Joseph Albert Morello (July 17, 1928 – March 12, 2011) was an American jazz drummer best known for serving as the drummer for pianist

Dave Brubeck David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...

, as part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, from 1957 to 1972, including during the quartet's "classic lineup" from 1958 to 1968, which also included alto saxophonist Paul Desmond and bassist Eugene Wright. Morello's facility for playing unusual

time signature A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates th ...

s and rhythms enabled that group to record a series of albums that explored them. The most notable of these was the first in the series, the 1959 album '' Time Out'', which contained the hit songs " Take Five" and "

Blue Rondo à la Turk Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The term ''blue'' generally d ...

". In fact, "Take Five", the album's biggest hit (and the first jazz single to sell more than one million copies) was specifically written by Desmond as a way to showcase Morello's ability to play in time. Besides playing with Brubeck, Morello also served as an accompanist for other musicians, including Marian McPartland, Tal Farlow and

Gary Burton Gary Burton (born January 23, 1943) is an American jazz Vibraphone, 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 ...

, and recorded his own albums as well. He received numerous accolades during his life, including being named the best drummer by ''

Down Beat ''DownBeat'' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1 ...

'' magazine five years in a row.

Biography

Joe Morello was born in

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...

, United States to Joseph Morello and Lillian LaPalme. His father was a French emigrant from

Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionFrench Canada. Morello suffered from partial vision from birth, and devoted himself to indoor activities. At six years old, he began studying the violin. Three years later, he was a featured soloist with the

Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...

, playing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, and again three years later. At the age of 15, Morello met the violinist Jascha Heifetz and decided that he would never be able to equal Heifetz's "sound". Therefore, he switched to drumming, first studying with a show drummer named Joe Sefcik and then

George Lawrence Stone George Lawrence Stone (1886–1967) was an American drummer and author. He wrote the books ''Stick Control for the Snare Drummer'' (1935) and ''Accents and Rebounds for the Snare Drummer'' (1961). Among his students were Joe Morello, Gene Kr ...

, author of the noted drum textbook ''Stick Control for the Snare Drummer''. Stone was so impressed with Morello's ideas that he incorporated them into his next book, ''Accents & Rebounds'', which is dedicated to Morello. Later, Morello studied with

Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...

percussionist, Billy Gladstone. After moving to New York City, Morello worked with numerous notable jazz musicians including Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow,

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 ...

, Phil Woods, Sal Salvador, Marian McPartland,

Jay McShann James Columbus "Jay" McShann (January 12, 1916 – December 7, 2006) was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader. He led bands in Kansas City, Missouri, that included Charlie Parker, Bernard Anderson, Walter Brown, and B ...

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American jazz musician, most known as an alto saxophonist. He occasionally performed and recorded on tenor saxophone, clarinet (his first instrument) and bass clarinet. Active ...

, and

Howard McGhee Howard McGhee (March 6, 1918 – July 17, 1987) was one of the first American bebop jazz trumpeters, with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for his fast fingering and high notes. He had an influence on younger bebo ...

. After a period of playing in McPartland's trio, Morello declined invitations to join both

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...

and

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombone, trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-to ...

's bands, favoring a temporary two-month tour with the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1955. Morello remained with Brubeck for well over a decade, departing in 1967. Morello later became an in-demand clinician, teacher and bandleader, whose former students include

Danny Gottlieb Daniel Richard Gottlieb (born April 18, 1953) is an American drummer. He was a founding member of the Pat Metheny Group and was co-founder of Elements with Mark Egan. Biography Gottlieb was born in New York City on April 18, 1953. He took lesso ...

, TigerBill Meligari, Bruce Springsteen E Street Band drummer

Max Weinberg Max Weinberg (born April 13, 1951) is an American drummer and television personality, most widely known as the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and as the bandleader for Conan O'Brien on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' an ...

, Rich Galichon, Phish drummer Jon Fishman, Gary Feldman, Patrick Wante, Tony Woo, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons drummer Gerry Polci, Jerry Granelli, RIOT drummer Sandy Slavin, retired Army Blues drummer Steve Fidyk, Glenn Johnson, Pittsburgh drummer Bennett Carlise, ''Level System'' author and professional drummer Jeff W. Johnson, Jazz drummer John B. Riley, and Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres. Morello appeared in many Brubeck performances and contributed to over 60 albums with Brubeck. On " Take Five", he plays an imaginative drum solo maintaining the 5/4 time signature throughout. Another example of soloing in odd time signatures can be heard on " Unsquare Dance", in which he solos using only sticks without drums in 7/4 time. At the end of the track, he can be heard laughing about the "trick" ending. He also features on "

", " Strange Meadow Lark", "

Pick-Up Sticks Pick-up sticks, pick-a-stick, jackstraws, jack straws, spillikins, spellicans, or fiddlesticks is a game of physical and mental skill in which a bundle of sticks, between 8 and 20 centimeters long, is dropped as a loose bunch onto a table t ...

" and " Castilian Drums". During his career, Morello appeared on over 120 albums. He authored several drum books, including ''Master Studies'', published by Modern Drummer Publications, and also made instructional videos. Morello was the recipient of many awards, including ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...

'' magazine's best drummer award for seven years in a row, and ''

'' magazine's best drummer award five years in a row. He was elected to the '' Modern Drummer'' magazine Hall of Fame in 1988, the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1993, and was the recipient of Hudson Music's first TIP (Teacher Integration Program) Lifetime Achievement award in June, 2010. Morello had poor eyesight from birth and became blind in 197

Due to his visual impairment, he spent most of his later years teaching rather than primarily performing with bands. However, Morello participated in reunions with Dave Brubeck and the Marian McParland Trio in his later life. Morello died at his home in

Irvington, New Jersey Irvington is a Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 61,176, an increase of 7,250 (+13.4%) from the 2010 Uni ...

, on March 12, 2011, aged 82, and is interred at Saint Michael's Cemetery, Springfield, Massachusetts. Upon his death, Morello's wife Jean gave control of Joe Morello's memorabilia and collections to Marvin Burock, one of Joe's students, who had toured extensively with Morello and who was tasked with transcribing Morello's '' Modern Drummer'' articles for ten years.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

* '' Collections'' (Intro, 1957) with

Red Norvo Red Norvo (born Kenneth Norville; March 31, 1908 – April 6, 1999) was an American musician, one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone as jazz instruments. His recor ...

and Gerry Wiggins * ''Joe Morello'' (RCA Bluebird, 1961-62) (Issued in 1989 - Partially reissues ''It's About Time'') * ''It's About Time'' (

RCA RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded in 1919 as the Radio Corporation of America. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghou ...

, 1962) * ''Another Step Forward'' (Ovation, 1969) * ''Percussive Jazz'' (Ovation, 1977) * ''Going Places'' ( DMP, 1993) * ''Morello Standard Time'' (DMP, 1994)

As sideman

With

* 1957 '' Jazz Impressions of the U.S.A.'' * 1957 '' Dave Digs Disney'' * 1957 ''Reunion'' * 1958 ''Jazz Goes to Junior College'' * 1958 '' Jazz Impressions of Eurasia'' * 1958 ''

Newport 1958 ''Newport 1958'' is a 1958 album by Duke Ellington, recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival of that year and later in the Columbia recording studio. It was released two years after '' Ellington at Newport'', the 1956 album that led to Ellington's ...

'' * 1958 '' The Dave Brubeck Quartet in Europe'' * 1959 ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

'' * 1959 ''The Riddle'' * 1959 '' Time Out'' * 1960 '' Brubeck and Rushing'' * 1960 '' Brubeck à la mode'' * 1961 '' Take Five Live'' * 1961 '' Time Further Out'' * 1961 '' Tonight Only!'' * 1962 '' Countdown—Time in Outer Space'' * 1962 ''Music from West Side Story'' * 1962 ''

The Real Ambassadors ''The Real Ambassadors'' is a jazz musical developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Dave and Iola Brubeck, in collaboration with Louis Armstrong and his band. It addressed the Civil Rights Movement, the music business, America's place in t ...

'' * 1963 '' Bossa Nova U.S.A.'' * 1963 '' Brandenburg Gate: Revisited'' * 1963 ''Dave Brubeck Quartet in Amsterdam'' * 1961 ''Near-Myth'' * 1963 '' At Carnegie Hall'' * 1964 '' Dave Brubeck in Berlin'' * 1964 '' Jazz Impressions of Japan'' * 1964 '' Time Changes'' * 1965 '' Angel Eyes'' * 1965 '' Jazz Impressions of New York'' * 1965 ''The Canadian Concert of Dave Brubeck'' * 1966 '' My Favorite Things'' * 1966 '' Time In'' * 1966 '' Anything Goes: The Music of Cole Porter'' * 1967 '' Bravo! Brubeck!'' * 1967 ''Right Now!'' * 1967 '' The Last Time We Saw Paris'' * 1968 '' Jackpot!'' * 1971 ''Summit Sessions'' * 1972 ''Adventures in Time'' * 1973 ''On Campus'' * 1976 '' 25th Anniversary Reunion'' * 1988 ''The Great Concerts: Amsterdam Copenhagen Carnegie Hall'' * 1991 ''Live (1956–1957)'' * 1992 ''Live (1954 and 1959)'' * 1993 ''Someday My Prince Will Come'' * 1993 ''St. Louis Blues'' With

* 1961 '' New Vibe Man in Town'' * 1962 '' Who Is Gary Burton?'' With Tal Farlow * 1954 ''Tal Farlow Quartet'' * 1955 ''The Tal Farlow Album'' With Marian McPartland * 1952 ''Lullaby of Birdland'' * 1955 ''Marian McPartland in Concert'' *1955 ''Live At the Hickory House'' * 1956 ''After Dark'' * 1957 ''The Marian McPartland Trio'' * 2002 ''Live at Shanghai Jazz'' * 2003 ''All My Life'' With Gil Mellé *'' Gil Mellé Quintet/Sextet'' (Blue Note, 1953) *'' Gil Mellé Quintet with Urbie Green and Tal Farlow'' (Blue Note, 1953) With Sal Salvador * 1956 ''Shades of Sal Salvador'' *'' Juicy Lucy'' (Bee Hive, 1978) With Chuck Wayne *'' The Jazz Guitarist'' (Savoy, 1953

956 Year 956 ( CMLVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Emperor Constantine VII appoints Nikephoros Phokas to commander of the Byzantine field army (''Domestic o ...

With others * 1954 ''Jimmy Raney Quintet'',

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) a ...

*1956 ''The Middle Road'', Jimmy McPartland * 1957 ''Dream of You'',

Helen Merrill Helen Merrill (born Jelena Ana Milcetic; July 21, 1929) is an American jazz vocalist. Her first album, the eponymous 1954 recording ''Helen Merrill (album), Helen Merrill'' (with Clifford Brown on EmArcy), was an immediate success and associat ...

* 1957 ''Mr. Roberts Plays Guitar'',

Howard Roberts Howard Mancel Roberts (October 2, 1929 – June 28, 1992) was an American jazz guitarist, educator, and session musician. Early life Roberts was born in Phoenix, Arizona to Damon and Vesta Roberts, and began playing guitar at the age of 8 — a ...

* 1958 ''Sweet Paul Vol. 1'' Paul Desmond * 1961 ''Jazz Winds from a New Direction'',

Hank Garland Walter Louis Garland (November 11, 1930 – December 27, 2004), known professionally as Hank Garland, was an American guitarist and songwriter. He started as a country musician, played rock and roll as it became popular in the 1950s, and release ...

* 1977 ''Early Art'',

* 1979 ''

The Big Apple Bash ''The Big Apple Bash'' is an album by jazz pianist Jay McShann, recorded in 1978 and released by the Atlantic label. Reception The ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'' wrote that "McShann's vocals are nice and relaxed, a bit reminiscent of Hoagy Carmichael. ...

'',

* 1994 ''Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich'', Buddy Rich Big Band * 1994 ''The Gamut'', Robert Hohner * 1995 ''Two Facets of Louis: 1920-1950'',

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

* 1997 ''Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich Vol. 2'', Buddy Rich Big Band * 2000 ''Chega de Saudade'',

Stan Getz Stan Getz (born Stanley Gayetski; February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wis ...

* 2007 ''Sings the Ultimate American Songbook Vol. 1'',

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

Videography

*''Joe Morello – Drum Method 1: The Natural approach to Technique'' (DVD) Hot Licks 2006 *''Joe Morello – Drum Method 2: Around the Kit'' (DVD) Hot Licks 2006 *''Joe Morello, Danny Gottlieb: Natural Drumming Lessons 1&2'' (DVD) Mel Bay Publications, Inc. 2005 *''Joe Morello, Danny Gottlieb: Natural Drumming Lessons 3&4'' (DVD) Mel Bay Publications, Inc. 2006 *''Joe Morello, Danny Gottlieb: Natural Drumming Lessons 5&6'' (DVD) Mel Bay Publications, Inc. 2006 *''The Art of Playing with Brushes'' (DVD) Hudson Music LLC 2007

Bibliography

* ''New Directions in Rhythm: Studies in 3/4 and 5/4 Time'' 1963 * ''Off the Record: A Collection of Famous Drum Solos'' 1966 * ''Rudimental Jazz: A Modern Application of Rudiments to the Drum Outfit'' 1967 * ''Master Studies: Exercises for the Development of Control and Technique'' Modern Drummer Publications, Inc. 1983 * ''Master Studies II: More Exercises for the Development of Control and Technique'' Modern Drummer Publications, Inc. 2006 * ''Rudimental Jazz: A Musical Application of Rudiments to the Drumset'' including CD, Modern Drummer Publications, Classics Series 2010

References

External links

* *
Joe Morello
at Drummer Cafe *
Joe Morello Interview
at NAMM Oral History Collection
Rutgers Graduate Thesis on Joe Morello by his student Marvin Burock
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morello, Joe 1928 births 2011 deaths Entertainers from Irvington, New Jersey Musicians from Essex County, New Jersey Musicians from Springfield, Massachusetts American jazz drummers Jazz musicians from Massachusetts Dave Brubeck Quartet members