Joe Comfort (July 18, 1917 – October 29, 1988) was an American jazz double bassist.

Biography

A native of Los Angeles who was raised in Watts, Joe Comfort was taught trombone by his father and began his musical career with the Woodman Brother's who like Joe were also from Watts. Joe and the Woodman's used to toss their instruments in the air catching each other's woods and reeds performing extensively all over Los Angeles. In the 1940s Joe played bass in the

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, and bandleader. He worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, an ...

band up until Joe was drafted for war, training at Fort Rucker, Alabama and then serving in the US Army band that went to France. Upon return, Joe worked with

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

which included extensive travel across the US and in Europe and featured on many recordings including Nat's iconic hit, Nature Boy. Joe also worked separately with Cole's guitarist,

Oscar Moore Oscar Frederic Moore (December 25, 1916 – October 8, 1981) was an American jazz guitarist with the Nat King Cole Trio. Career The son of a blacksmith, Moore was born in Austin, Texas, United States. The Moore family moved to Phoenix, Ariz ...

. Beginning in the 1950s, he was a

studio musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a record ...

who recorded soundtracks and pop music with

Nelson Riddle Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many vocalists at Capitol Records, including ...

, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald

Discography

As sideman

With

Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me (Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccin ...

* 1961 '' Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle!'' * 1963 ''

Love Love is a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment (psychology), attachment to a person, animal, or thing. It is expressed in many forms, encompassing a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most su ...

'' With

Buddy Collette William Marcel "Buddy" Collette (August 6, 1921 – September 19, 2010) was an American jazz flutist, saxophonist, and clarinetist. He was a founding member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet. Early life William Marcel Collette was born in ...

* 1956 ''

Man of Many Parts ''Man of Many Parts'' is an album by multi-instrumentalist and composer Buddy Collette recorded at sessions in 1956 and released on the Contemporary label.

'' (Contemporary) * 1958 '' Buddy Collette's Swinging Shepherds'' (EmArcy) With

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

* 1963 ''

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book'' is a 1963 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald accompanied by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle. The album focuses on the songs of the composer Jerome Ke ...

'' * 1984 ''

The Stockholm Concert, 1966 ''The Stockholm Concert, 1966'' is a 1966 (see 1966 in music) live album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied in part by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The recording remained unreleased until 1984. It is notable as the last ...

'' with

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

With

Gerald Wiggins Gerald Foster Wiggins (May 12, 1922 – July 13, 2008) was an American jazz pianist and organist. Early life Wiggins was born in New York City on May 12, 1922.Vacher, Pete"Wiggins, Gerry" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'' (2nd edition). G ...

* 1953 ''Gerald Wiggins Trio'' * 1957 ''Wiggin' with Wig'' * 1961 ''Relax and Enjoy It'' With Nancy Wilson * 1960 '' Something Wonderful'' * 1963 '' Broadway – My Way'' With others * 1954 ''Musical Sounds Are the Best Sounds'',

Mel Tormé Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed "the Velvet Fog", was an American musician, singer, composer, arrangement, arranger, drummer, actor, and author. He composed the music for "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roa ...

* 1954 ''The Oscar Moore Quartet with Carl Perkins'',

* 1955 ''

In the Land of Hi-Fi with Georgie Auld and His Orchestra ''In the Land of Hi-Fi with Georgie Auld and His Orchestra'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist and bandleader Georgie Auld featuring tracks recorded in 1955 and released on the EmArcy label.Georgie Auld Georgie Auld (May 19, 1919 – January 8, 1990) was a jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader. Early years Auld was born John Altwerger in Toronto, Canada, and moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1929. Before the family left Canada, Auld ...

(EmArcy) * 1955 ''

It's All Over but the Swingin' ''It's All Over but the Swingin'' is a 1957 album by Sammy Davis Jr., arranged by Jack Pleis and Morty Stevens. Track listing # "Guess I'll Hang My Tears out to Dry" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 4:43 # " But Not for Me" (George Gershwin, Ira ...

'',

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, actor, comedian, dancer, and musician. At age two, Davis began his career in Vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the Will Mastin Trio, which t ...

(Decca) * 1956 ''More Harry James in Hi-Fi'',

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band to great commercial success from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947, but ...

* 1957 ''Ernie Andrews'',

Ernie Andrews Ernest Mitchell Andrews Jr. (December 25, 1927 – February 21, 2022) was an American jazz, blues, and pop singer. Life and career Andrews was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Los Angeles, and is said to have been discovered b ...

* 1958 '' Aspects'',

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

* 1959 '' Jump for Joy'',

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spanned seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local r ...

* 1959 ''T-Bone Blues'',

T-Bone Walker Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker (May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) was an American blues musician, composer, songwriter and bandleader, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues, West Coast blues, and electric blues sounds. In 2018 ''R ...

(Atlantic) * 1960 ''First'',

Oscar Pettiford Oscar Pettiford (September 30, 1922 – September 8, 1960) was an American jazz double bassist and composer. He was one of the earliest musicians to work in the bebop idiom. Jazz bassist Christian McBride called Pettiford "probably the most imp ...

* 1961 ''Al Hibbler Sings the Blues: Monday Every Day'',

Al Hibbler Albert George Hibbler (August 16, 1915 – April 24, 2001) was an American baritone vocalist, who sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra before having several pop hits as a solo artist. Some of Hibbler's singing is classified as rhythm and blu ...

(Reprise) * 1962 ''

Sarah + 2 ''Sarah + 2'' is a 1962 studio album by American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan. This was Vaughan's second album with just guitar and double bass accompaniment, following 1961's '' After Hours''. Reception The Allmusic review by John Bush awarded t ...

'',

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (, March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "List of nicknames of jazz musicians, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

(Roulette) * 1962 ''Warm & Wild'',

Vic Dana Samuel Mendola (born August 26, 1942, Buffalo, New York, United States), known professionally as Vic Dana, is an American singer, dancer and actor. Biography Discovered by Sammy Davis Jr., Dana was an excellent male dancer, particularly in Tap ...

* 1964 '' Sweets for the Sweet Taste of Love'',

Harry Edison Harry "Sweets" Edison (October 10, 1915 – July 27, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. His most important contribution was as a Hollywood studio musician, whose muted trumpet can be heard back ...

(Vee-Jay) * 1964 ''

Kenton / Wagner ''Kenton / Wagner'' is an album by the Stan Kenton Orchestra performing jazz arrangements of Richard Wagner's compositions recorded in 1964 and released by Capitol Records.Vosbein, PStan Kenton Discographyaccessed June 9, 2016 Reception The All ...

'',

Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though ...

(Capitol) * 1964 '' Get Ready, Set, Jump!!!'',

Junior Mance Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. (October 10, 1928 – January 17, 2021), known as Junior Mance, was an American jazz pianist and composer. Biography Early life (1928–1947) Mance was born in Evanston, Illinois. When he was five years old, Mance st ...

(Capitol) * 1965 ''

L-O-V-E "L-O-V-E" is a song written by Bert Kaempfert and Milt Gabler, recorded by Nat King Cole for his 1965 studio album '' L-O-V-E''. Composition and background The song was composed by Bert Kaempfert with lyrics by Milt Gabler, and produced b ...

'',

(Capitol) * 1967 ''That Man, Robert Mitchum, Sings'',

Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He is known for his antihero roles and film noir appearances. He received nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. He received a star on the Holl ...

(Monument) * 1976 ''Memoirs'',

Irving Ashby Irving Conrad Ashby (December 29, 1920 – April 22, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist. Ashby was born in Somerville, Massachusetts and started playing guitar when he was nine. His career started in 1940 when he became a member of Lionel Ha ...

(Accent)

Posthumous

* 2003 ''Harry Edison Quartet at the Haig 1953'',

(Fresh Sound)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Comfort, Joe 1917 births 1988 deaths American jazz double-bassists American male double-bassists 20th-century American double-bassists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians King Cole Trio members