Joey DeFrancesco RIP

[Gheorghe]

I heard somewhere, that he also had played with Miles, is that true ? That´s when I first heard or read his name.

[sidewinder]

2 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

I heard somewhere, that he also had played with Miles, is that true ?

Yes. Also on one of the albums.

[mhatta]

2 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

I heard somewhere, that he also had played with Miles, is that true ? That´s when I first heard or read his name.

He was a member of Davis group in 1988.  He played synth on "Human Nature" in Live Around The World (Warner).  He was also featured on a bootleg known as Indigo Blues.

 

[Jazzmonkie]

Around 1999 or 2000 he played 2 nights at local club the Rhythm Room. I opted to go the 2nd night figuring it wouldn't be as crowded. Got to the club early to get a good seat and there was no one there except the guy selling admission, the bartender and one guy at the bar. We were the only ones there when the show began. Joey played like it was a packed house. About 30 minutes into the first set his wife and a few of their neighbors come in. His wife was really insulted that the house was empty. She and her party ordered pizza delivered to the club. Glad I was able to see him in such an "intimate" venue but I was too embarassed to talk to him afterward. I think the cover was $10 or $15.

[felser]

45 minutes ago, Jazzmonkie said:

Around 1999 or 2000 he played 2 nights at local club the Rhythm Room. I opted to go the 2nd night figuring it wouldn't be as crowded. Got to the club early to get a good seat and there was no one there except the guy selling admission, the bartender and one guy at the bar. We were the only ones there when the show began. Joey played like it was a packed house. About 30 minutes into the first set his wife and a few of their neighbors come in. His wife was really insulted that the house was empty. She and her party ordered pizza delivered to the club. Glad I was able to see him in such an "intimate" venue but I was too embarassed to talk to him afterward. I think the cover was $10 or $15.

Events like that are sad.  I saw Andrew Hill solo at the Walnut St. Theatre in Philly in the 70's, and less than 20 people showed up.  Tragic and insulting.  Juju at the Ethical Society in the 70's was also very sparsely attended from memory.  Both times, the music was magnificent.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

18 minutes ago, felser said:

Events like that are sad.  I saw Andrew Hill solo at the Walnut St. Theatre in Philly in the 70's, and less than 20 people showed up.  Tragic and insulting.  Juju at the Ethical Society in the 70's was also very sparsely attended from memory.  Both times, the music was magnificent.

The saddest one I saw was when Toshiko Akiyoshi came into Boston to play with her quartet, which included her husband Lew Tabackin on tenor. There were probably 20 people in the crowd. Great show that very few saw. I don't think she ever came through again after that show.

Actually, now that I think about it, I once went to see Jeremy Pelt's quintet play at the Equinox Jazz Festval in Boston in the early 00's (the festival ran from 2001-03) and there were about 10 people in the crowd... and this was in a very large performance space. I was not surprised when that festival went bankrupt in 2004.

I was spinning Joey D's "Organic Vibes" earlier today. If you haven't heard this, you should try to pick up a copy.

[mrjazzman]

On 8/27/2022 at 11:01 AM, Al in NYC said:

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.

To be blunt, I think the family should tell us what happened to our beloved Joey D. Might encourage others to avoid some things or change some things............

[CJ Shearn]

Wikipedia's stating heart attack. Apparently he had numerous health issues 

[Soulstation1]

Yes Godfather 

🎹 🎹 

[Soulstation1]

 

[Soulstation1]

WKRC tribute till 9pm today 

Joey lived up in Scottsdale Az

I had some brief convos on faceback with him 

I was always telling him to come back down to Tucson 

 

[mrjazzman]

I have all 30+ of Joey's leader CD's and since he's left us I said to myself ok, lets get into the sideman dates and boy, what a treasure trove. 

Paul Bollenback, Randy Johnston, Dan Adler, Tony Monaco, Van Morrison, Troy Roberts, Doug Raney, Steve Gadd, David Sanborn, CINQUE, Mimi Fox, Pat Martino, Papa John DeFrancesco, Poncho Sanchez, Dave Stryker, Andy Summers, John McLaughlin, Kenny Burrell. Christian McBride, Mort Weiss.  It's obvious  he liked Guitarists. Some of this stuff I'm hearing for the first time.   IMHO, Joey DeFrancesco has surpassed Jimmy Smith as the GOAT on the Hammond B3.

Edited September 5, 2022 by mrjazzman

[Rabshakeh]

3 hours ago, mrjazzman said:

IMHO, Joey DeFrancesco has surpassed Jimmy Smith as the GOAT on the Hammond B3.

That's fighting talk.

Go in, then. What are your favourite three of his sideman dates?

[mr jazz]

6 hours ago, mrjazzman said:

I have all 30+ of Joey's leader CD's and since he's left us I said to myself ok, lets get into the sideman dates and boy, what a treasure trove. 

Paul Bollenback, Randy Johnston, Dan Adler, Tony Monaco, Van Morrison, Troy Roberts, Doug Raney, Steve Gadd, David Sanborn, CINQUE, Mimi Fox, Pat Martino, Papa John DeFrancesco, Poncho Sanchez, Dave Stryker, Andy Summers, John McLaughlin, Kenny Burrell. Christian McBride, Mort Weiss.  It's obvious  he liked Guitarists. Some of this stuff I'm hearing for the first time.   IMHO, Joey DeFrancesco has surpassed Jimmy Smith as the GOAT on the Hammond B3.

Add the wonderful Relentless with Danny Gatton.

[felser]

8 hours ago, mrjazzman said:

IMHO, Joey DeFrancesco has surpassed Jimmy Smith as the GOAT on the Hammond B3.

Charles Earland for me.  But DeFrancesco was outstanding, just often shot himself in the foot with the trumpet and the vocals (or CBS did him in early on with the overproduction and the poor repertoire).  But Jimmy Smith single-handedly invented the whole style (in a warehouse less than five miles from my house), and all credit due to him.  Everyone else except maybe BN and later Larry Young was refinement and extension of Smith's invention.  Waiting for the incoming flack, but that's my line of sight.

[mjzee]

36 minutes ago, felser said:

Everyone else except maybe BN and later Larry Young was refinement and extension of Smith's invention.

BN?  Whozzat?

[JSngry]

[felser]

16 minutes ago, mjzee said:

BN?  Whozzat?

"Blue Note and later Larry Young", so not his early Prestige dates.

[mjzee]

7 minutes ago, felser said:

"Blue Note and later Larry Young", so not his early Prestige dates.

Ah, I now see.  Thanks.

[mrjazzman]

16 hours ago, mr jazz said:

Add the wonderful Relentless with Danny Gatton.

I also forgot Terry Gibbs-Feelin' Good Live In Studio- and I'm sure others.

14 hours ago, felser said:

Charles Earland for me.  But DeFrancesco was outstanding, just often shot himself in the foot with the trumpet and the vocals (or CBS did him in early on with the overproduction and the poor repertoire).  But Jimmy Smith single-handedly invented the whole style (in a warehouse less than five miles from my house), and all credit due to him.  Everyone else except maybe BN and later Larry Young was refinement and extension of Smith's invention.  Waiting for the incoming flack, but that's my line of sight.

No flack here. So there's no misunderstanding, I loved this guy, I  have all his leader dates, some sideman dates and am collecting the rest But I  hated his singing, trumpet playing and then even the tenor sax. Not that he didn't sound great on those other instruments because he did. It's just that for every minute he was playing the other instruments, he's wasn't striking the HB3 keys. The sound of his organ to me is what heroin is to a junkie

[mrjazzman]

20 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:

That's fighting talk.

Go in, then. What are your favourite three of his sideman dates?

LOL,  Pat Martino Live At Yoshi's, Randy Johnston Detour Ahead, John McLaughlin After The Rain

[clifford_thornton]

On 8/29/2022 at 0:00 PM, bresna said:

The saddest one I saw was when Toshiko Akiyoshi came into Boston to play with her quartet, which included her husband Lew Tabackin on tenor. There were probably 20 people in the crowd. Great show that very few saw. I don't think she ever came through again after that show.

Actually, now that I think about it, I once went to see Jeremy Pelt's quintet play at the Equinox Jazz Festval in Boston in the early 00's (the festival ran from 2001-03) and there were about 10 people in the crowd... and this was in a very large performance space. I was not surprised when that festival went bankrupt in 2004.

I was spinning Joey D's "Organic Vibes" earlier today. If you haven't heard this, you should try to pick up a copy.

Sad to hear that people didn't show.

However, booking concerts upstate and in the city for several years now I can tell you that there is no magic 8 ball for turnout. Some things I think nobody will show up to are packed, and bills that feel legendary to me produce crickets. My promotion strategy hasn't changed -- actually it's better now -- but you really never know what will happen.

[mrjazzman]

On 9/5/2022 at 9:36 AM, felser said:

Charles Earland for me.  But DeFrancesco was outstanding, just often shot himself in the foot with the trumpet and the vocals (or CBS did him in early on with the overproduction and the poor repertoire).  But Jimmy Smith single-handedly invented the whole style (in a warehouse less than five miles from my house), and all credit due to him.  Everyone else except maybe BN and later Larry Young was refinement and extension of Smith's invention.  Waiting for the incoming flack, but that's my line of sight.

Yea, incoming flack can be a problem, I've had my fair share here. That's why I'm not here often, I'm allergic to flack but I agree with everything you said, no flack from me.   Can you imagine Long Tall Dexter Gordon coming on stage with a Guitar. And then have some guy play his sax while he's playing the guitar? I literally hated when he played the trumpet, started singing, and the saxophone with another guy playing his organ. If I could ask him one question it would be  why.  He was aware of fans criticism regarding the other instruments. Was he trying to prove something?

[JSngry]

Some people like the notion of being an all-around entertainer.

[clifford_thornton]

It worked out fine for Ornette...