By Joel Roberts

Joe Ascione knew music would be his love from an early age. The eastern Long Island native was first drawn to the drums at the age of four, when he saw his cousin Stephen DeLauro playing on a drum set in Brooklyn. Ascione has played professional gigs since he was 12, and spent his late teens working as a roadie for Buddy Rich.

Before embarking on a professional career in music, Ascione earned a B.S. in engineering and then studied philosophy, psychology, and theology in a Catholic seminary. Since then, he has enjoyed a wide variety of musical experiences ranging from jazz club dates to Carnegie Hall appearances, from studio recordings to tours reaching as far as Armenia. He is currently celebrating the Arbors release of his new CD “Post No Bills.” As a leader, he has also released a CD on the Nagel-Heyer label entitled “My Buddy,” a tribute to Buddy Rich recorded while on tour in Germany.

Ascione has toured, recorded, or performed with scores of luminaries from the worlds of jazz, rock, and pop including Cab Calloway, Donald Fagen, Della Reese, David Grisman, George Coleman, Billy Mitchell, Flip Phillips, Al Hirt, Dr. John, Phoebe Snow, Jon Hendricks, Dick Hyman, and Herb Ellis. In tandem with favorite guitarist Frank Vignola, he has recently formed a new production company, Venture Music, Inc.

Ascione is also heavily involved in music education, giving workshops, clinics, and master classes as an endorsee of GMS Drums, Zildjian cymbals, and Promark sticks.