RIP Joey DeFrancesco

[Delaware Dave]

I met Joey when he was endorsing the Diversi DV Duo.  He used to appear at the Hammond Store (Tom Tuson's store) in Morton Pa frequently and give clinics there.  Great guy, very personable.  

 

51 years old, a damn shame.....

[bill bosco]

truly shocked and saddened to hear this . RIP Joey D , the world is a quieter place today 

[nadroj]

Devastating news. Joey was one of the all time greats. 
 

This version of “One Hundred Ways” is one of the few videos I post on my social media outlets every year, and is perhaps one of my favourite live recordings ever. A masterclass in organ playing - merging several genres and styles flawlessly within one solo, all while rocking bass. Melodic, bluesy and soulful, with thrashed out bebop passages and an ending that would make any bonafide gospel player blush. Joey could do it all. Seemed to be a genuinely nice guy too. 

 

Throwing this one in too cos it’s also gold and hell, it’s a tribute to Joey. 

 

[Coker]

He’s why I bought the YC

[cedar]

Devastating news.  And I agree about "One hundred ways."  I rarely gravitate to such pop tunes, but that live version truly is a master class.  One of the few tunes where I've ever considered transcribing the bass lines.

[yannis D]

8 hours ago, HammondDave said:

 

One of the best vids and one of the best concerts, this one of his “italian trio”. A true giant on all aspects. RIP

[Tusker]

9 hours ago, mate stubb said:

This is terrible. I met Joey several times and have some stories but can't bring myself to recount them at this moment.

RIP Joey, and I feel for Papa John.

 

To add my weak echo of these important thoughts ...

 

Our deepest condolences to the De Francesco family. Thank you for sharing Joey with us. Sometimes a star lights up the sky for an all too brief moment ... ♥️

[SteinwayB]

Devastated.  Such a brilliant player.  Perhaps he is playing with Miles again.  For those who haven't seen this, check it out:

 

 

Bill Boggs calls him Joey DeFranco.  There he is in high school playing with Christian McBride!  Miles's famous line:  "what's your organ player's name" which is the title of one of Joey's tunes.   I met Joey at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA and he was very gracious.  I last saw him a few years ago at a free concert in Springifled, MA with my daughter who was just starting to play jazz guitar and she said something along the lines of "I don't know how to process what I just heard!"  

 

RIP Joey

[Joe Muscara]

He was supposed to a gig near here a few years ago, but then it got cancelled. I asked him about it when I met him at NAMM 2020 and he was all like, "man, that club is wack!"  I got a chance to see him perform a few times at the Viscount booth, and on the last day of the show, after he did his last performance, Peter Erskine showed up. He jumped back on the organ saying something like, "Peter Erskine is here, I gotta play with him!" By then the crowd had dispersed and I was lucky enough to be right in front of the organ with no one in my way. That's how I got this almost too close video.

 

 

I got to talk to him again briefly at NAMM 2022. Cool cat. I wish I had a chance to see a full show, like if that "wack" club hadn't screwed him. I consider myself lucky to have had the encounters at NAMM that I did. Losing him at 51 is scary young, especially nowadays.

 

(I was at that same wack club for another gig around the time the Joey De show was supposed to be, and I found the guy who does the bookings and asked him what happened. IIRC, he said that he was on vacation when Joey's gig was booked, and that the show that was going to be that night instead would be better. It was some country act.  )

[Aperkeys]

Awful news. Just before COVID he played a show in my town for the first time, and I missed it unfortunately. What a loss, one of my biggest inspirations to explore the Hammond Organ on the Jazzier side. RIP Joey D, shine on

[lightbg]

Unbelievable. I feel like I lost a family member. R.I.P.

 

Jake

 

[Mark Zeger]

From Questlove on FB. He went to high school with Joey, Christian McBride, and The Roots’ Tariq Trotter.

 

Joey Defrancesco (4/10/71-8/25/22)

(Pt 1 of 2)

 

I grew up in the Doo Wop world. So basically all the musicians ive ever known were WAY older.  Like born in the 50s playing with the likes of my dad & the bands of his era. I thought I was a big deal being as though I knew NO KID my age playing an instrument. Kids were into sports by the time I was 9-10. So I latched on to the music of older people. Never the stuff kids my age were into. I had an adults knowledge of music by 1978.

 

Which when at age 15 seeing Joey play that damn DX7 on the news was so mind blowing to me. I literally yelled to my mom: “MOM SOMEONE MY AGE CAN PLAY AN INSTRUMENT & HE GOES TO PERFORMING ARTS!!!!!” ——I been campaigning for a minute to go to @CAPAhs ——I was about to be in the 11th grade & the school that I was attending (hello #citycenteracademy on 17th & Spruce) had NO music program. I wanted to play music with kids my age. Maybe I could teach em a thang or two. 

 

HA HA HA I swore I was finna run shit when I came to this school. 
 

Dog: Joey changed that shit on DAY ONE (I started school a week later cause I was busy being a “big deal” 🙄on the road w my dad—so my first day was their first week in school & I had to make sure I was hearing correct: you are telling me THEE #MilesDavis pulled 3 kids outta THIS school to play on television?!?!?!?!?——lol this prime american arrogance of me to think I was THE ONLY human with a 7 in the 3rd digit of his birth year who had the talent to back it up. 

Man....it was the OPPOSITE —kids YOUNGER than me named “Mcbride” & “Dozier” & a kid EVEN younger from a school in MY borough of West Philly named “ROBERTS” bout to hand me my ass on a platter?!!!! Wtf!!!!

Jesus CHRIST I had some growing up to do. Joey literally pulled ZERO punches in the first 2 semesters.

 

Called me out INSTANTLY——(to be continued)

[octa]

rip, way too young 😕

 

 

[KeyMoe]

RIP Joey! 

[allan_evett]

Man, this is rough. Joey's playing and personality were a strong influence in moving me into the world of tonewheels and drawbars+, after years of sampled, ROMpler organs.  Never met him in-person, though the stories I've listened point to a very cool guy who was all heart and soul.  

You will be missed, Joey D.  Godspeed!

[Mark Schmieder]

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/26/1119560655/joey-defrancesco-driving-force-on-the-hammond-organ-dies-at-51

 

Much younger than I realized, but I had forgotten he started so young, which is typical of those whose parents are musical stars as well. I saw him live several times, including during his stint with John McLaughlin. No one dominated the top of the heap on Jazz Organ as long as he did!

[Adan]

Gone way too soon.  What an epic and tragic loss.  Feels very different than when a great musicians passes in their 70's or 80's.

 

I'm one of those people who over the years would look at Joey and wish he'd take better care of himself physically.  This is why.  I'm sure lots of people tried to deliver that message, I'm sure he heard it loud and clear, he just couldn't make it happen.

[lsj]

always wanted to see him in person.  never got the chance.  sad day. RIP.

[brenner13]

Oh GEEZ! He’s much of the the reason this synth head of the late eighties picked up a basement stored Hammond M3 and started learning how to comp with one hand and adjust drawbars and lead with the other. 
 

I remember seeing this crazy kid about my age in the pages of Keyboard Magazine in 1988 or 9 or something, and wondering to myself, “Who wants to play organ in this vast emergence of synth-ness. Then I gave a listen and it blew my mind. And tuned my ears to hear all the organ that was still happening in popular music as well. 
 

Such a brief time here, but inspired so many. A great one to be sorely missed.

[drawback]

1 hour ago, Adan said:

Gone way too soon.  What an epic and tragic loss.  Feels very different than when a great musicians passes in their 70's or 80's.

 

I'm one of those people who over the years would look at Joey and wish he'd take better care of himself physically.  This is why.  I'm sure lots of people tried to deliver that message, I'm sure he heard it loud and clear, he just couldn't make it happen.

What I was trying to formulate to express. Thank you again, Adan.

[Piktor]

I got into JD from his third album on. I heard and felt joy from the first note. In my estimation, he was the greatest organist in jazz.  I was very fortunate to have heard him live four times (starting with John McLaughlin’s trio) and even got to meet him once and express my appreciation. Joey seemed like such a warm and gracious person. My condolences to his family, to all who knew him and to all who loved him. 

[MAJUSCULE]

Awful, awful news. RIP to a master, one of the most joyful performers to ever walk this earth. Grateful to have heard him.

[Mark Zeger]

[RichieP_MechE]

I was shocked to open up Facebook this morning and see Jim Alfredson's tribute post to Joey. A terrible loss for the music and Hammond organ world. May he rest in peace! 

[Al Coda]

Damn,- 51 ...

 

the world lost the best organ player on the planet !

 

R.I.P. Joey D

 

 

[Jim Alfredson]

On 8/25/2022 at 9:27 PM, ITGITC said:

Joey's concert at Duke University in Durham was the last that BluesKeys and I attended together.  Later that night we were at a friend's house where he provided us all with a private concert and a duet with BluesKeys. It was a late night.  I've got the photos and a grainy video.

 

Heart attack just about got the better of me a few years ago... but I'm still kickin' it.

Rest in Peace Joey (and Blueskeys). 

 

ITGITC? 

 

video2.AVI 7.58 MB · 15 downloads

 

Man, I miss that guy (BluesKeys). The Joey news is devastating. 

[marino]

I wasn't ready to hear this. I'm without words.

[Dockeys]

Such a huge loss. I had the privilege of seeing him about 20 years ago. He was playing a typical organ trio gig but at one stage he took out the trumpet, played it with his right hand, comped chords with his left hand, walked bass with his left foot and used the expression pedal with his right foot. Blew my mind. 

[SteveCoscia]

Big loss.  RIP Joey.

 

I remember the day Joey's father brought him to the Ensoniq factory.  Joey was a teenager and very talented.

[elif]

I saw him live only once.  I'm too stunned for words... 

 

Here he is at 23 (!) with John McLaughlin and Dennis Chambers - Limehouse Blues.