Joey Defrancesco, widely credited with reviving the organ in jazz in recent decades, has died. he was 51 years old.
His wife, Gloria, posted the news of his death on Facebook on Friday.
Defrancesco had a musical talent in his genes. His father John his De Francesco has been playing jazz his organ since the 1950s. In his teenage years, he had audiences mesmerizing.
“Defrancesco — whose infectious, twisted expression is as much fun to watch as it is to hear — strides, flattens fifths, bard, diz, monk, miles. A quote from The Philadelphia Daily News’ Gene Seymour can be strung together with eight degrees of sophistication: The Settlement Jazz Orchestra at Philadelphia’s Settlement School of Music, where young Defrancesco was a student. I wrote in 1986 after observing the ensemble.
“And all the time you see and hear,” added Seymour. “He’s 15!”“
Within two years, Defrancesco toured with Miles Davis and opened for Bobby McFerrin and Grover Washington Jr. The Monk Institute of Jazz is about to open.
“Older musicians smiled and whispered words of encouragement when Mr. Defrancesco played Duke Ellington’s ‘Sophisticated Lady,'” Jonathan Plover wrote of the show in The New York Times. I’m here. “The clear impression is that Mr. Defrancesco was an example of hope on the road to fulfillment.”
Indeed, he had a formidable career path that included over 30 recordings as a bandleader, numerous recordings as a sideman, and countless concerts. In the process, he brought the organ back into the jazz craze.
The Hammond B3 organ became popular in the jazz world in the 1950s, spearheaded by Jimmy Smith, who released numerous hit albums on the Blue Note label. However, in 1975 Hammond ceased manufacturing the instrument, and the trend for jazz organ his bass trio in his clubs faded.
Mr. DeFrancesco was a multi-instrumentalist. He also played trumpet, saxophone, piano and synthesizer. But he’s made a career out of his old-school B3.
“I love synthesizers and play them all, but nothing beats the sound of the B3,” he told the Associated Press in 1991. There is contrast. It contains all emotions. In it you will find a small part of all musical instruments. It’s like having an entire orchestra at your fingertips. “
Defrancesco’s first album, All of Me, was released in 1989, and his musical interests have spanned dozens of albums since. He recorded his own original music. His 2004 album was called ‘Joey DeFrancesco Plays Sinatra His Way’. His 2010 song “Never Can Say Goodbye” is a reimagining of Michael Jackson’s music. He has also collaborated on albums with Van Morrison, guitarist Danny Gatton and others.
Bassist Christian McBride knew Mr. Defrancesco from his time at Settlement School.
“Joey Defrancesco was arguably the most creative and influential organist since Jimmy Smith. There were no people.”
Seymour, who wrote about DeFrancesco as a teenager in Philadelphia decades ago and later became a Newsday critic, recalled DeFrancesco in a Facebook post on Friday.
“His meteoric rise to fame did not surprise me at all,” he wrote. “Over time it was how deeply and thoroughly he mastered the jazz organ tradition, at all ends of the musical spectrum, from blues and funk to post-bop and avant-garde spells.” Never stopped, never complacent, fulfilled the obligations of his vocation.”
DeFrancesco was born on April 10, 1971 in Springfield, near Philadelphia. He quickly chose his career path.
“When I was four years old, my dad brought this giant B3 and turned it on,” he told the Boston Herald in 1994. I started playing it and the sound got me going. I was very lucky that at the age of four I was able to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. “
Of course, he believed his father to be his first influence.
“Nothing makes me happier than having a father who plays the same instrument as I do,” he said. “The music he listened to since he was born was jazz.”
Happiness helped propel his career forward.As a teenager, he appeared on a local TV show in Philadelphia, with Miles Davis as a guest.This veteran jazzman was so impressed that DeFrancesco toured with him for six months.
He steadily released albums, five of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. Most recently, it includes “In the Key of the Universe” (2019). On his latest album ‘More Music’ (2021) with 10 original songs, he plays 6 different instruments and incorporates some vocals well.
A complete list of survivors was not immediately available.
Mr. Defrancesco was something of a showman, even when he was a sideman. For example, in 2010, the saxophonist played in a trio led by David Sanborn. Mr. Sanborn was the headliner, but as Nate Chinen wrote in The Times of the Trio’s gig, “Often it’s Mr. Defrancesco’s show, and sometimes more.”
Defrancesco told the Buffalo News in 2004.
“I think these new players are too serious,” he said. What should the audience do if they don’t seem to be enjoying themselves?”