Jazz Articles about Joey DeFrancesco

About Joey DeFrancesco

Interview

Joey DeFrancesco: From Musical Prodigy to Jazz Icon

by Victor L. Schermer
May 29, 2019

Joey DeFrancesco is a true master of the jazz organ, the one others look up to as the standard bearer, as was his inspirational hero, Jimmy Smith. Arguably, he could be dubbed the Mozart of the jazz organ, since like Mozart, he seemed to have been born with all the music already in him. By four, again like Mozart, he was studying with his father. His dad, organist Papa" John DeFrancesco took Joey with him on gigs around Philadelphia. At ...

Album Review

Joey DeFrancesco: In The Key Of The Universe

Read "In The Key Of The Universe" reviewed by Doug Collette

by Doug Collette
March 14, 2019

Joey DeFrancesco has stretched himself regularly throughout the course of thirty-plus albums. Just since Project Freedom (Mack Avenue, 2017) he's collaborated very productively for two albums with the Irish soulman Van Morrison--You're Driving Me Crazy (Sony Legacy, 2018) and The Prophet Speaks (Caroline, 2018). And, on In The Key of the Universe, the organist/trumpeter reaffirms his connection with jazz history through fruitful work with estimable musicians including saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and drummer Billy Hart.DeFrancesco himself sounds effortless as ...

Album Review

Joey DeFrancesco: In The Key Of The Universe

Read "In The Key Of The Universe" reviewed by Chris Mosey

by Chris Mosey
February 10, 2019

This is an important, even historic album. It marks--unannounced--the return of a great figure of the free jazz era, Pharoah Sanders. Saxophonist Albert Ayler once famously declared, “Trane was the Father, Pharoah was the Son, I am the Holy Ghost." Hammond organist Joey DeFrancesco has orchestrated Sanders' return from oblivion. Without it, the album would be just one more round of Hammond organ tunes that adhere to DeFrancesco's dictum “I just like to swing." ...

Album Review

Van Morrison and Joey DeFrancesco: You're Driving Me Crazy

Read "You're Driving Me Crazy" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
May 23, 2018

Van Morrison has been busy, releasing three recordings in quick succession, Roll With the Punches (Exile, 2017), Versatile (Exile, 2017), and presently You're Driving Me Crazy with jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco. At this point in his career, Morrison can pretty well sing what he damn well pleases. On his past several recordings, Morrison has revisited his catalog, recasting some of his older songs in new frames and You're Driving Me Crazy proves no exception. Revisited here are “The Way Young ...

Year in Review

Steve Bryant's Best Releases Of 2017

by Steve Bryant
January 3, 2018

My personal favorites from 2017. The best of the best. Joey DeFrancesco + The People Project Freedom Mack Avenue Eddie Palmieri Sabiduria Ropeadope Jazzmeia Horn Social Call Concord Charles Lloyd New Quartet Passing Through Blue Note Arturo O'Farrill / Chucho Valdes Familia: Tribute to Bebo & Chico Motema

New York Beat

Joey DeFrancesco at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

by Nick Catalano
August 18, 2016

As the New York August heat blazed onto the streets on Saturday night (August 13th), Joey DeFrancesco and his trio rocketed into Dizzy's with their own burning repertoire. The B-3 wizard played four selections from his new HighNote CD Trip Mode and had an audience which included Bill Charlap, Paquito D'Rivera, and Todd Barkan roaring with approval for the tunes--some written with metronome settings breaking the sound barrier. The new group features guitarist Dan Wilson and drummer ...

Live Review

Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland 2015

by C. Andrew Hovan
July 15, 2015

2015 Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland Playhouse Square Cleveland, Ohio July 9-11, 2015 For the second time in its 36-year history, Tri-C JazzFest lit up downtown Cleveland with a three-day midsummer jazz festival that mixed paid shows from national headliners with free outdoor performances featuring musicians from Northeast Ohio. Home to all these festivities would be the highly acclaimed Playhouse Square area, with an outdoor plaza being utilized for the free concerts that ran each day from ...