Joe Puma (August 13, 1927 – May 31, 2000) 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 ...

guitarist. Puma was born in the

Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

, New York. His first professional experience came with Joe Roland in 1949–50. He played in the band led by

Cy Coleman Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. Life and career Coleman was born Seymour Kaufman in New York City, United States, to Eastern European Jewish parents ...

. He acted as a

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

for many jazz musicians during the 1950s, including

Louie Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...

Artie Shaw Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...

's Gramercy Five,

Eddie Bert Edward Joseph Bertolatus (May 16, 1922 – September 27, 2012), also known as Eddie Bert, was an American jazz trombonist. Music career He was born in Yonkers, New York, United States. Bert received a degree and a teaching license from the Manha ...

Herbie Mann Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz flute player and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played tenor saxophone and clarinet (incl ...

Mat Mathews Mat Mathews, born Mathieu Hubert Wijnandts Schwarts (June 18, 1924 – February 12, 2009), was a Dutch jazz accordionist. Early life Mathews was born in The Hague and learned to play accordion while the Netherlands was still under the Nazi r ...

, Chris Connor, and

Paul Quinichette Paul Quinichette (May 17, 1916 – May 25, 1983) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was known as the "Vice President" or "Vice Prez" for his emulation of the breathy style of Lester Young, whose nickname was "The President", or simply "P ...

, Lee Konitz, and Dick Hyman; he also recorded extensively as a leader at this time. In the 1960s, he worked with

Morgana King Maria Grazia Morgana Messina (June 4, 1930 – March 22, 2018), known as Morgana King, was an American jazz singer and actress.Liner notes by Joel Dorn – Morgana King album ''The Complete Reprise Recordings'' (2000).Liner notes by Ed Osborne � ...

Bobby Hackett Robert Leo Hackett (January 31, 1915 – June 7, 1976) was an American jazz musician who played trumpet, cornet, and guitar with the bands of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Hackett was a featured soloist o ...

Gary Burton Gary Burton (born January 23, 1943) is an American jazz vibraphonist, composer, and educator. Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the prevailing two-mallet technique. This approach caused him to be he ...

, and

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpre ...

, and between 1972 and 1977 he and

Chuck Wayne Chuck Wayne (February 27, 1923 – July 29, 1997) was an American jazz guitarist. He came to prominence in the 1940s, and was among the earliest jazz guitarists to play in the bebop style. Wayne was a member of Woody Herman's First Herd, the f ...

led an ensemble. He continued to perform and teach into the late 1990s.

Honors

In 1957 he won the New Star Award for Guitar from ''

Metronome Magazine ''Metronome'' was a music magazine published from January 1885 to December 1961. History Founding (1885) Bandmaster Arthur Albert Clappé (1850–1920) first published ''The Metronome'' in January 1885 for band leaders. In 1891, Harry Colema ...

''.

Discography

As leader

* ''Joe Puma'' (Bethlehem, 1954) * ''Wild Kitten'' (Dawn, 1957) * ''The Fourmost Guitars'' with

Jimmy Raney James Elbert Raney (August 20, 1927 – May 10, 1995) was an American jazz guitarist, born in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, known for his work from 1951 to 1952 and then from 1953 to 1954 with the Red Norvo trio (replacing Tal Farlow) and ...

Dick Garcia Dick Garcia (born May 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist. Career Garcia began to play the guitar aged nine. In 1950, he was a member of Tony Scott's quartet. From 1952, he worked with George Shearing, Charlie Parker, Joe Roland, Milt Buckne ...

(ABC-Paramount, 1957) * ''Jazz'' (Jubilee, 1958) * ''Like Tweet: Jazz Versions of Authentic Bird Calls'' (Columbia, 1961) * ''Interactions'' with Chuck Wayne (Choice, 1974) * ''Shining Hour'' with

Hod O'Brien Walter Howard "Hod" O'Brien (January 19, 1936 – November 20, 2016) was an American jazz pianist. O'Brien was born in Chicago. He attended the Hotchkiss School and then studied at the Oberlin Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music (1954� ...

, Red Mitchell (Reservoir, 1987) * ''It's a Blue World'' with Murray Wall, bass;

Eddie Locke Eddie Locke (August 2, 1930 – September 7, 2009) was an American jazz drummer. Eddie Locke was a part of the fertile and vibrant Detroit jazz scene during the 1940s and 1950s, which brought forth many great musicians including the Jones bro ...

, drums (Euphoria, 1999)

As sideman

With

Louis Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...

* ''The Amazing Artistry of Louis Bellson'' (Norgran, 1954) * ''The Exciting Mr. Bellson'' (Norgran, 1954) * '' Skin Deep'' (Norgran, 1955) With Chris Connor * ''This Is Chris'' (Bethlehem, 1955) * ''Chris'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * ''Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song'' (Atlantic, 1957) * ''A Jazz Date with Chris Connor'' (Atlantic, 1958) With

* ''Stretchin' Out'' (Muse, 1978) * ''Looking Through the Eyes of Love'' (Muse, 1981) * ''Portraits'' (Muse, 1984) * ''This is Always'' (Muse, 1994) With

* ''

Flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of Wader, wading bird in the Family (biology), family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas ...

'' (Bethlehem, 1955) * ''

Herbie Mann Plays ''Herbie Mann Plays'' is an album by flautist Herbie Mann on the Bethlehem Records, Bethlehem label featuring seven tracks originally released on the 10 inch LP ''East Coast Jazz/4'' (1954) along with four tracks which were recorded in 1956.

'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' Love and the Weather'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' The Herbie Mann-Sam Most Quintet'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' Flute Soufflé'' (Prestige, 1957) * '' Flute Flight'' (

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 ...

, 1957) * ''

Salute to the Flute ''Salute to the Flute'' (reissued as ''When Lights Are Low'') is an album by American jazz flautist Herbie Mann featuring tracks recorded in 1957 for the Epic label.Yardbird Suite "Yardbird Suite" is a bebop standard composed by jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker in 1946. The title combines Parker's nickname "Yardbird" (often shortened to "Bird") and a colloquial use of the classical music term "suite" (in a manner similar to ...

'' (Savoy, 1957) * '' The Jazz We Heard Last Summer'' (

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...

, 1957) * '' Sultry Serenade'' (

Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...

, 1958) * ''Gone Native'' (Savoy, 1961) * ''When Lights Are Low'' (Portrait Masters, 1988) With

* ''Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five Album #3'' (Clef, 1954) * ''Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five Album #4'' (Clef, 1955) * ''The Last Recordings Rare & Unreleased'' (MusicMasters, 1991) * ''More Last Recordings: The Final Sessions'' (MusicMasters, 1993) With others *

, ''

Encore An encore is an additional performance given by performers after the planned show has ended, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford University Pre ...

'' (Savoy, 1955) *

Vinnie Burke Vinnie Burke (born Vincenzo Bucci) (March 15, 1921 – February 1, 2001) was an American jazz bassist born in Newark, New Jersey.Leonard Feather & Ira Gitler ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'' Oxford University Press (1999) p94 Burke play ...

, ''The Vinnie Burke All-Stars'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) *

, '' The Groovy Sound of Music'' (RCA, 1964) *

Cándido Camero Cándido Camero Guerra (22 April 19217 November 2020), known simply as Cándido, was a Cuban conga and bongo player. He is considered a pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz and an innovator in conga drumming. He was responsible for the development of tun ...

, ''Candido'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) * Cándido Camero, ''In Indigo'' (ABC-Paramount, 1958) *

King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musicia ...

, ''Have Tenor Sax, Will Blow'' (ATCO, 1959) *

Don Elliott Don Elliott Helfman (October 21, 1926 – July 5, 1984) was an American jazz trumpeter, vibraphonist, vocalist, and mellophone player. Elliott recorded over 60 albums and 5,000 advertising jingles throughout his career. Career Elliott played ...

, ''The Don Elliott Quintet'' (RCA Victor, 1954) *

Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (born Pack Robert Gibson; November 9, 1935October 2, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1959–1975). Nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot" ( ...

- ''Ski Songs'' (Elektra, 1959) *

Wycliffe Gordon Wycliffe A. Gordon (born May 29, 1967) is an American jazz trombonist, arranger, composer, band leader, and music educator at the collegiate-conservatory level. Gordon also sings and plays didgeridoo, trumpet, soprano trombone, tuba, and piano ...

, ''Blues of Summer'' * Dick Hyman, ''Swings Music from Whoop-Up'' (MGM, 1959) * Dick Hyman, ''Strictly Organ-ic!'' (MGM, 1960) *

Peter Ind Peter Ind (20 July 1928 – 20 August 2021) was a British jazz double bassist and record producer. Early life Ind was born in Middlesex. His father was a builder. Ind began to learn the violin at the age of eight and played in his school orches ...

, ''Looking Out'' (Esquire, 1960) * Steve Lacy, ''The Complete Whitey Mitchell Sessions'' *

, ''The Modern Art of Jazz by Mat Mathews'' (Dawn, 1956) *

, ''Woman Talk'' (Mainstream, 1966) *

Helen Merrill Helen Merrill (born Jelena Ana Milcetic; July 21, 1930) is an American jazz vocalist. Her first album, the eponymous 1954 recording '' Helen Merrill'' (with Clifford Brown), was an immediate success and associated her with the first generation ...

, ''Chasin' the Bird'' (Inner City, 1980) *

Whitey Mitchell Gordon "Whitey" Mitchell (February 22, 1932 – January 16, 2009) was an American jazz bassist and television writer/producer. He was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. Life and career Mitchell was the brother of bassist Red Mitchell. He began on ...

, ''Whitey Mitchell Sextette'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) *

Marty Napoleon Marty Napoleon (June 2, 1921 – April 27, 2015) was an American jazz pianist. He replaced Earl Hines in Louis Armstrong's All Stars band in 1952. In 1946 he worked with Gene Krupa and went on to work with his uncle Phil Napoleon, a trumpeter, ...

, ''Marty Napoleon and His Music'' (Stere-o-Craft 1958) *

Bernard Peiffer Bernard Peiffer (''pie-fer'') (23 October 1922 – 7 September 1976) was a French jazz pianist, composer, and teacher. His nickname was "Le Most", for his piano skills. Life Born in Épinal, France, Peiffer was raised in a musical family, wit ...

, ''Bernie's Tunes'' (EmArcy, 1956) * Joe Roland, '' Joltin' Joe Roland'' (Savoy, 1955) *

Ralph Sharon Ralph Simon Sharon (September 17, 1923 – March 31, 2015) was a British-American jazz pianist and arranger. He is best known for working with Tony Bennett as his pianist on numerous recordings and live performances. Biography Ralph Sharon was bo ...

, ''Easy Jazz Ralph Sharon's All-Star Sextet'' (London, 1955) * Sue & Ralph Sharon, ''Mr & Mrs Jazz'' (Bethlehem, 1957) *

Roy Smeck Leroy Smeck (6 February 1900 – 5 April 1994) was an American musician. His skill on the banjo, guitar, and ukulele earned him the nickname "The Wizard of the Strings". Background Smeck was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. He started on the vau ...

, ''The Magic Ukulele of Roy Smeck, Wizard of the Strings'' (ABC-Paramount, 1959) * Kirby Stone Four, ''Frank Loesser's Broadway Hit Guys & Dolls'' (Columbia, 1962) * Sir Charles Thompson, ''Rockin' Rhythm'' (Columbia, 1961) * Warren Vaché Jr., '' Horn of Plenty'' (Muse, 1993) *

Mal Waldron Malcolm Earl "Mal" Waldron (August 16, 1925 – December 2, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He started playing professionally in New York in 1950, after graduating from college. In the following dozen years or so Wa ...

, ''Soul Eyes: The Mal Waldron Memorial Album'' *

Webster Young Webster English Young (December 3, 1932 – December 13, 2003) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist. Born in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Washington, D.C., Young was known for his lyrical playing, and performed with John Coltra ...

, '' For Lady'' (Prestige, 1957)

References

External links

Discography at Jazz Disco
* Joe Puma at AllMusic {{DEFAULTSORT:Puma, Joe 1927 births 2000 deaths 20th-century American guitarists American session musicians American jazz guitarists People from the Bronx American male guitarists Jazz musicians from New York (state) 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Reservoir Records artists