Joe Albany
Encyclopedia
Joseph Albani, known as Joe Albany (January 24, 1924 – January 12, 1988) was an American
jazz
pianist
. He was among the few white
pianists to have played bebop
with Charlie Parker
.
Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, he had studied piano as a child and, by 1943, he was working on the West Coast in Benny Carter
's orchestra. In 1946 he was playing with Parker and also Miles Davis
. He continued for a few years afterward, and was on an album by Warne Marsh
album in 1958. Despite that, most of the 1950s and 1960s saw him battling a heroin addiction, or living in seclusion in Europe. He also had several unsuccessful marriages in the period. He returned to jazz in the 1970s and produced a few album
s. He died in New York City
.
He was the focus of a documentary in 1980 titled Joe Albany ... A Jazz Life and his daughter Amy Jo ("AJ") wrote the memoir Low Down: Junk, Jazz, and Other Fairy Tales From Childhood concerning him.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. He was among the few white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
pianists to have played bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
with Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
.
Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, he had studied piano as a child and, by 1943, he was working on the West Coast in Benny Carter
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
's orchestra. In 1946 he was playing with Parker and also Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
. He continued for a few years afterward, and was on an album by Warne Marsh
Warne Marsh
Warne Marion Marsh was an American tenor saxophonist born in Los Angeles.-Biography:Marsh came from an affluent background: his father was the cinematographer Oliver T. Marsh , and his mother Elizabeth was a violinist...
album in 1958. Despite that, most of the 1950s and 1960s saw him battling a heroin addiction, or living in seclusion in Europe. He also had several unsuccessful marriages in the period. He returned to jazz in the 1970s and produced a few album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s. He died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
He was the focus of a documentary in 1980 titled Joe Albany ... A Jazz Life and his daughter Amy Jo ("AJ") wrote the memoir Low Down: Junk, Jazz, and Other Fairy Tales From Childhood concerning him.
Discography
- The Right Combination (OJC, 1955) with Warne MarshWarne MarshWarne Marion Marsh was an American tenor saxophonist born in Los Angeles.-Biography:Marsh came from an affluent background: his father was the cinematographer Oliver T. Marsh , and his mother Elizabeth was a violinist...
- Live at Dana Point (Warne Marsh(ts), Joe Albany(p), Von Whitlock(b), Red Martinson(d), VSOP, 1957)
- The legendary Jazz Pianist(Joe Albany(p), Warne Marsh(ts), Riverside, 1968)
- At Home alone (Revelation, 1972)
- Proto Bopper (Spotelite, 1972)
- At Home (Spotlite Records, 1973)
- Birdtown Birds – Live at Jazzhus Montmartre 1973 (Steeplechase)
- Two’s A Company (Steeplechase, 1974) with Niels-Hennig Oersted Pedersen
- This Is For My Friends (Musica RecordsMusica Records-Discography:...
, 1976) - Plays George Gershwin & Bruce Lane (Musica Records, 1976)
- The Albany Touch (Seabreeze, 1977)
- Live In Paris (Fresh Sound Records, 1977) with Alby Cullaz, Aldo RomanoAldo RomanoAldo Romano is a jazz drummer. He also started a rock group in 1971.-Biography:He moved to France as a child and by the 1950s he was playing guitar and drums professionally in Paris, but his career gained notice when he started working with Don Cherry in 1963. He recorded with Steve Lacy and...
- Bird Lives (Storyville, 1979) with Art DavisArt DavisArt Davis was a double-bassist, known for his work with various seminal jazz musicians including Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and Max Roach.-Biography:...
, Roy HaynesRoy HaynesRoy Owen Haynes is an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Haynes is among the most recorded drummers in jazz, and in a career lasting more than 60 years has played in a wide range of styles ranging from swing and bebop to jazz fusion and avant-garde jazz... - Portrait of an Artist (Elektra, 1982) with George DuVivier (b),Charles Persip (d) Al Gafa,(g).