King of jazz organ Joey De Francesco passes away at 51

American jazz trumpeter Joey De Francesco has passed away on Thursday. Mack Avenue, the record label of De Francesco, reported the death but did mention neither the place nor the reason for his death. However, de Francesco was largely credited with revitalising interest in the organ in jazz circles in recent years.

Joey De Francesco had music in his genes since his father, John DeFrancesco, had played jazz organ since the 1950s. Joey shot into prominence as a teenager when he dazzled his audience with his playing.

Joey De Francesco: Early years


From his early days, Joey De Francesco was also a gifted speaker, and wherever he performed, the audience loved his witty expressions along with his music. A Philadelphia Daily News reviewer wrote that his infectious and hilarious comments make him as much a pleasure to watch as to listen to, after watching him as a young member of the jazz band of Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, in 1986.

Subsequently, De Francesco played for Bobby McFerrin and Grover Washington Jr as a natural progression and toured with Miles Davis.

At the age of just 17, in 1989, he performed at Duke University alongside well-known performers like trumpeter Clark Terry as part of a concert that served as an advertisement for the soon-to-be-opened The lonious Monk Jazz Conservatory.

Joey De Francesco: the master musician

DeFrancesco played a variety of instruments. He was proficient in the piano, synthesiser, trumpet, and saxophone. But he developed his career performing on a vintage B3, an instrument he liked best.

He mentioned this to The Associated Press in 1991. While he adored synthesisers and could play them well, one cannot beat the classical sound of the B3. The instrument's tone is quite warm and conveys sound contrasts and plenty of emotions. It's like having access to a complete symphony at any time.

He has continuously released albums, five of which have been nominated for Grammy Awards. (2019).

FAQs

What kind of music did Joe De Francesco play?
De Francesco was a master of the jazz organ tradition and handled the entire spectrum from blues and funk to Avant incantations.

What are De Francesco’s famous albums?
He released albums regularly; the most recent was More Music (2021), where he played six different types of instruments and lent his voice also.