Profile of Joe Morello on Famous Like Me

Joe Morello (born July 17, 1929) is a jazz drummer perhaps best known for his years with Dave Brubeck.

Morello was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He had health problems throughout his career as a professional musician, especially with his back and eyesight. He is mainly known for playing extremely polyrhythmic patterns in odd time signatures. He is featured in an extended solo on Dave Brubeck's hit tune "Take Five."

If he hadn't had eyesight problems at an early age, Morello would have pursued a career as a classical violinist. But the string world's loss was the drum community's gain, as Morello became one of the most technically accomplished drumset players to ever wield a pair of sticks, setting a new standard for mastery of odd-time signatures through his work with the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

Morello began studying violin at age six, and three years later was featured with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as soloist in the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. By age 15 he had switched to drums, first studying with a show drummer named Joe Sefcik and then studying with the legendary George Lawrence Stone, author of "Stick Control". Stone was so impressed with Morello's ideas that he incorporated them into his next book, "Accents & Rebounds", which is dedicated to Morello. Later, Morello studied with Radio City Music Hall percussionist Billy Gladstone, one of the most technically advanced drummers of all time.

After moving to New York City, Morello worked with an impressive list of jazz musicians including Johnny Smith, Tal Farlow, Phil Woods, Stan Kenton, Phil Woods, Sal Salvador, Marian McPartland, Jay McShann, Art Pepper, Howard McGhee, and others.

His 12-year stint with the Dave Brubeck Quartet made Morello a household name in the jazz (and drumming) world, and on the quartet's recording of "Take Five" he performed one of the most famous drum solos in jazz history.

After leaving Brubeck in 1968, Morello became an in-demand clinician, teacher and bandleader. Joe Morello's former students include Max Weinberg and Rich Galichon.

Throughout his impressive career, Joe Morello has appeared on over 120 albums. He has written several drum books, including Master Studies, published by Modern Drummer Publications, and has done an instructional video for Hot Licks titled The Natural Approach to Technique. Morello has won countless music polls over the years, and was elected to the Modern Drummer magazine Hall of Fame in 1988.

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