{{Short description|American jazz drummer (1928–2011)}} {{distinguish|Joseph Morelle{{!}}Joe Morelle}} {{use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{use American English|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Joe Morello | image = Joe Morello.jpg | image_size = | landscape = yes | caption = Morello in a 1960 advertisement | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = Joseph Albert Morello | birth_date = {{birth date|1928|7|17}} | birth_place = {{nowrap|Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2011|3|12|1928|7|17}} | death_place = Irvington, New Jersey, U.S. | genre = {{hlist|Jazz|cool jazz|third stream}} | occupation = Musician | instrument = Drums | years_active = 1954–2011 | label = Columbia | past_member_of = The Dave Brubeck Quartet }}
'''Joseph Albert Morello''' (July 17, 1928<ref name="LarkinJazz">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-580-8|page=292}}</ref> – March 12, 2011)<ref name="Joe Morello obituary at DW"/> was an American jazz drummer best known for serving as the drummer for pianist Dave Brubeck, as part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, from 1957 to 1972, including during the quartet's "classic lineup" from 1958 to 1968, which also included alto saxophonist Paul Desmond and bassist Eugene Wright. Morello's facility for playing unusual time signatures and rhythms enabled that group to record a series of albums that explored them. The most notable of these was the first in the series, the 1959 album ''Time Out'', which contained the hit songs "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo à la Turk". In fact, "Take Five", the album's biggest hit (and the first jazz single to sell more than one million copies) was specifically written by Desmond as a way to showcase Morello's ability to play in {{music|time|5|4}} time.<ref name=NYTObit>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/arts/music/joe-morello-drummer-with-dave-brubeck-quartet-dies-at-82.html?hpw | newspaper=The New York Times | first=Steve | last=Smith | title=Joe Morello, Drummer with Dave Brubeck Quartet, Dies at 82 | date=March 13, 2011}}</ref>
Besides playing with Brubeck, Morello also served as an accompanist for other musicians, including Marian McPartland, Tal Farlow and Gary Burton, and recorded his own albums as well. He received numerous accolades during his life, including being named the best drummer by ''Down Beat'' magazine five years in a row.
==Biography==
Joe Morello was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> to Joseph Morello and Lillian LaPalme. His father was a French emigrant from Nice of Italian ancestry and his mother hailed from French Canada.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 September 2021 |title=Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920 |url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9MN-S6X9?cc=1928860&wc=M6S3-RP6%3A223963601%2C224820801 |website=FamilySearch}}</ref> Morello suffered from partial vision from birth,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/music-obituaries/8379394/Joe-Morello.html | location=London | newspaper=The Daily Telegraph | title=Joe Morello | date=March 13, 2011}}</ref> and devoted himself to indoor activities. At six years old, he began studying the violin. Three years later, he was a featured soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, playing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, and again three years later.
At the age of 15, Morello met the violinist Jascha Heifetz and decided that he would never be able to equal Heifetz's "sound". Therefore, he switched to drumming, first studying with a show drummer named Joe Sefcik and then George Lawrence Stone, author of the noted drum textbook ''Stick Control for the Snare Drummer''. Stone was so impressed with Morello's ideas that he incorporated them into his next book, ''Accents & Rebounds'', which is dedicated to Morello. Later, Morello studied with Radio City Music Hall percussionist, Billy Gladstone.
After moving to New York City, Morello worked with numerous notable jazz musicians including Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, Stan Kenton, Phil Woods, Sal Salvador, Marian McPartland, Jay McShann, Art Pepper, and Howard McGhee.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> After a period of playing in McPartland's trio, Morello declined invitations to join both Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey's bands, favoring a temporary two-month tour with the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1955.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> Morello remained with Brubeck for well over a decade, departing in 1967.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> Morello later became an in-demand clinician, teacher and bandleader, whose former students include Danny Gottlieb, TigerBill Meligari, Bruce Springsteen E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, Rich Galichon, Phish drummer Jon Fishman, Gary Feldman, Patrick Wante, Tony Woo, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons drummer Gerry Polci, Jerry Granelli, RIOT drummer Sandy Slavin, retired Army Blues drummer Steve Fidyk, Glenn Johnson, Pittsburgh drummer Bennett Carlise, ''Level System'' author and professional drummer Jeff W. Johnson,<ref>{{Cite book|title=The level system: natural method for developing control of accents and dynamics|date=July 30, 2012|oclc=937838623}}</ref> Jazz drummer John B. Riley, and Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres.
Morello appeared in many Brubeck performances and contributed to over 60 albums with Brubeck. On "Take Five", he plays an imaginative drum solo maintaining the 5/4 time signature throughout. Another example of soloing in odd time signatures can be heard on "Unsquare Dance", in which he solos using only sticks without drums in 7/4 time. At the end of the track, he can be heard laughing about the "trick" ending. He also features on "Blue Rondo à la Turk", "Strange Meadow Lark", "Pick-Up Sticks" and "Castilian Drums".
During his career, Morello appeared on over 120 albums. He authored several drum books, including ''Master Studies'', published by Modern Drummer Publications, and also made instructional videos. Morello was the recipient of many awards, including ''Playboy'' magazine's best drummer award for seven years in a row, and ''Down Beat'' magazine's best drummer award five years in a row. He was elected to the ''Modern Drummer'' magazine Hall of Fame in 1988, the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1993, and was the recipient of Hudson Music's first TIP (Teacher Integration Program) Lifetime Achievement award in June, 2010.<ref>[http://www.hudsonmusic.com/hudson/2537/news/joe-morello-tip-lifetime-achievement-award/ "Joe Morello: TIP Lifetime Achievement Award" June 3, 2010] ''Hudson Music News'', June 15, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010</ref> <ref name=NYTObit/><ref>{{cite web|title=Jazz Drummer Joe Morello, Of 'Take Five' Fame, Dies At 82|website=NPR|date=12 March 2011|url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2011/03/12/134493874/jazz-drummer-joe-morello-of-take-five-fame-dies-at-82|publisher=npr.org|last1=Jarenwattananon|first1=Patrick}}</ref>
Morello had poor eyesight from birth and became blind in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bluenote.com/artist/joe-morello/ |title=Joe Morello|website=Bluenote.com|access-date=July 17, 2025}}</ref> Due to his visual impairment, he spent most of his later years teaching rather than primarily performing with bands. However, Morello participated in reunions with Dave Brubeck and the Marian McPartland Trio in his later life.
Morello died at his home in Irvington, New Jersey, on March 12, 2011, aged 82, and is interred at Saint Michael's Cemetery, Springfield, Massachusetts.<ref name="Joe Morello obituary at DW">{{cite web | title=Joe Morello | work=Drummer World | url=http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Joe_Morello.html | access-date=May 12, 2014}}</ref>
Upon his death, Morello's wife Jean gave control of Joe Morello's memorabilia and collections to Marvin Burock, one of Joe's students, who had toured extensively with Morello and who was tasked with transcribing Morello's ''Modern Drummer'' articles for ten years.<ref name="MD May 2003">{{cite magazine |last1=Morello |first1=Joe |last2=Burock |first2=Marvin |title=Finger Control in Modern Drummer (May 2003) |url=https://moderndrummer.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/md282.pdf |magazine=Modern Drummer |page=82|access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref><ref name="CNJ NCRS">{{cite web |last1=Vander Vliet |first1=Guy |title=CNJ NCRS Newsletter January 2018 |url=https://www.cnjncrs.org/Issue%2042%20January%202018.pdf |website=National Corvette's Restorer's Society – Central New Jersey Chapter |access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref><ref name="MD May 2003r">{{cite magazine |last1=Morello |first1=Joe |last2=Burock |first2=Marvin |title=Developing the Musical Phrase in Modern Drummer (May 1993) |url=https://www.moderndrummer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/md162cs.pdf |page=113|magazine=Modern Drummer |access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref>
==Discography== ===As leader/co-leader=== * ''Collections'' (Intro, 1957) with Red Norvo, Art Pepper and Gerry Wiggins * ''Joe Morello'' (RCA Bluebird, 1961-62) (Issued in 1989 - Partially reissues ''It's About Time'') * ''It's About Time'' (RCA, 1962) * ''Another Step Forward'' (Ovation, 1969) * ''Percussive Jazz'' (Ovation, 1977) * ''Going Places'' (DMP, 1993) * ''Morello Standard Time'' (DMP, 1994)
===As sideman=== '''With Dave Brubeck''' * 1957 ''Jazz Impressions of the U.S.A.'' * 1957 ''Dave Digs Disney'' * 1957 ''Reunion'' * 1958 ''Jazz Goes to Junior College'' * 1958 ''Jazz Impressions of Eurasia'' * 1958 ''Newport 1958'' * 1958 ''The Dave Brubeck Quartet in Europe'' * 1959 ''Gone with the Wind'' * 1959 ''The Riddle'' * 1959 ''Time Out'' * 1960 ''Brubeck and Rushing'' * 1960 ''Brubeck à la mode'' * 1961 ''Take Five Live'' * 1961 ''Time Further Out'' * 1961 ''Tonight Only!'' * 1962 ''Countdown—Time in Outer Space'' * 1962 ''Music from West Side Story'' * 1962 ''The Real Ambassadors'' * 1963 ''Bossa Nova U.S.A.'' * 1963 ''Brandenburg Gate: Revisited'' * 1963 ''Dave Brubeck Quartet in Amsterdam'' * 1961 ''Near-Myth'' * 1963 ''At Carnegie Hall'' * 1964 ''Dave Brubeck in Berlin'' * 1964 ''Jazz Impressions of Japan'' * 1964 ''Time Changes'' * 1965 ''Angel Eyes'' * 1965 ''Jazz Impressions of New York'' * 1965 ''The Canadian Concert of Dave Brubeck'' * 1966 ''My Favorite Things'' * 1966 ''Time In'' * 1966 ''Anything Goes: The Music of Cole Porter'' * 1967 ''Bravo! Brubeck!'' * 1967 ''Right Now!'' * 1967 ''The Last Time We Saw Paris'' * 1968 ''Jackpot!'' * 1971 ''Summit Sessions'' * 1972 ''Adventures in Time'' * 1973 ''On Campus'' * 1976 ''25th Anniversary Reunion'' * 1988 ''The Great Concerts: Amsterdam Copenhagen Carnegie Hall'' * 1991 ''Live (1956–1957)'' * 1992 ''Live (1954 and 1959)'' * 1993 ''Someday My Prince Will Come'' * 1993 ''St. Louis Blues''
'''With Gary Burton''' * 1961 ''New Vibe Man in Town'' * 1962 ''Who Is Gary Burton?''
'''With Tal Farlow''' * 1954 ''Tal Farlow Quartet'' * 1955 ''The Tal Farlow Album''
'''With Marian McPartland''' * 1952 ''Lullaby of Birdland'' * 1955 ''Marian McPartland in Concert'' *1955 ''Live At the Hickory House'' * 1956 ''After Dark'' * 1957 ''The Marian McPartland Trio'' * 2002 ''Live at Shanghai Jazz'' * 2003 ''All My Life'' '''With Gil Mellé''' *''Gil Mellé Quintet/Sextet'' (Blue Note, 1953) *''Gil Mellé Quintet with Urbie Green and Tal Farlow'' (Blue Note, 1953) '''With Sal Salvador''' * 1956 ''Shades of Sal Salvador'' *''Juicy Lucy'' (Bee Hive, 1978) '''With Chuck Wayne''' *''The Jazz Guitarist'' (Savoy, 1953 [1956])
'''With others''' * 1954 ''Jimmy Raney Quintet'', Jimmy Raney *1956 ''The Middle Road'', Jimmy McPartland * 1957 ''Dream of You'', Helen Merrill * 1957 ''Mr. Roberts Plays Guitar'', Howard Roberts * 1958 ''Sweet Paul Vol. 1'' Paul Desmond * 1961 ''Jazz Winds from a New Direction'', Hank Garland * 1977 ''Early Art'', Art Pepper * 1979 ''The Big Apple Bash'', Jay McShann * 1994 ''Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich'', Buddy Rich Big Band * 1994 ''The Gamut'', Robert Hohner * 1995 ''Two Facets of Louis: 1920-1950'', Louis Armstrong * 1997 ''Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich Vol. 2'', Buddy Rich Big Band * 2000 ''Chega de Saudade'', Stan Getz * 2007 ''Sings the Ultimate American Songbook Vol. 1'', Tony Bennett<ref name="AM credits">{{cite web|title=Joe Morello {{!}} Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-morello-mn0000207988/credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=2 June 2017}}</ref>
==Videography== *''Joe Morello – Drum Method 1: The Natural approach to Technique'' (DVD) Hot Licks 2006 *''Joe Morello – Drum Method 2: Around the Kit'' (DVD) Hot Licks 2006 *''Joe Morello, Danny Gottlieb: Natural Drumming Lessons 1&2'' (DVD) Mel Bay Publications, Inc. 2005 *''Joe Morello, Danny Gottlieb: Natural Drumming Lessons 3&4'' (DVD) Mel Bay Publications, Inc. 2006 *''Joe Morello, Danny Gottlieb: Natural Drumming Lessons 5&6'' (DVD) Mel Bay Publications, Inc. 2006 *''The Art of Playing with Brushes'' (DVD) Hudson Music LLC 2007
==Bibliography== * ''New Directions in Rhythm: Studies in 3/4 and 5/4 Time'' 1963 * ''Off the Record: A Collection of Famous Drum Solos'' 1966 * ''Rudimental Jazz: A Modern Application of Rudiments to the Drum Outfit'' 1967 * ''Master Studies: Exercises for the Development of Control and Technique'' Modern Drummer Publications, Inc. 1983 * ''Master Studies II: More Exercises for the Development of Control and Technique'' Modern Drummer Publications, Inc. 2006 * ''Rudimental Jazz: A Musical Application of Rudiments to the Drumset'' including CD, Modern Drummer Publications, Classics Series 2010
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Discogs artist|254976-Joe-Morello}} *{{IMDb name|0603775}} * [http://www.drummercafe.com/featured-musician/drummer-percussionist/joe-morello-1928-2011.html Joe Morello] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725092101/http://www.drummercafe.com/featured-musician/drummer-percussionist/joe-morello-1928-2011.html |date=July 25, 2011 }} at Drummer Cafe * {{findagrave|66830574}} * [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/joe-morello Joe Morello Interview] at NAMM Oral History Collection * [https://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/57301/PDF/1/play/ Rutgers Graduate Thesis on Joe Morello by his student Marvin Burock]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Morello, Joe}} Category:1928 births Category:2011 deaths Category:Entertainers from Irvington, New Jersey Category:Musicians from Essex County, New Jersey Category:Musicians from Springfield, Massachusetts Category:American jazz drummers Category:Jazz musicians from Massachusetts Category:Dave Brubeck Quartet members