THE LAST DRUMROLL.

Joe Morello el batería del Cuarteto de Dave Brubeck, uno de los grupos de jazz más populares de los años cincuenta y sesenta, murió el sábado 19, a los 82 años en su casa de Irvington (Nueva Jersey). Nacido el 17 de julio de 1928 en Springfield (Massachusetts), desde su infancia tuvo graves problemas de visión pero ello no le impidió que aprendiera a tocar el violín a los seis años. A los quince empezó a tocar la batería. Después de mudarse a Nueva York en 1952, tocó con varias leyendas del jazz. Fue regularmente un miembro del grupo de la pianista y presentadora de NPR Marian McPartland. También tocó con Phil Woods, Stan Kenton y Gil Melle, y grabó con los guitarristas Tal Farlow e Jimmy Raney, así como con el dúo de Jackie Cain y Roy Kral. A Morello se le conoce por su actuación elegante y estelar como batería del cuarteto del pianista Dave Brubeck.

Inicialmente se unió al grupo para realizar una breve gira de conciertos, pero a finales de 1956 se convirtió en un miembro del cuarteto, cuyo mayor éxito fue Take Five de su álbum Time Out de 1959, una composición que se convirtió en uno de los temas más populares del jazz

y que incluía un solo inolvidable de Morello. Tocó en este grupo hasta que se disolvió el cuarteto - que completaban el saxofonista Paul Desmond y el contrabajista Eugene Wright-a finales de 1967. Después se dedicó a la enseñanza.

Morello volvió a tocar la batería esporádicamente en los años setenta y ochenta, incluso junto a Brubeck en 1976 y 1985.

Fuente : La Vanguardia

http://themcqfiles.blogspot.com/2011/01/take-five.html

Joe was born on July 17, 1928, in Springfield, Mass. Having impaired vision since birth, he devoted himself to indoor activities. At the age of six, his family’s encouragement led him to study violin. Three years later, he was featured with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as soloist in the Mendelsohn Violin Concerto. At the age of twelve, he made a second solo appearance with the orchestra. But upon meeting and hearing his idol, the great Jascha Heifetz, Joe felt he could never achieve “that sound”. So, at the age of fifteen, Joe changed the course of his musical endeavors and began to study drums. Joe’s first drum teacher, Joe Sefcik, was a pit drummer for all the shows in the Springfield area. He was an excellent teacher and gave Joe much encouragement. Joe began sitting in with any group that would allow it. When he was not sitting in, he and his friends, including Teddy Cohen, Chuck Andrus, Hal Sera, Phil Woods and Sal Salvador, would get together and jam in any place they could find. Joe would play any job he was called for. As a result, his musical experiences ranged from rudimental military playing to weddings and social occasions. Eventually, Mr. Sefcik decided it was time for Joe to move on. He recommended a teacher in Boston, the great George Lawrence Stone. Mr. Stone did many things for Joe. He gave Joe most of the tools for developing technique. He taught Joe to read. But most important of all, he made Joe realize his future was in jazz, not “legitimate” percussion, as Joe had hoped. Through his studies with Mr. Stone, Joe became known as the best drummer in Springfield, and rudimental champion of New England. Joe’s playing activity increased, and he soon found himself on the road with several groups. First, there was Hank Garland and the Grand Old Opry, and then Whitey Bernard. After much consideration, Joe left Whitey Bernard to go to New York City. A difficult year followed, but with Joe’s determination and the help of friends like Sal Salvador, Joe began to be noticed. Soon he found himself playing with an impressive cast of musicians that included Gil Melle, Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney, Stan Kenton and Marian McPartland. After leaving Marian McPartland’s trio, he turned down offers from the Benny Goodman band and the Tommy Dorsey band. The offer he chose to accept was a two-month temporary tour with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, which ended up lasting twelve-and-a half years. It was during the period that Joe’s technique received its finishing touches from Billy Gladstone of Radio City Music Hall. Since 1968, when the Dave Brubeck Quartet disbanded, Joe has spread his talents over a variety of areas. He maintains a very active private teaching practice. Through his association with DW Drums, Joe has made great educational contributions to drumming, as well as the entire field of jazz, by way of his clinics, lectures and guest solo appearances. Joe has recently been performing with his trio of Doreen Gray (piano) and Nate Lienhardt (bass) in the New York metro area. Joe has appeared on over 120 albums and CDs, of which 60 were with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. He won the Downbeat magazine award for best drummer for five years in a row, the Playboy award seven years in a row, and is the only drummer to win every music poll for five years in a row, including Japan, England, Europe, Australia and South America. He is mentioned in Who’s Who in the East, twelfth edition, and the Blue Book, which is a listing of persons in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States who have achieved distinction in the arts, sciences, business or the professions. Revered by fans and musicians alike, Joe is considered to be one of the finest, and is probably one of the most celebrated, drummers in the history of jazz.

Fuente : drummerworld