R.I.P. Joe Morello

[flyman]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsuprem...ame-dies-at-82

[Nappa]

I am saddened by this news.

[Marcus Johnson]

He was cool, a real character. I got to know him a little bit when Danny Gottlieb brought him out for a "doubles" gig.... I was playing with Danny, and Joe Morello and Gene Wright did a thing together. Danny's going to be sad about this, as Joe was a mentor/father figure to him.

Joe swung pretty hard, but he saw no irony in playing a straight version of "The Anniversary Waltz" right in the middle of a jazz set. He just played whatever he wanted. I don't remember him doing any Brubeck material at all.

[Don Higdon]

I haven't seen him for a few years. He was effectively blind, but you'd never know it. His student would set up his drums always exactly in place.
His sense of humor was off the charts.
Even having lost alot, his playing was formidable. One night, he and the bass started a vamp for St. Thomas, funky as hell, across 3 tom-toms. I looked at a chick at the bar for a few seconds; OK, 15 or 20. I turned back to Joe. The vamp is still going, but he's doing it with just his left hand, using his right to hold a handkerchief and blow his nose.
Another time, on a trio gig, he did a duet with Noreen Gray, a wonderful pianist. The duet was voice and drums. She sang Bye Bye, Blackbird with just Joe's brushes. Swung.

[Marcus Johnson]

Noreen Gray, she's great! I went to UW-Eau Claire when she was still there. Her husband, Craig Rifel, was a solid bassist too.

Joe was very funny. You had to keep your ears open all the time... very quick.

[Don Higdon]

Noreen is remarried, to Nate Lienhard, another bassist. They were both working with Joe. Joe called a tune Nate didn't know. Joe didn't know me, so Nate asked Joe if I could sit in, since I knew it. After the tune, Joe kept me on the stand for more. Felt nice. I had stopped on my way home from playing Vivaldi's Gloria in concert. Quite an evening.

[Marcus Johnson]

Nice.