Friday 13 August 2021

Joe Puma born 13 August 1927


Joe Puma (August 13, 1927 – May 31, 2000) was an American jazz guitarist who had a steady if low-profile career, uplifting many sessions without getting famous himself. 

Joseph J. Puma was born in the Bronx, New York. He began his working life as an aircraft mechanic in the army in 1944, and then became a draughtsman in New York, but might have guessed that he was destined to be a guitarist. His father was both a player and a maker of guitars, and his two brothers also played the instrument. 

Inspired by the example of the gypsy guitar genius Django Reinhardt, he had taught himself to play as a youngster, but it was hearing Charlie Parker in 1947 which finally provided the inspiration for a career switch. He joined the Musicians' Union in 1948, and never looked back. He focused on perfecting his skills and surviving as a freelance musician. His first major job was with vibraphonist Joe Roland (1949-1950). In the 1950s Puma appeared on many recording sessions including with Roland, Louie Bellson, Artie Shaw & His Gramercy Five (1954), Eddie Bert, Herbie Mann, Mat Mathews, Chris Connor, and Paul Quinichette. In 1957 he won the New Star Award for Guitar from Metronome Magazine. 


                            Here’s “Loris” from above 1954 LP

                              

Puma will also be best remembered for his 1961 collaboration with producer Eddie Hall and Dick Hyman’s “Like Tweet. Like Tweet.” This album started with not much more than a collection of bird calls and Hall's idea that they might be turned into the basis of a series of jazz tunes. Hall and Hyman took each call, picked out a melody or motif from it, then built a whole combo arrangement around it, featuring Puma's guitar as the centrepiece and chief special effects generator. 

Puma was seemingly everywhere during that era. He accompanied Morgana King for two years and in the 1960s recorded with Bobby Hackett, Gary Burton (1964), and Carmen McRae, among many others. During 1972-1977 he co-led a duo with fellow guitarist Chuck Wayne, later became a teacher, and remained musically active on a part-time basis into the late '90s. 

Joe Puma led recording dates of his own for Bethlehem, Dawn, Jubilee, Columbia, and Reservoir. His last album as a leader, It's a Blue World, was recorded in 1997 and released in 1999 on Euphoria Jazz. He also appeared on the Warren Vaché CD What Is There to Say?, recorded in 1999 and released the following year on Nagel Heyer. 

Joe Puma died from cancer in New York City on May 31, 2000; he was 72 years old. 

(Edited from AllMusic, Space Age Pop & Wikipedia)

3 comments:

boppinbob said...

For “The Jazz Guitar Of Joe Puma (2007 Fresh Sound Records)” go here:

https://krakenfiles.com/view/dHgyunNX7d/file.html

01. Loris (Joe Puma) 4:12
02. A Little Rainy (Joe Puma) 3:09
03. What Is There To Say (Duke-Harburg) 2:49
04. Hallelujah (Youmans-Robin-Grey) 3:26
05. How About You? (Lane-Freed) 3:28
06. Pumatic (Joe Puma) 4:07
07. Liza (G. & I. Gershwin) 3:06
08. Moon Song (Johnston-Costow) 3:08
09. I'm Old Fashioned (Kern-Mercer) 2:46
10. Time Was (Prado-Luna) 2:21
11. Ain't Misbehavin' (Waller-Razaf-Brooks) 2:27
12. Lil' Basses (Dick Garcia) 2:45
13. Unison Blues (Vinnie Burke) 4:19
14. Ubas (Oscar Pettiford) 5:04
15. Blues For Midge (Joe Puma) 5:54
16. Stablemmates (Benny Golson) 5:51
17. I Got It Bad And That A'int Good (Ellington-Webster) 4:37
18. Mother Of Earl (Earl Zindars) 4:34
19. Indian Summer (Herbert-Dubin) 7:10

Sources:
Tracks #1-8, from the 10" LP "East Coast Jazz No.3" (Bethlehem BCP-1012)
Tracks #9-12, from the 12" LP "The Fourmost Guitars" (ABC-Paramount ABC-109)
Track #13, from an ABC-Paramount album by Vinnie Burke All-Stars (ABC-139)
This was the only tune in the album featuring Joe Puma as a soloist
Tracks #14-19, from the 12" LP "Joe Puma Quartet & Trio" (Jubilee JLP-1070)

Personnel:
#1-8: Joe Puma, Barry Galbraith (guitars), Don Elliot (vibes), Vinnie Burke (bass), Ted Sommer (drums).
Recorded in New Yor City, November 30, 1954
#9-12: Joe Puma, Dick Garcia (guitars), Dante Martucci (bass), Al Levitt (drums).
Recorded in New York City, December 1955
#13: Joe Puma (guitar), Eddie Costa (piano), Vinnie Burke (bass), Jimmy Campbell (drums).
Recorded in New York City, July 1956
#14-16: Joe Puma (guitar), Eddie Costa (vibes), Oscar Pettiford (bass).
Recorded in New York City, 1957
#17-19: Joe Puma (guitar), Bill Evans (piano), Oscar Pettiford (bass), Paul Motian (drums).
Recorded in New York City, 1957

Joe Puma was a guitarist of imagination and skill that, despite emerging from New York under the shadow of Tal Farlow and Jimmy Raney, made some excellent recordings as a leader with some great and inventive jazzmen such as Bill Evans, Eddie Costa, Don Elliott, Oscar Pettiford and Paul Motian.

This CD is a swinging, warm set of well-thought out sessions that manage to retain essential spontaneity meaningfully throughout the solos. Pumas approach is tasteful, gentle and unpretentious, and his finely-etched, sensitive guitar playing garnered the respect of his fellow musicians and such critical acclaim as the 1957 New Star award for his instrument in the poll conducted by Metronome magazine.

Dj Diego MC said...

Ok, gracias.

trucha3 said...

Thanks so much for posting - I've been looking for this for several years. I love his guitar playing. Nice tribute to him, too - well done.