Joe Puma
Joe Puma (August 13, 1927 – May 31, 2000) was an American jazz guitarist.
Puma's first professional experience came with Joe Roland in 1949-50. He played in the band led by Cy Coleman.[1] He acted as a session musician for many jazz musicians of the 1950s, including Louie Bellson, Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five, Eddie Bert, Herbie Mann, Mat Mathews, Chris Connor, and Paul Quinichette, Lee Konitz and Dick Hyman;[2] he also recorded extensively as a leader at this time. In the 1960s he worked with Morgana King, Bobby Hackett, Gary Burton, and Carmen McRae, and between 1972 and 1977 he and Chuck Wayne led an ensemble. He continued to perform and teach into the late 1990s.
His song Like Tweet featuring Eddie Hall and Puma is on the soundtrack of1987 movie Good Morning, Vietnam (but not the album soundtrack).
Early life
He was born in Bronx, NY.[3]
Family
"Betty, and his children, John, Ronnie and Cherie (...) predeceased him.[4]
He was survived by his sons "Joseph Jr. (Jackie) and Jerry (Shoba) (...) his sister, Toni (Vito) Spadafino; and his brothers, Carman and Ed (Barb)".[5]
Honors
In "1957 he won the New Star Award for Guitar from Metronome Magazine".[6]
Discography
As leader
- East Coast Jazz Series (Bethlehem Records, 1954)
- Joe Puma Quintet (Bethlehem, 1954)
- Wild Kitten (Dawn Records, 1957) with Steve Lacy, Herbie Mann, Oscar Pettiford
- Joe Puma Jazz Trio and Quartet (Jubilee Records, 1957)[7] Trio with Eddie Costa and Pettiford; Quartet with Bill Evans, Oscar Pettiford und Paul Motian
- Like Tweet (Columbia Records, 1961)
- Interactions (Choice Records, 1973)
- Shining Hour (Reservoir Records, 1984) with Hod O´Brien and Red Mitchell
- It's a Blue World (Sundazed, 1997) with Murray Wall and Eddie Locke
As sideman
With Chris Connor
- Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Songs (Atlantic, 1957)
With Louis Bellson
- Skin Deep (Norgran, 1954)
With Gary Burton
- The Groovy Sound of Music (RCA, 1963)
With Herbie Mann
- Flamingo (Bethlehem, 1955)
- The Herbie Mann-Sam Most Quintet (Bethlehem, 1955) with Sam Most
- Herbie Mann Plays (Bethlehem, 1956)
- Love and the Weather (Bethlehem, 1956)
- Flute Flight (Prestige, 1957) - with Bobby Jaspar
- Flute Soufflé (Prestige, 1957) - with Bobby Jaspar
- Sultry Serenade (Riverside, 1957)
- Salute to the Flute (Epic, 1957)
- The Jazz We Heard Last Summer (Savoy, 1957)
- Yardbird Suite (Savoy, 1957)
With Helen Merrill
Chasin' The Bird (Emarcy, 1979)
With Warren Vaché
What Is There To Say? (Nagel-Heyer, 1999)
With Gail Wynters
My Shining Hour (Naxos, 1998)
With Webster Young
- For Lady (Prestige, 1957)
Compilation albums
- The Jazz Guitar of Joe Puma[8]
He was a session musician for "such vocalists as Peggy Lee, Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, Chris Connor, Mark Murphy, Morgana King, Helen Merrill, and others".[9]
References
- ↑ https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-18734036.html
- ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jun/12/local/me-40133
- ↑ http://www.spaceagepop.com/puma.htm
- ↑ http://obits.syracuse.com/obituaries/syracuse/obituary.aspx?pid=155699790
- ↑ http://obits.syracuse.com/obituaries/syracuse/obituary.aspx?pid=155699790
- ↑ http://www.spaceagepop.com/puma.htm
- ↑ Sessionography 1947-1960 "Late Summer 1957 New York, NY Puma, g; Evans, p; Oscar Pettiford, b; Paul Motian,dm. 14/1 I Got it Bad.... 4:36 14/2 Mother of Earl 4:32 14/3 Indian Summer 7:12"
- ↑ http://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/3418/joe-puma/the-jazz-guitar-of-joe-puma
- ↑ http://www.spaceagepop.com/puma.htm
External links
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