St. Louis Cathedral boys' choir f ...

(1993),

Hannibal Marvin Peterson Hannibal Lokumbe (born Marvin Peterson on November 11, 1948) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career A native of Smithville, Texas, United States, he is sometimes known by the name "Hannibal". He attended high school in Texas City, Texas and was i ...

(1993), Freddie Cole (1993),

Steve Berrios Steve Berrios (February 24, 1945 – July 25, 2013) was an American jazz drummer and percussionist born in New York City. Biography Starting out on trumpet while in public school, he was influenced by his father, a professional drummer, and his ...

(1995), and

Nova Bossa Nova Nova Bossa Nova was a Brazilian jazz ensemble consisting of Claudio Roditi on trumpet, Bob Mintzer on tenor sax, Joe Ford (jazz musician), Joe Ford on alto sax, and Eddie Monteiro on vocals. They released one album in 1997, ''Jazz Influence''. Th ...

(1997). In the late-1990s, Ford led two ensembles, the Black Art Sax Quartet and a

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

group called The Thing. He has released one album as a leader, 1993's ''Today's Night'' on Blue Moon Records. It features

Charles Fambrough Charles Fambrough (August 25, 1950January 1, 2011) was an American jazz bassist, composer and record producer from Philadelphia. Fambrough was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers during the early 1980s. Suffering from kidney failure, conges ...

Kenny Kirkland Kenneth David Kirkland (September 28, 1955 – November 12, 1998) was an American pianist and keyboardist. Biography Early life Born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, Kirkland was six when he first sat down at a piano keyboard. After years ...

and

Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others. Biography Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny ...

. Allmusic ''Today's Night'' review/ref>

Discography

As leader

*1993: ''Today's Night''

As sideman

With

*''Jazz Influence'' (1997) With

*''

The Jaz Life ''The Jaz Life'' is an album by the American jazz trumpeter Malachi Thompson, recorded in 1991 and released by the Delmark Records, Delmark label the following year.

'' (Delmark, 1992) *'' New Standards'' (Delmark, 1993) *'' 47th Street'' (Delmark, 1997) *''

Freebop Now! ''Freebop Now!'' (subtitled ') is an album by the American jazz trumpeter Malachi Thompson recorded and released by the Delmark label in 1998.McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

*'' Focal Point'' ((Milestone, 1976) *''

Inner Voices ''Inner Voices'' is a 1977 album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, his twelfth to be released on the Milestone label. It was recorded in September 1977 and features performances by Tyner with bassist Ron Carter, guitarist Earl Klugh, drummers Jack DeJ ...

'' ((Milestone, 1977) *''

The Greeting ''The Greeting'' is a 1978 live album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, his thirteenth release on the Milestone label. It was recorded in March 1978 at the Great American Music Hall and features performances by Tyner with a sextet featuring tenor saxo ...

'' ((Milestone, 1978) *''

Horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the perspective of an observer on or near the surface of the relevant body. This line divides all viewing directions based on whether i ...

'' ((Milestone, 1979) *'' 13th House'' ((Milestone, 1981) *''

Uptown/Downtown ''Uptown/Downtown'' is a 1988 live album by McCoy Tyner released on the Milestone label, his first for the label since '' 13th House'' (1980). It was recorded in November 1988 and features performances by Tyner's Big Band, which included tenor s ...

'' (Milestone, 1988) *'' The Turning Point'' (Birdology, 1992) *''

Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

'' (Birdology, 1993) With

*'' Heavy Blue'' (SteepleChase, 1980) *'' Blue Fable'' (HighNote, 2007)

References

;Footnotes ;Further Reading *Gary W. Kennedy, "Joe Ford", '' Grove Jazz'' online. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ford, Joe American jazz alto saxophonists American jazz soprano saxophonists American male saxophonists Musicians from New York (state) 1947 births Living people 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Nova Bossa Nova members