Joe Castro (musician)
Encyclopedia
Joe Castro was an American
bebop
jazz
pianist
, based primarily on the West Coast of the United States.
on August 15, 1927 to parents John L. Castro and Lucy Sanchez. Castro went to school in Pittsburg, California
in the San Francisco Bay area, north of Oakland, where he began playing professionally at the age of 15. His enrollment at San Jose State University
was interrupted twice—first by a stint in the army from 1946 to 1947 and then when he formed his first jazz trio working on both the West Coast and in Hawaii. In 1956, Castro moved to New York City where his trio successfully appeared in the city's top jazz clubs—Basin Street, The Embers, The Hickory House and Birdland
. He was critically lauded by the likes of Leonard Feather
who described his style as "assertively swinging," and Dave Brubeck
, who had known Castro since the early 1950s, as "an extremely talented individual, a fine musician, an excellent pianist and a tasteful performer." In 1958, he moved to Los Angeles to be associated almost exclusively with Teddy Edwards
, Billy Higgins
and Leroy Vinnegar
. "The group has been very important to me," Castro says. "I had been working so long with piano trios, I had to learn how to play less and say more. Actually I have more freedom in this group without having to carry the load." Castro recorded and performed extensively with The Teddy Edwards Quartet while also making two of his own recordings as a leader for Atlantic Records
.
The first album entitled "Mood Jazz" (Atlantic 1264) was recorded on November 19, 1956 and utilized three different ensembles: a large orchestra with strings and voices, another string orchestra without voices and a regular jazz combo of piano, trumpet, alto saxophone, bass, and drums. Philly Joe Jones
performed on the album which was arranged by Neal Hefti
, recorded by Tom Dowd
, and supervised by Ahmet Ertegun
and Nesuhi Ertegun
.
The second album entitled "Groove Funk Soul" (Atlantic 1324) was recorded on July 18, 1958 and included Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. The album photograph was taken by William Claxton
. Possibly the first time the word "funk" appeared in an album title.
In the early 1960s, tobacco heiress/jazz enthusiast Doris Duke
and then long-term boyfriend Castro, along with silent partner and friend Duke Ellington
, formed record company Clover Records and music publishing company Jo-Do. Castro's third album as a leader entitled "Lush Life" was the only album released on Clover Records. Clover also released a 45-rpm single of the tracks "Lush Life" and "Bossa Nova All The Way," both taken from the same album. The high level-15-IPS recording equipment, state-of-the-art for the time, purchased for Clover Records was kept in an apartment over the garage at the Falcon Lair
, the Beverly Hills estate of Doris Duke located at No. 2 Bella Drive built in 1924 for silent film star Rudolph Valentino
. Informal jam sessions occurred regularly at the Falcon Lair and many of the performances were captured on tape. By 1966, Jo-Do, Clover, and the Castro-Duke relationship had failed, and all three were shortly dissolved. The majority of the Falcon Lair high quality recordings remain unreleased to this day.
From 1959 to 1960, Castro also backed vocalists Anita O'Day
and June Christy
and was music director for Tony Martin from 1961 to 1963. Other sidemen for Castro's trios and quartets have included Chico Hamilton
, Red Mitchell
, Ed Shonk and Howard Roberts
.
Castro moved to Las Vegas, Nevada
in the 1970s and continued to accompany vocalists and play in Las Vegas pit bands until he became the musical director for the Tropicana Hotel
's Folies Bergere. Castro is retired but continued to perform in jazz combos in Las Vegas.
He was married to the former Loretta Faith Haddad of Beckley, West Virginia
for 41 years until her death on June 10, 2008. Loretta attended Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va., where she graduated with a degree in music. From there, Loretta followed her gift of voice and began singing at the historic Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. In 1966, she moved to Honolulu to pursue her singing career. There, she sang at the famous Outrigger Canoe Club and married Joe on Oct. 21, 1966. They later moved to Los Angeles, eventually settling in Las Vegas, and had two sons, James Castro and John Castro
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
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:...
, based primarily on the West Coast of the United States.
Biography
Joseph Armand Castro was born in Miami, ArizonaMiami, Arizona
Miami is a town in Gila County, Arizona, United States. Miami is a classic Western copper boomtown, though the copper mines are largely dormant now...
on August 15, 1927 to parents John L. Castro and Lucy Sanchez. Castro went to school in Pittsburg, California
Pittsburg, California
Pittsburg is a city located in eastern Contra Costa County, California, the outer portion of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 63,264 at the 2010 census....
in the San Francisco Bay area, north of Oakland, where he began playing professionally at the age of 15. His enrollment at San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
was interrupted twice—first by a stint in the army from 1946 to 1947 and then when he formed his first jazz trio working on both the West Coast and in Hawaii. In 1956, Castro moved to New York City where his trio successfully appeared in the city's top jazz clubs—Basin Street, The Embers, The Hickory House and Birdland
Birdland (jazz club)
Birdland is a jazz club started in New York City on December 15, 1949. The original Birdland, which was located at 1678 Broadway, just north of West 52nd Street in Manhattan, was closed in 1965 due to increased rents, but it re-opened for one night in 1979...
. He was critically lauded by the likes of Leonard Feather
Leonard Feather
Leonard Geoffrey Feather was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer who was best known for his music journalism and other writing.-Biography:...
who described his style as "assertively swinging," and Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck
David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...
, who had known Castro since the early 1950s, as "an extremely talented individual, a fine musician, an excellent pianist and a tasteful performer." In 1958, he moved to Los Angeles to be associated almost exclusively with Teddy Edwards
Teddy Edwards
Theodore Marcus "Teddy" Edwards was an American jazz tenor saxophonist based on the West Coast of the US. Some consider him to be one of the most influential jazz saxophonists.-Biography:...
, Billy Higgins
Billy Higgins
Billy Higgins was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, beginning in 1958...
and Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar
Leroy Vinnegar was an American jazz bassist.Born in Indianapolis, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademark was the rhythmic "walking" bass line, a steady series of ascending or descending notes, and it brought him the nickname...
. "The group has been very important to me," Castro says. "I had been working so long with piano trios, I had to learn how to play less and say more. Actually I have more freedom in this group without having to carry the load." Castro recorded and performed extensively with The Teddy Edwards Quartet while also making two of his own recordings as a leader for Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
.
The first album entitled "Mood Jazz" (Atlantic 1264) was recorded on November 19, 1956 and utilized three different ensembles: a large orchestra with strings and voices, another string orchestra without voices and a regular jazz combo of piano, trumpet, alto saxophone, bass, and drums. Philly Joe Jones
Philly Joe Jones
Joseph Rudolph Jones was a Philadelphia-born United States jazz drummer, known as the drummer for the Miles Davis Quintet.Philly Joe Jones was often confused with another influential jazz drummer, Jo Jones...
performed on the album which was arranged by Neal Hefti
Neal Hefti
Neal Hefti was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, tune writer, and arranger. He was perhaps best known for composing the theme music for the Batman television series of the 1960s, and for scoring the 1968 film The Odd Couple and the subsequent TV series of the same name.He began arranging...
, recorded by Tom Dowd
Tom Dowd
Tom Dowd was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multi-track recording method. Dowd worked on a virtual "who's who" of recordings that encompassed blues, jazz, pop, rock and soul records.- Early years :Born in Manhattan, Dowd grew...
, and supervised by Ahmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...
and Nesuhi Ertegun
Nesuhi Ertegun
Nesuhi Ertegun was a Turkish record producer and executive of Atlantic Records and WEA International.-Background:Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Nesuhi and his family, including younger brother Ahmet, moved to Washington, D.C...
.
The second album entitled "Groove Funk Soul" (Atlantic 1324) was recorded on July 18, 1958 and included Teddy Edwards on tenor saxophone, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Billy Higgins on drums. The album photograph was taken by William Claxton
William Claxton (photographer)
William Claxton was an American photographer and author.-Biography:Born in Pasadena, California, Claxton's works included a book of photographs of Steve McQueen, and Jazz Life, a book of photographs depicting jazz artists in the 1960s. He was most noted for his photography of jazz musicians...
. Possibly the first time the word "funk" appeared in an album title.
In the early 1960s, tobacco heiress/jazz enthusiast Doris Duke
Doris Duke
Doris Duke was an American heiress, horticulturalist, art collector, and philanthropist.-Family and early life:...
and then long-term boyfriend Castro, along with silent partner and friend Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, formed record company Clover Records and music publishing company Jo-Do. Castro's third album as a leader entitled "Lush Life" was the only album released on Clover Records. Clover also released a 45-rpm single of the tracks "Lush Life" and "Bossa Nova All The Way," both taken from the same album. The high level-15-IPS recording equipment, state-of-the-art for the time, purchased for Clover Records was kept in an apartment over the garage at the Falcon Lair
Falcon Lair
Falcon Lair is an estate above Benedict Canyon in Beverly Hills, California that was owned by Rudolph Valentino and later by Doris Duke, who called it Falcon's Lair....
, the Beverly Hills estate of Doris Duke located at No. 2 Bella Drive built in 1924 for silent film star Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
. Informal jam sessions occurred regularly at the Falcon Lair and many of the performances were captured on tape. By 1966, Jo-Do, Clover, and the Castro-Duke relationship had failed, and all three were shortly dissolved. The majority of the Falcon Lair high quality recordings remain unreleased to this day.
From 1959 to 1960, Castro also backed vocalists Anita O'Day
Anita O'Day
Anita O'Day was an American jazz singer.Born Anita Belle Colton, O'Day was admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appearances shattered the traditional image of the "girl singer"...
and June Christy
June Christy
June Christy , born Shirley Luster, was an American singer, known for her work in the cool jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals. Her success as a singer began with The Stan Kenton Orchestra. She pursued a solo career from 1954 and is best known for her debut album Something Cool...
and was music director for Tony Martin from 1961 to 1963. Other sidemen for Castro's trios and quartets have included Chico Hamilton
Chico Hamilton
Chico Hamilton , is an American jazz drummer and bandleader.-Early life through 1960s:Hamilton was born in Los Angeles, California. He had a fast-track musical education in a band with Charles Mingus, Illinois Jacquet, Ernie Royal, Dexter Gordon, Buddy Collette and Jack Kelso...
, Red Mitchell
Red Mitchell
Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell (September 20, 1927, New York City - November 8, 1992, Salem, Oregon, was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet. He was the brother of Whitey Mitchell....
, Ed Shonk and Howard Roberts
Howard Roberts
Howard Roberts was an American jazz guitarist, educator and session musician.-Biography:Roberts was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and began playing guitar at age 8. By the time he was 15 he was playing professionally locally....
.
Castro moved to Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
in the 1970s and continued to accompany vocalists and play in Las Vegas pit bands until he became the musical director for the Tropicana Hotel
Tropicana Resort & Casino
Tropicana Las Vegas is located on the Las Vegas Strip, in the township of Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by Tropicana Las Vegas Hotel and Resort Inc. and operated by Alex Yemenidjian's Armenco Holdings. It offers 1,658 rooms and is attached to a casino...
's Folies Bergere. Castro is retired but continued to perform in jazz combos in Las Vegas.
He was married to the former Loretta Faith Haddad of Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley, West Virginia
Beckley is a city in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States, which was founded on April 4, 1838. The 2008 population was estimated to be 16,832 by the U.S. Census Bureau. Early in its history, the town was known as Beckleyville and Raleigh Court House...
for 41 years until her death on June 10, 2008. Loretta attended Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va., where she graduated with a degree in music. From there, Loretta followed her gift of voice and began singing at the historic Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. In 1966, she moved to Honolulu to pursue her singing career. There, she sang at the famous Outrigger Canoe Club and married Joe on Oct. 21, 1966. They later moved to Los Angeles, eventually settling in Las Vegas, and had two sons, James Castro and John Castro
Pretendo
Pretendo is a New York City-based indie rock trio formed in 2004 of ex-/present members of Enon, Skeleton Key, Creedle, The Rugburns, Mono Puff, Morricone Youth, Little Jack Melody and The DaoSon For. Guitarist/vocalist Devon E. Levins and bassist/vocalist John Castro were childhood friends...
.
As leader
- 1957: Mood Jazz - Atlantic Records
- 1958: Groove Funk Soul! - Atlantic Records
- 1960: Lush Life - Clover Records
As sideman
- 1956 Zoot Sims with the Joe Castro Trio Live At The Falcon Lair - Pablo Records
- 1958 Bob Andrews Presents West Coast Sax Mode - Vantage Records
- 1959 Teddy Edwards At Falcon Lair with Joe Castro (split LP with Sonny Rollins "At Music Inn")- Metrojazz Records
- 1959 Teddy Edwards Quartet Sunset Eyes - Pacific Jazz Records
- 1959 June Christy Ballads For Night People - Capitol Records
- 1959 Stan Kenton & His Orchestra/June Christy/The Four Freshmen Road Show - Capitol Records
- 1960 Teddy Edwards Quartet Teddy's Ready - Contemporary Records
- 1960 Anita O'Day And Billy May Swing Rodgers And Hart - Verve Records
- 1960 June Christy Something Cool (Stereo Version) - Capitol Records
- 1960 June Christy The Cool School - Capitol Records