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Joe La Barbera
Joe La Barbera has performed all over the world with some of the finest names in jazz since his arrival on the scene. From his first professional appearance at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas with Frankie Randall and the Buddy Rich band in 1968 to his work with jazz great Bill Evans and up to the present, he has always been in demand by world class artists and has always been regarded by his peers as a tasteful, musical drummer and a supportive accompanist. Bill Evans summed it up best when he said: “Joe is very dedicated to playing quality music and he’s willing to make the concessions of dues toward that end. He’s a top soloist and he does the right thing at the right time”.
Born in Mt. Morris, New York, on February 22, 1948, his first musical experiences began at home as part of the family band with his parents and two older brothers, saxophonist Pat and trumpeter and arranger/composer John La Barbera. He received a solid foundation in drumming as well as lessons on clarinet and saxophone from his father starting at 5 years of age. After high school, his education continued at the Berklee College of Music in Boston where his teachers included John LaPorta, Charlie Mariano, Herb Pomeroy and the great Alan Dawson.
Following Berklee and two years with the 173rd U.S. Army band at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Joe began his professional career on the road with Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd. The Chuck Mangione Quartet followed with gigs ranging from jazz clubs with the small group to symphony halls with full orchestra. Then it was on to New York and a fruitful two-year period of freelancing with Jim Hall, Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Gary Burton, Art Pepper, John Scofield, Don Sebesky, Bob Brookmeyer and Toots Thielmans to name just a few.
In 1978 Joe was asked to join Bill Evans in what was to become a landmark trio. Along with bassist Marc Johnson, the trio grew over a two-year period to become one of Evans’ finest. After Bill’s untimely death in 1980, Joe joined world renowned singer Tony Bennett recording some of Tony’s finest albums including “The Art of Excellence”.
In 1987, Joe took up residence in Los Angeles, and immediately became involved in a wide range of music. During this period he worked and recorded with a Who’s Who of West Coast giants like Conte Candoli, Bud Shank, Bill Perkins, Lanny Morgan, Jack Nimitz, Lou Levy and Teddy Edwards. On the International scene he has recorded and toured with “Bassline” (a group with Hein Van de Geyn and John Abercrombie) Kenny Wheeler, Rosario Giuliani, Eddie Gomez, Enrico Perinunzi, Phillip Catherine J.M.O.G.(a cooperative group with brother Pat La Barbera) and numerous projects with the W.D.R. Big Band in Cologne. Joe is a regular visitor to Japan with his own groups as well as a featured sideman.
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John La Barbera Big Band: Grooveyard
by Jack Bowers
Composer/arranger John La Barbera has been at the top of his game for more than half a century, and Grooveyard is simply another example of his undiminished artistry. Besides arranging everything--superbly, as always--La Barbera wrote six of the session's ten charming songs, escorting other treasures by Carl Perkins, Dave Brubeck, Curtis Fuller and Elvin Jones. As he writes his handsome and colorful big-band charts, La Barbera is always careful to observe Rule No. 1: they have to ...
read moreJoe La Barbera: World Travelers
by Dave Linn
Drummer Joe La Barbera has an extensive and impressive resume. At the age of 20, he played in the second drum chair for the Buddy Rich Big Band before driving the 1972 stellar lineup of Woody Herman's Thundering Herd. In 1978, he was offered the prestigious opportunity to be part of the acclaimed (and what turned out to be the final) line-up of the Bill Evans Trio, where he stayed until the pianist's tragic death in 1980. Later, gigs with ...
read moreThe John La Barbera Big Band: Grooveyard
by Nicholas F. Mondello
The geometry, if you will, of a terrific big band recording is such that the three major elements--the players, the arrangements, and the performance--balance in every regard. Grooveyard from the John La Barbera Big Band is such an offering. The album features ten masterfully selected, arranged, and performed selections, each containing outstanding section, solo, and ensemble playing. Wes Montgomery's “Grooveyard" launches a hip, swinging first course in which tenor man Pat La Barbera and guitarist Brandon Coleman ...
read moreRoberta Gambarini: Easy To Love
by Richard J Salvucci
In 2007, All About Jazz reviewer Michael Caratti wrote: “This debut outing from Roberta Gambarini sees the Italian-born jazz vocalist pair up with two star-studded rhythm sections and legendary tenor saxophonist James Moody, to present what has to be one of the best vocal jazz albums of the decade. Opening with Cole Porter's classic title track Gambarini's exquisite tone and masterful rhythmic phrasing are immediately on display in the first a capella section. The gradual addition of bass and brushes ...
read moreSam First Records: Live Jazz on Vinyl
by Jim Worsley
Four short years ago I had the pleasure of attending and putting pen to paper (well, not literally anymore) about Sam First, jny: Los Angeles' hottest new jazz, haunt, which had made a splash on the city's jazz scene. Subsequent visits further validated the hip vibe of modernism combined with vintage jazz. To say that the formula has worked is quite the understatement. The atmosphere and acoustics allow jazz to be presented and heard the way it was meant to ...
read moreJoe La Barbera Quintet: World Travelers
by Jim Worsley
February is surely a bit early in the year to be talking about the best live recording released in 2023. Still, when you have your socks blown off, time of year is of little concern. Drumming icon Joe La Barbera is back, and in a big way. The pendulum has swung and La Barbera's Quintet was swinging like some hep cats in a small club back in the '50s. It has been some time since La Barbera's last recording. This ...
read moreNica Carrington: Times Like These
by Richard J Salvucci
Every once in a while you chance on a singer and think, “This is a find." Some people barely knew that Julie London was a singer—she didn't consider herself one, certainly—but she had a lovely voice, did not embellish the lyrics, told a story, and got out of the way. She was one of those 1950s signers who really never registered, unless you happened to focus on her looks, which distracted from her talent. So now one thinks, “She should ...
read moreJazz Musician of the Day: Joe La Barbera
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Joe La Barbera's birthday today!
Joe La Barbera has performed all over the world with some of the finest names in jazz since his arrival on the scene. From his first professional appearance at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas with Frankie Randall and the Buddy Rich band in 1968 to his work with jazz great Bill Evans and up to the present, he has always been in demand by world class artists and has ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe La Barbera
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Joe La Barbera's birthday today!
Joe La Barbera has performed all over the world with some of the finest names in jazz since his arrival on the scene. From his first professional appearance at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas with Frankie Randall and the Buddy Rich band in 1968 to his work with jazz great Bill Evans and up to the present, he has always been in demand by world class artists and has ...
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Interview: Joe La Barbera on Bill Evans
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
There's much to say about the final Bill Evans Trio. Formed in early 1979, with Marc Johnson on bass and Joe La Barbera on drums, the trio was at times stormy, brooding and always deeply passionate. Many of their live recordings were strong and revealing, particularly performances in Buenos Aires and Paris and at Iowa's Maintenance Shop and New York's Village Vanguard. As Evans sailed slowly and purposefully toward his final days in September 1980, Marc and Joe were in ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Joe La Barbera
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Joe La Barbera's birthday today!
Joe La Barbera has performed all over the world with some of the finest names in jazz since his arrival on the scene. From his first professional appearance at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas with Frankie Randall and the Buddy Rich band in 1968 to his work with jazz great Bill Evans and up to the present, he has always been in demand by world class artists and has ...
read more
Sid Jacobs, Joe La Barbera, Darek Oles - "Three In One" Available Now On CD, WAV, FLAC & MP3 From Art Of Life Records
Source:
Art of Life Records
Art of Life Records is pleased to present guitarist Sid Jacobs’ new trio album, Three in One, featuring Joe La Barbera (Bill Evans, Joe Farrell, Chuck Mangione) on drums and Darek Oles (Peter Erskine, Brad Mehldau, Alan Pasqua) on acoustic bass. The album features many well-known Jazz Standards from composers George & Ira Gershwin and DuBose & Dorothy Heyward: “There’s a Boat That’s Leaving Soon for New York”, “It Ain’t Necessarily So”, “I Loves You Porgy”, “Summertime”, “Bess You is ...
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Pianist Roberta Piket Revisits Jazz Trio Format With The April 6 Release Of "West Coast Trio," Featuring Joe La Barbera & Darek Oleszkiewicz
Source:
Terri Hinte Publicity
Roberta Piket, one of the most virtuosic and versatile pianists on the current international jazz scene, revisits the iconic jazz piano trio format with the April 6 release of West Coast Trio on her label Thirteenth Note Records. Joining Piket is the consummate rhythm section of drummer Joe La Barbera and bassist Darek Oleszkiewicz—part of the vibrant West Coast jazz scene centered in metro-Los Angeles and whose presence inspired the album’s title. Guitarist Larry Koonse guests on two tracks. In ...
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Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Joe La Barbera, Sheila Jordan, Dave Liebman, Lage Lund @ Roma Jazz's Cool 2011
Source:
Giorgia Mileto
ROMA JAZZ'S COOL VII edition July 11th -17th 2011 Registrations to the VII edition of ROMA JAZZ'S COOL—full immersion of top level jazz workshops, managed by Saint Louis College of Music of Rome—are now open. The 2011 edition will be from July 11th to 17th 2011. The well-known names of International jazz who confirmed their participation: DANILO PEREZ, piano—SHEILA JORDAN, vocals—JOHN PATITUCCI, bass and double bass—JOE LA BARBERA, drums—LAGE LUND, guitar—DAVE LIEBMAN, sax, impro and combos. This 7th edition will ...
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The Melodic Joe LaBarbera
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
In conversation with a casual listener who said he wanted to know more about jazz, I mentioned that the creation of melody in improvisation is not limited to what are generally considered melody instruments. I said that some drummers play melodic, even lyrical, solos. “What do you mean?" he said, clearly puzzled. I tried, rather clumsily, I'm afraid, to explain that through combinations of phrasing, dynamics and tone control, a drummer who is so inclined (not all are) can create ...
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Mark Kramer and Joe La Barbera Tour Eight Cities in Italy with Eddie Gomez Trio
Source:
All About Jazz
Eddie Gomez (contrabbasso); Mark Kramer (pianoforte); Joe La Barbera (batteria) will be performing at major festivals and concert halls in a tour including 8 cities in Italy in April 2010. The planners of the tour suggested this unusual edition of the Eddie Gomez Trio for performances which they describe as jazz of “great beauty, transcending all temporal boundaries."
This pairing of the trio's leader Eddie Gomez (the pivotal virtuoso bassist who is the most recorded and enduring associate of the ...
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Devin Kelly
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Grooveyard
From: GrooveyardBy Joe La Barbera
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Joe La Barbera
Location: Los Angeles
Instrument: Drums
Born: February 22, 1948
