Joey DeFrancesco

DeFrancesco was 16 years old when he signed an exclusive recording contract with Columbia Records. The following year he released his first record, titled All of Me. His performance on All of Me has been attributed as helping bring back the organ to jazz music during the 1980s.[3] That same year, DeFrancesco joined Miles Davis and his band on a five-week concert tour in Europe.[14] He followed up with playing keyboards on Davis' album Amandla, which reached No. 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart in 1989.[4] DeFrancesco started playing the trumpet around the same time, inspired by the sound of Davis.[15] DeFrancesco was originally spotted by Davis during a performance on the television show called Time Out.[16] He was performing on the set along with high school classmate Christian McBride when Davis asked the show's host, "what's your organ player's name", referring to DeFrancesco.[16] DeFrancesco's recording deal with Columbia included 5 albums. In addition to All of Me, he released Where Were You? (1990), Part III (1991), Reboppin’ (1992), and Live at the 5 Spot (1993).[17]

DeFrancesco began touring with his own quartet at the age of 18. In the early 1990s, he began collaborating with John McLaughlin, former guitarist for Miles Davis and the leader of Mahavishnu Orchestra. At the age of 22, he became a founding member of the group The Free Spirits, along with McLaughlin and drummer Dennis Chambers. He toured with the group for 4 years and was part of several recordings, including the albums Tokyo Live and After the Rain.[18] DeFrancesco also played trumpet on the former album.[19]

In 1999, DeFrancesco recorded his album Incredible! Live at the San Francisco Jazz Festival.[20] The album featured a performance by his idol Jimmy Smith, who joined DeFrancesco for two songs.[20] In 2004, DeFrancesco recorded Legacy, another album that featured Jimmy Smith.[20] The album was Smith's last recording; he died the same year.[4]

DeFrancesco was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004 for his record Falling in Love Again. DeFrancesco's career shifted slightly in 2009 with the film Moonlight Serenade, starring Amy Adams and Alec Newman. He played the role of "Frank D" in the film and was also credited as a composer and producer of the film. DeFrancesco was nominated for another Grammy Award in 2011 for Best Contemporary Jazz Album for Never Can Say Goodbye: The Music of Michael Jackson.[4] The recording was released in 2010 as a tribute to Michael Jackson. Some other DeFrancesco tribute albums include a tribute to Frank Sinatra titled "Joey DeFrancesco plays Sinatra his way" and a tribute to Jimmy Smith. DeFrancesco also turned 40 in 2011, celebrating by releasing 40, his 29th recording, which had success both on jazz charts domestically and in Europe.[4]

Joey DeFrancesco playing saxophone at NAMM 2022

DeFrancesco's music style was referred to as a swinging Philly sound which he "embellished with his own ferocity and improvisation."[16] He played 200-plus nights a year throughout the course of his career, a feat that he cut back on as of 2013.[21] He received numerous accolades for his performances, including being called the best B3 player on the planet by JazzTimes.[22] The New York Times described DeFrancesco as a "deeply authoritative musician, a master of rhythmic pocket, and of the custom of stomping bass lines beneath chords and riffs."[1] Chicago Tribune praised the musicianship of DeFrancesco, stating that "He dominated the instrument and the field as no one of his generation has.[23]" DeFrancesco was also involved in musical instrument development, especially product designs and endorsements related to technological advancements in digital keyboards and electronic organ both in the United States and internationally.[24]

As a multi-instrumentalist, DeFrancesco recorded on various keyboards (including acoustic & electric piano), and trumpet. Although best known as a jazz organist, he also performed as a singer and (since November 2018), played the tenor saxophone.[9][10]