Joey DeFrancesco RIP

[felser]

7 hours ago, GA Russell said:

RIP.  Pat Martino's Live at Yoshi's is a favorite of mine.

+1

[Brad]

51? Jesus. RIP. My first reaction when I heard just now was the one Jim had. Even it wasn’t due to his weight or heart, being overweight is just not healthy. 51 is too damn young. 

[mr jazz]

Damn. Saw him several times with different bands. Way too young RIP

[Soulstation1]

Rest Easy Joey D

Thanks for the music and memories 

❤️😢😢😢😢😢😢

[HutchFan]

Terrible news.  

R.I.P.

 

[clifford_thornton]

Sad news -- six years older than me.

[mjzee]

Sad news.  I saw him with Pat Martino, Billy Hart (?), and guest Eric Alexander at a benefit for Barney Kessel at Birdland.  Smokin' show.  Also enjoyed him on that documentary about the Hammond B-3.  RIP.

[Milestones]

R.I.P.

I didn't think he was quite that young.  I guess it's a good thing that he was out there and receiving recognition virtually as a youngster.

I really liked some of his stuff, especially his work on the Martino album and McLaughlin's Coltrane tribute.

 

[Jason Bivins]

My goodness, what shocking news. Amazing player and one year *younger* than me. Whew. Rest in peace, JD.

[mjzee]

I heard on SiriusXM that his father’s still alive.  Damn, that really hurts to have a child predecease a parent.  I wish the family well during this painful time.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Joey at the organ at Scullers. My buddy Bob took this shot.

[mrjazzman]

I feel like pure shit right now. Why, because I was starting to criticize him for his singing and trumpet playing.  DAM, 51?  I'm going straight to The Champ and Round Two my two favorites by Joey D.  Met him and his Wife (his  fiancée at the time) at Yoshi's a few years ago and saw his last appearance at Yoshi's. I'm in total shock right now...................

[felser]

6 hours ago, Milestones said:

I didn't think he was quite that young.  I guess it's a good thing that he was out there and receiving recognition virtually as a youngster.

 

 

He was 18 when his first album came out in 1989, and he was making waves years before that in the Philly area.

[sgcim]

Never heard him play a bad note, RIP.

[Soulstation1]

Three weeks ago 

 

 

[Niko]

5 hours ago, Soulstation1 said:

Three weeks ago 

 

 

Welcome back, it's been a while!

[Rooster_Ties]

10 hours ago, Soulstation1 said:

Three weeks ago 

SS1!  Good to have you back!!

[Guy Berger]

Really sad about Joey D but very overjoyed to have Soulstation back!!!

[Al in NYC]

What a tragedy.  I was fortunate enough to see Joey play several times.  He was always very popular in Detroit and played the festival there almost annually for a while back when my dad was involved there, always to great acclaim.  I also saw him play here in NYC and other places.  Most memorably a funky as hell show with Houston Person and a glowing late night with Bobby Hutcherson.  He was clearly a real craftsman and always attentive to his audiences and the history of his music, and on the couple of occasions I had to interact with him he was open, affable, and humorous.  What a loss for his wife and family, for his fellow musicians who clearly loved playing with him, and for his many many fans everywhere.  

I must say that I too was surprised to find that he was so young.  Perhaps because he's been on so prominently on the scene from such a young age, and played with so many accomplished senior musicians, in my mind he seemed quite a bit older than 51. Not to go too far into speculation, but I have to wonder if his recent swift and noticeable weight loss had something to do with his death.  We put such a big social and medical premium on just weight loss itself, but I have known several people who have suffered serious health damage from quick weight loss via drugs, crash diets, or surgery, including friends who have died.  

He will be very much missed, most especially by we fans of the organ groove of which he will always stand as one of the absolute masters.   

Bye Joey D.

Edited August 27, 2022 by Al in NYC

[clifford_thornton]

7 hours ago, Guy Berger said:

Really sad about Joey D but very overjoyed to have Soulstation back!!!

THIS!

[tranemonk]

Christian McBride posted a long note about this on his Instagram page... Joey and a few days after Jamie Branch's death at 39... Not a good week,

[felser]

6 hours ago, Al in NYC said:

I must say that I too was surprised to find that he was so young.  Perhaps because he's been on so prominently on the scene from such a young age, and played with so many accomplished senior musicians, in my mind he seemed quite a bit older than 51.

I can't verify, but this is on his Wikipedia page.  Pretty decent company for a 10 year old, eh?:

At the age of 10, DeFrancesco joined a band in Philadelphia that included jazz musicians Hank Mobley and Philly Joe Jones.

[MomsMobley]

On 8/26/2022 at 8:21 AM, JSngry said:

Was this weight-related? Heart attack or something?

For those of us who are in a constant battle with/against compulsive eating, this is a very sobering reminder that nothing is free. Not only that, but the bill always comes due.

RIP

Great Van, great band, great set... but when I first watched this, and numerous times after... Joey D, even playing as well he does, did not look long for this world. (Got the same feeling watching later years Wallace Roney, though at least he made 59.) Eff "acceptance": anyone who's friends with the morbidly obese / addicts knows they need help, support (they know it too, of course). Shame it seems Joey turned that corner & it was too late. Joey's two studio albums with Van very good too.

 

[Soulstation1]

Joey / Benson / Miller

❤️

[gmonahan]

I was traveling and only heard the news today on the SeriusXM jazz station. Total shock. I figured--hoped?--he'd be with us a good while longer. RIP.

 

 

gregmo