Joseph James LaBarbera (born February 22, 1948) is an American jazz drummer and composer. He is best known for his recordings and live performances with the trio of pianist Bill Evans in the final years of Evans's career.[1] His older brothers are saxophonist Pat LaBarbera and trumpeter John LaBarbera.[2]

Joe LaBarbera
LaBarbera performs at the International Jazz Festival of Punta del Este in 2015.
LaBarbera performs at the International Jazz Festival of Punta del Este in 2015.
Background information
Birth nameJoseph James LaBarbera
Born (1948-02-22) February 22, 1948 (age 76)
Mount Morris, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz
OccupationMusician
InstrumentDrums
Years active1970–present

Career

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He grew up in Mount Morris, New York. His first drum teacher was his father. For two years in the late 1960s he attended Berklee College of Music, then went on tour with singer Frankie Randall.[3] After Berklee he spent two years with the US Army band at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He began his professional career playing with Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd.[4][2]

His reputation grew in the 1970s when he spent four years recording and touring with Chuck Mangione. He also worked as a sideman for Bob Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, Art Farmer, Art Pepper, John Scofield, Toots Thielemans, and Phil Woods.[3][4] In 1979 he was a member of the Bill Evans trio, then spent much of the 1980s and early 1990s with Tony Bennett.[3][2] He was in a quartet with his brother Pat and in a trio with Hein van de Geyn and John Abercrombie. He has taught at the California Institute of the Arts and the Bud Shank Jazz Workshop.[3]

Discography

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LaBarbera in 1978

As leader

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  • The Joe La Barbera Quintet Live (Jazz Compass, 2001)
  • Mark Time (Jazz Compass, 2003)
  • Love Locked Out (2003), with Patti Wicks and Keter Betts
  • Native Land (Jazz Compass, 2006)
  • Silver Streams (Jazz Compass, 2012)[5]

As sideman

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With Tony Bennett

  • 1986 The Art of Excellence
  • 1987 Bennett/Berlin
  • 1990 Astoria: Portrait of the Artist
  • 1992 Perfectly Frank
  • 2007 Sings the Ultimate American Songbook Vol. 1[6]

With Rosemary Clooney

With Bill Cunliffe

  • 1993 A Paul Simon Songbook
  • 1995 Bill in Brazil
  • 2001 Live at Bernie's
  • 2002 Bill Cunliffe Sextet: Live at Rocco
  • 2003 How My Heart Sings[6]

With Bill Evans

  • 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 1
  • 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 2
  • 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 3
  • 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 4
  • 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 5
  • 1979 Live in Buenos Aires, 1979
  • 1979 We Will Meet Again
  • 1980 Letter to Evan
  • 1980 Turn Out the Stars
  • 1983 The Paris Concert: Edition 1
  • 1983 The Paris Concert: Edition 2
  • 1996 His Last Concert in Germany
  • 1996 The Brilliant
  • 1996 Turn Out the Stars: Final Village Vanguard Recordings
  • 2000 The Last Waltz
  • 2005 Live in Rome 1979[6]

With John LaBarbera

  • 2003 On the Wild Side (Jazz Compass)
  • 2005 Fantazm (Jazz Compass)
  • 2013 Caravan (Jazz Compass)[6]

With Pat LaBarbera

  • 1976 Pass It On
  • 1993 JMOG (Jazz Men on the Go)
  • 2003 Deep in a Dream
  • 2005 Crossing the Line[6]

With Chuck Mangione

  • 1973 Land of Make Believe
  • 1975 Bellavia
  • 1975 Chase the Clouds Away[6]

With Bud Shank

  • 1996 Plays the Music of Bill Evans
  • 1999 After You Jeru
  • 2000 Silver Storm
  • 2002 On the Trail
  • 2009 Fascinating Rhythms[6]

With Kim Richmond

  • 1994 Range
  • 1999 Look at the Time
  • 2001 Ballads[6]

With Terry Trotter and Trotter Trio

  • 1993 It's About Time
  • 1995 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum...In Jazz
  • 1995 Company...In
  • 1995 Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd in Jazz
  • 1996 The Michel Legrand Album
  • 1997 Sketches on Star Wars
  • 1998 Follies
  • 2001 The Fantasticks in Jazz[6]

With others

References

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  1. ^ Ramsay, Doug (2010-04-12). "The Melodic Joe LaBarbera". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
  2. ^ a b c Yanow, Scott. "Joe La Barbera". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Rye, Howard (2002). Kernfeld, Barry (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Vol. 2 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries. p. 530. ISBN 1-56159-284-6.
  4. ^ a b Jung, Fred (2004-04-08). "A Fireside Chat with Joe La Barbera". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
  5. ^ "Joe La Barbera | Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Joe La Barbera | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 January 2019.