Joe Puma (August 13, 1927 – May 31, 2000) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

guitarist. Puma was born in the

Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York. His first professional experience came with

Joe Roland Joe Roland (May 17, 1920 – October 12, 2009) was an American jazz vibraphone, vibraphonist. Roland began as a Clarinet, clarinetist, attending the Institute of Musical Art (later known as the Juilliard School) from 1937 to 1939. He started on x ...

in 1949–50. He played in the band led by

Cy Coleman Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. Life and career Coleman was born Seymour Kaufman in New York City, to Ashkenazi, Eastern European Jewish parents, an ...

. He acted as a

session 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 reco ...

for many jazz musicians during the 1950s, including

Louie Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paolino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer ...

Artie Shaw Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...

's Gramercy Five,

Eddie Bert Edward Joseph Bertolatus (May 16, 1922 – September 27, 2012), also known as Eddie Bert, was an American jazz trombonist. Music career He was born in Yonkers, New York, United States. Bert received a degree and a teaching license from the Manha ...

Herbie Mann Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz Flute, flute player and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played tenor saxophone and clarinet ...

Mat Mathews Mat Mathews, born Mathieu Hubert Wijnandts Schwarts (June 18, 1924 – February 12, 2009), was a Dutch jazz accordionist. Early life Mathews was born in The Hague and learned to play accordion while the Netherlands was still under the Nazi r ...

Chris Connor Mary Jean Loutsenhizer, known professionally as Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 – August 29, 2009), was an American jazz singer. Biography Chris Connor was born Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri, to Clyde Loutsenhizer and Mabel Sh ...

, and

Paul Quinichette Paul Quinichette (May 17, 1916 – May 25, 1983) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was known as the "Vice President" or "Vice Prez" for his emulation of the breathy style of Lester Young, whose nickname was "The President", or simply "P ...

Lee Konitz Leon "Lee" Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist and composer. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's ass ...

, and

Dick Hyman Richard Hyman (born March 8, 1927) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Over a 70-year career, he has worked as a pianist, organist, arranger, music director, electronic musician, and composer. He was named a National Endowment for the Arts ...

; he also recorded extensively as a leader at this time. In the 1960s, he worked with

Morgana King Maria Grazia Morgana Messina (June 4, 1930 – March 22, 2018), better known as Morgana King, was an American jazz singer and actress.Liner notes by Joel Dorn – Morgana King album ''The Complete Reprise Recordings'' (2000).Liner notes by Ed Osb ...

Bobby Hackett Robert Leo Hackett (January 31, 1915 – June 7, 1976) was a versatile American jazz musician who played swing music, Dixieland jazz and mood music, now called easy listening, on trumpet, cornet, and guitar. He played Swing with the bands ...

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

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretati ...

, and between 1972 and 1977 he and

Chuck Wayne Chuck Wayne (February 27, 1923 – July 29, 1997) was an American jazz guitarist. He came to prominence in the 1940s, and was among the earliest jazz guitarists to play in the bebop style. Wayne was a member of Woody Herman's First Herd, the f ...

led an ensemble. He continued to perform and teach into the late 1990s.

Honors

In 1957 he won the New Star Award for Guitar from ''

Metronome Magazine ''Metronome'' was a music magazine published from January 1885 to December 1961. History Founding (1885) Bandmaster Arthur Albert Clappé (1850–1920) first published ''The Metronome'' in January 1885 for band leaders. In 1891, Harry Cole ...

''.

Discography

As leader

* ''Joe Puma'' (Bethlehem, 1954) * ''Wild Kitten'' (Dawn, 1957) * ''The Fourmost Guitars'' with

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 ...

Dick Garcia Dick Garcia (born May 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist. Career Garcia began to play the guitar aged nine. In 1950, he was a member of Tony Scott's quartet. From 1952, he worked with George Shearing, Charlie Parker, Joe Roland, Milt Buckn ...

(ABC-Paramount, 1957) * ''Jazz'' (Jubilee, 1958) * ''Like Tweet: Jazz Versions of Authentic Bird Calls'' (Columbia, 1961) * ''Interactions'' with Chuck Wayne (Choice, 1974) * ''Shining Hour'' with Hod O'Brien,

Red Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell (September 20, 1927 – November 8, 1992) was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet. Biography Mitchell was born in New York City. His younger brother, Whitey Mitchell, also became a jazz ...

(Reservoir, 1987) * ''It's a Blue World'' with Murray Wall, bass; Eddie Locke, drums (Euphoria, 1999)

As sideman

With

Louis Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paolino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer ...

* ''The Amazing Artistry of Louis Bellson'' (Norgran, 1954) * ''The Exciting Mr. Bellson'' (Norgran, 1954) * '' Skin Deep'' (Norgran, 1955) With

* ''This Is Chris'' (Bethlehem, 1955) * ''Chris'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * ''Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song'' (Atlantic, 1957) * ''A Jazz Date with Chris Connor'' (Atlantic, 1958) With

* ''Stretchin' Out'' (Muse, 1978) * ''Looking Through the Eyes of Love'' (Muse, 1981) * ''Portraits'' (Muse, 1984) * ''This is Always'' (Muse, 1994) With

* ''

Flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes () are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbe ...

'' (Bethlehem, 1955) * '' Herbie Mann Plays'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' Love and the Weather'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' The Herbie Mann-Sam Most Quintet'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' Flute Soufflé'' (Prestige, 1957) * '' Flute Flight'' (

Prestige Prestige may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films *Prestige (film), ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnett: woman travels to French Indochina to meet up with husband *The Prestige (film), ''The Prestige'' (fi ...

, 1957) * '' Salute to the Flute'' (Epic, 1957) * '' Yardbird Suite'' (Savoy, 1957) * '' The Jazz We Heard Last Summer'' (

Savoy Savoy (; )  is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south and west and to the Aosta Vall ...

, 1957) * '' Sultry Serenade'' ( Riverside, 1958) * ''Gone Native'' (Savoy, 1961) * ''When Lights Are Low'' (Portrait Masters, 1988) With

* ''Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five Album #3'' (Clef, 1954) * ''Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five Album #4'' (Clef, 1955) * ''The Last Recordings Rare & Unreleased'' (MusicMasters, 1991) * ''More Last Recordings: The Final Sessions'' (MusicMasters, 1993) With others *

, ''

Encore An encore is an additional performance given by performers at the conclusion of a show or concert, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford Universi ...

'' (Savoy, 1955) * Vinnie Burke, ''The Vinnie Burke All-Stars'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) *

, '' The Groovy Sound of Music'' (RCA, 1964) * Cándido Camero, ''Candido'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) * Cándido Camero, ''In Indigo'' (ABC-Paramount, 1958) *

King Curtis Curtis Montgomery (February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musi ...

, ''Have Tenor Sax, Will Blow'' (ATCO, 1959) * Don Elliott, ''The Don Elliott Quintet'' (RCA Victor, 1954) *

Bob Gibson Robert Gibson (November 9, 1935October 2, 2020), nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot", was an American baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1959 to 1975. Known for his fiercely competi ...

- ''Ski Songs'' (Elektra, 1959) *

Wycliffe Gordon Wycliffe A. Gordon (born May 29, 1967) is an American jazz trombonist, arranger, composer, band leader, and music educator at the collegiate-conservatory level. Gordon also sings and plays didgeridoo, trumpet, soprano trombone, tuba, and piano ...

, ''Blues of Summer'' *

, ''Swings Music from Whoop-Up'' (MGM, 1959) * Dick Hyman, ''Strictly Organ-ic!'' (MGM, 1960) *

Peter Ind Peter Ind (20 July 1928 – 20 August 2021) was a British jazz double bassist and record producer. Early life Ind was born in Middlesex. His father was a builder. Ind began to learn the violin at the age of eight and played in his school orches ...

, ''Looking Out'' (Esquire, 1960) *

Steve Lacy Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya (born May 23, 1998) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. He gained recognition as the guitarist of the alternative R&B band the Internet, which he joined in 2015. His self-produced debut EP, '' ...

, ''The Complete Whitey Mitchell Sessions'' *

, ''The Modern Art of Jazz by Mat Mathews'' (Dawn, 1956) *

, ''Woman Talk'' (Mainstream, 1966) *

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 ...

, ''Chasin' the Bird'' (Inner City, 1980) * Whitey Mitchell, ''Whitey Mitchell Sextette'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) * Marty Napoleon, ''Marty Napoleon and His Music'' (Stere-o-Craft 1958) * Bernard Peiffer, ''Bernie's Tunes'' (EmArcy, 1956) *

, ''

Joltin' Joe Roland ''Joltin' Joe Roland'' is an album by jazz vibraphonist Joe Roland which was released on the Savoy Records, Savoy label in 1955. The album was originally released as two 10-inch LPs recorded at three sessions, two from 1950 and 1954 released as ' ...

'' (Savoy, 1955) * Ralph Sharon, ''Easy Jazz Ralph Sharon's All-Star Sextet'' (London, 1955) * Sue & Ralph Sharon, ''Mr & Mrs Jazz'' (Bethlehem, 1957) *

Roy Smeck Leroy George Alfred "Roy" Smeck (6 February 1900 – 5 April 1994) was an American musician. His skill on the banjo, guitar, and ukulele earned him the nickname "The Wizard of the Strings". Background Smeck was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. ...

, ''The Magic Ukulele of Roy Smeck, Wizard of the Strings'' (ABC-Paramount, 1959) * Kirby Stone Four, ''Frank Loesser's Broadway Hit Guys & Dolls'' (Columbia, 1962) * Sir Charles Thompson, ''Rockin' Rhythm'' (Columbia, 1961) * Warren Vaché Jr., '' Horn of Plenty'' (Muse, 1993) *

Mal Waldron Malcolm Earl "Mal" Waldron (August 16, 1925 – December 2, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He started playing professionally in New York in 1950, after graduating from college. In the following dozen years or so Wa ...

, ''Soul Eyes: The Mal Waldron Memorial Album'' *

Webster Young Webster English Young (December 3, 1932 – December 13, 2003) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist. Born in Columbia, South Carolina, and raised in Washington, D.C., Young was known for his lyrical playing, and performed with John Coltr ...

, '' For Lady'' (Prestige, 1957)

References

External links

Discography at Jazz Disco
* Joe Puma at AllMusic {{DEFAULTSORT:Puma, Joe 1927 births 2000 deaths 20th-century American guitarists American session musicians American jazz guitarists Musicians from the Bronx Jazz musicians from New York City American male guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Reservoir Records artists