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 Thursday, 29 July 2010 |
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Joey DeFrancesco Trio at Steamers with Guest Ralph Peterson 1/15-16, and Colleen McNabb 1/15-17 |
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Written by Don Berryman
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Friday, 15 January 2010 |
 Joey DeFrancesco © Don Berryman
Joey DeFrancesco will be performing at Steamers in Fullerton with his trio feauring drummer on Friday, january 15th and Saturday, January 16th and on each night, trhough Sunday, January 17th, the enchanting vocalist Colleen McNabb will be featured. If you don't know Joey, you just don't know jazz organ - he is simply the best, period. Hired by Miles Davis at 17 years of age, Joey was responsible for the rediscovery and renaissance of the B3 organ. Ralph Peterson's drumming ability was discovered by none-other-than drum legend Art Blakey who hired him for his Jazz Messengers Big Band. For nearly 25 years, Ralph Peterson has been one of the distinctive and recognizable drummers in jazz. Ralph will be sitting in a a guest, but the hard-swinging Philadelphia drummer Byron Landham, who has been part of Joey's trio from the begining, will also be behind the drums. Johnny DeFrancesco will be sitting in on guitar Friday night as well. Don't miss the opportunity to hear these great jazz musicians - and the $15 cover makes it the bargain of the year!
 Ralph Peterson
Ralph has since become a member of the jazz elite. His recording and touring resume includes jazz greats like Terrence Blanchard, Branford Marsalis, Stanley Turrentine, David Murray, The Count Basie Orchestra, Betty Carter, and Michael Brecker. Peterson’s recording career began in 1985 with the Blue Note stable band OTB (Out of the Blue). Shortly thereafter, he was signed to the Blue Note Label as a leader and released six critically acclaimed recordings.
As an educator, Ralph has been on the faculty at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Long Island University, The New School, NJ PAC’S Jazz for teens program, The North Netherlands Conservatory in Holland, Rutgers University, and the Juilliard School of Music. He is now Full Professor at Berklee College of Music, visiting Professor at Princeton University, Artist in Residence Prince Claus Conservatory in Holland as well as a clinician for Mapex Drums, Vic Firth Sticks and Bosphorus Cymbals.
 Colleen McNabb © Andea Canter
Joey DeFrancesco has come a long way from All of Me, his recording début as a leader made in 1989 as a fresh-faced 17-year-old. From the get-go, the Philadelphia native established his credentials with virtuoso technique and an innate soulfulness that he brought to bear on the hulking Hammond B-3 organ which belied his young age but spoke of his deep Philly roots under the tutelage of his father, Papa John DeFrancesco, a B-3 burner in his own right. Through the 1990s, Joey was widely recognized as spearheading a renewed interested in the Hammond organ, an instrument that had fallen out of favor among musicians and the public since its golden period during the 1960s and early 70s. Joey DeFrancesco © Andrea Canter
The late critic Leonard Feather wrote in the liner notes to his 1994 recording, All About My Girl: "No less significant in the story of Joey’s ascendancy is the ability he has shown to create excitement. The tension he is capable of building brings back to mind a tradition that began some 50 years ago, when Norman Granz’ Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts began stirring up audiences around the country. Listen to a 'Donna Lee' and other cuts on this CD and you can hardly fail to be moved by the emotion Joey and his colleagues generate."
Today DeFrancesco is regarded by organ aficionados as the baddest B-3 burner in the business (a claim supported by his five consecutive DownBeat Critics Poll awards for 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005and 2006). And while Joey has never made any boastful claims about his own ranking among the organ elite on the contrary, he has always respectfully deferred to his B-3 elders, the fact is, no organist today plays with the skill, harmonic depth, and authority of this phenomenon from Philly. With over 20 solo releases and historic associations with legends such as Miles Davis, Jimmy Smith, Bobby Hutcherson, Elvin Jones and John McLaughlin, DeFrancesco's place in the idiom’s history is cemented.
Steamers Jazz Club is located at 138 W Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton, CA. For reservations, call (714) 871-8800. For more info visit www.steamerscafe.com.
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