Cousin Joe

{{short description|American blues and jazz singer}} {{More citations needed|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Cousin Joe | image = Best_youngest_image_on_web.jpg | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = Pleasant Joseph | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date|1907|12|20}} | birth_place = Wallace, Louisiana, United States | death_date = {{death date and age|1989|10|02|1907|12|20}} | death_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | instrument = Piano, vocal | genre = Blues | occupation = Pianist, singer | years_active = Late 1930s – late 1980s | label = Philo, Savoy, Gotham, De Luxe, Signature, Decca, Imperial, Flip | website = }}

'''Pleasant Joseph''', known as '''Cousin Joe''', (December 20, 1907 – October 2, 1989)<ref name="Dead"/> was a New Orleans blues and jazz singer, famous for his 1940s recordings with Sidney Bechet and Mezz Mezzrow.<ref name="LarkinBlues"/>

==Life== He was born in Wallace, Louisiana, United States,<ref name="LarkinBlues">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Blues|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-673-1|page=96}}</ref> and worked at Whitney Plantation throughout his childhood.

Until 1945, Cousin Joe toured Louisiana; that year he was asked to take part in the King Jazz recording sessions organized by Mezzrow and Bechet.<ref>Olderen, Martin van, liner notes ''Cousin Joe from New Orleans in his prime'', OL 8008 (1984).</ref>

In the 1970s, Cousin Joe toured extensively throughout the UK and Europe, both individually and as part of the American Blues Legends '74 revue organised by Big Bear Music.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Simpson |first1=Jim |title=Don't Worry 'Bout The Bear |date=2019 |publisher=Brewin Books |isbn=978-1-85858-700-4 |pages=113–118}}</ref> He also recorded the albums ''Gospel-Wailing, Jazz-Playing, Rock'n'Rolling, Soul-Shouting, Tap-Dancing Bluesman From New Orleans'' for Big Bear.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wirz |first1=Stefan |title=Illustrated Big Bear Records Discography |url=https://www.wirz.de/music/bigbear.htm |website=Wirz' American Music}}</ref>

Cousin Joe died in his sleep from natural causes in New Orleans, at the age of 81. He was survived by his wife Irene Joseph, son Michael and his three grandchildren Rahsaan, Mignonne and Jarrell.<ref name="Dead">{{cite web|author=Doc Rock |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1980.html |title=The 1980s |publisher=The Dead Rock Stars Club |date= |access-date=2014-07-12}}</ref>

==Autobiography== *''Cousin Joe : Blues from New Orleans'' / Pleasant "Cousin Joe" Joseph and Harriet J. Ottenheimer. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1987. xi, 227 p. : ill. ; 23 cm. {{ISBN|0-226-41198-2}}

==Partial discography== * 1971 : ''Bad Luck Blues'' (Black & Blue) with Jimmy Dawkins and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown * 1973 : ''Cousin Joe From New Orleans'' (BluesWay) * 1974 : ''Gospel Wailing, Jazz Playing, Soul Shouting, Tap Dancing Bluesman from New Orleans'' (Big Bear Records) * 1974 : ''American Blues Legends '74'' (Big Bear Records) * 1984 : ''Cousin Joe from New Orleans in his prime'' (Oldie Blues) * 1985 : ''Relaxin' in New Orleans'' [sound recording] / Cousin Joe. New Orleans, LA : Great Southern Records. 1 sound disc : analog, 33{{fraction|1|3}} rpm ; 12 in. * 1995 : ''Jumping at Jubilee'' [sound recording]. London : Sequel, NEM CD 749 * 1996 : ''Blues Festival'' [sound recording]. {Laserlight Records}, NEW CD 17 105 * 2003 : ''Magic Bostic - Bostic, Earl, 1913–1965'' [sound recording] / Earl Bostic. Paris : Jazz Archives

==Filmography== * 2005 : DVD ''The Blues of Cousin Joe'' (live - 29 August 1984 in New Orleans) (Storyville Films)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.answers.com/topic/pleasant-joseph Answers.com: Pleasant Joseph] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20061231014058/http://www.satchmo.com/cousinjoe/ Satchmo.com/cousinjoe/]

Category:1907 births Category:1989 deaths Category:Jazz musicians from New Orleans Category:Blues musicians from Louisiana Category:American blues pianists Category:American male jazz pianists Category:American blues singers Category:American jazz pianists Category:American jazz singers Category:Singers from Louisiana Category:Savoy Records artists Category:Decca Records artists Category:Imperial Records artists Category:20th-century American singers Category:20th-century American pianists Category:People from St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana Category:Black & Blue Records artists Category:20th-century American male pianists