JOEY BARON - batteria

Joey Baron è nato nel 1955 a Richmond, Virginia in una famiglia ebrea della working class. Si è formato prevalentemente da autodidatta, attraverso l’osservazione degli altri musicisti e l’ascolto di dischi, radio e televisione. Le sue prime influenze spaziano dagli ospiti dell’Ed Sullivan show e la sigla del telefilm "The Wild Wild West" alle incisioni di Art Blakey, Ray Charles, Booker T. and the M.G.'s, James Brown, i Beatles e Jimi Hendrix. Oltre ad aver fino al 1995 fatto parte per dieci anni della band di Bill Frisell, si è esibito e ha inciso con un numero impressionante di grandi artisti tra cui spiccano Carmen McRae, Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Hampton Hawes, Chet Baker, Laurie Anderson, Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Jay McShann, David Bowie, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Big Joe Turner, Philip Glass, John Abercrombie, Mel Lewis, Pat Martino, Harry Sweets Edison, David Sanborn, Al Jarreau, Jim Hall, Randy Brecker, Marian McPartland, John Scofield, e i Lounge Lizards. Joey Baron inoltre è co-leader del gruppo "Miniature" (insieme a Tim Berne e Hank Roberts) ed è stato membro dei "Naked City" (con John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Fred Frith and Wayne Horvitz). Suona nel gruppo "Masada" di John Zorn, con Dave Douglas (tromba) e Greg Cohen (basso), ed è leader del proprio trio "Barondown", che comprende Ellery Eskelin (sassofono) e Steve Swell (trombone). "Barondown" ha inciso tre albums: “Crackshot” (Avant), “Raised Pleasure Dot” (New World) e “Tongue in Groove” (JMT). Joey Baron ha anche diretto una all star band che ha visto la partecipazione di Ron Carter, Arthur Blythe e Bill Frisell. Con questo gruppo ha inciso per la serie Songline/Tone Field della Intuition “Down Home”, un cd di proprie composizioni originali ispirate alle sonorità R&B del sud degli Stati Uniti, sua zona d’origine. Joey Baron si esibisce anche in duo con Bill Frisell e da solo. Un brano da lui inciso in solitudine, “Alfie”, è stato pubblicato nel CD “Great Jewish Music: Burt Bacharach” (Knitting Factory Works).

He is largely self-taught by means of watching others play and listening to recordings, radio and television. His early influences ran the gamut from Ed Sullivan show guests, to "The Wild Wild West" television show theme to records by Art Blakey, Ray Charles, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, James Brown, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.

Besides being a member of the Bill Frisell Band for ten years until 1995, he has performed and recorded with an impressive list of musicians - including Carmen McRae, Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Hampton Hawes, Chet Baker, Laurie Anderson, Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, Vinicus Cantuaria, Jay McShann, David Bowie, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Big Joe Turner, Philip Glass, John Abercrombie, Mel Lewis, Pat Martino, Harry Sweets Edison, David Sanborn, Al Jarreau, Jim Hall, Randy Brecker, Marian McPartland, John Scofield, Marc Johnson and The Lounge Lizards.

Joey has lead his own trios one with John Medeski and Marc Ribot; and "Barondown" which featured Ellery Eskelin (saxophone) and Josh Roseman (trombone). "Barondown" recorded three albums - Crackshot (Avant), RAIsed Pleasure Dot (New World) and Tongue in Groove (JMT).

He also co-lead the group "Miniature" (with Tim Berne and Hank Roberts) and was a member of "Naked City" (with John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Fred Frith and Wayne Horvitz) and of Zorn's group Masada (Dave Douglas and Greg Cohen).

Joey's first release on the Songline / Tone Field series on Intuition was Down Home. The project featuresBaron's southern r&b-flavored original songs played by an all star band of Ron Carter, Arthur Blythe and Bill Frisell. "The most intriguing ensemble of the season," (New Yorker) "is not only all star, but fascinatingly so."(-Village Voice.) We'll Soon Find Out, the band's second album was released the summer of 2000. Both albums are produced by Lee Townsend.

Baron's main performing band is "Killer Joey", featuring guitarists Steve Cardenas and Brad Shepik as well as Tony Scherr on bass. They have a self-produced CD entitled Killer Joey with Shepik's predecessor, Adam Levy.

Occasionally, Joey still performs with "The Down Home Band" in a solo setting, with Bill Frisell, Lee Konitz, Vinicius Cantuaria, John Abercrombie and in a trio with pianist John Taylor and Marc Johnson on bass.