Joe La Barbera

Gretsch Artist Since: 1975

Country: US

Band or Affiliations: Independent

Current Kit Setup:
Round Badge 1960s in Caribbean Blue
8x12 TT, 14x14 FT, 5x14 SD, 14x18 BD

Stop Sign Badge 1970s in Walnut
8x12 TT, 14x14 FT, 5x14 SD, 14x18 BD

Round Badge in Blue Sparkle
8x12 TT, 14x14 FT, 5x14 SD, 14x18 BD

Influences:
Papa Jo Jones, Shelly Manne, Elvin Jones and Tony Williams for the drummers. Lester Young, Miles Davis, Bill Evans for their phrasing.

We asked...Why Gretsch?:
"Growing up, all my heroes played Gretsch and the sound of their drums on recordings was so distinctive. When I played a set of Gretsch for the first time at Berklee I knew that this was the instrument for me."

Advice to aspiring musicians?:
"Be patient and enjoy the journey. Every level of your development will offer you something of value which you can build on."

Bio:
Joe La Barbera has been in demand by the greatest names in jazz for 5 decades.
From his first professional appearance at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas with Frankie Randall and the Buddy Rich band in 1968 to his work with jazz great Bill Evans and up to the present, he has always been regarded by his peers as a tasteful, musical drummer and a supportive accompanist. Bill Evans summed it up best when he said: “Joe is very dedicated to playing…he’s a top soloist and he does the right thing at the right time”.

He has worked with an impressive list of artists across generations and continents including Woody Herman, Chuck Mangione, John Scofield, Mike and Randy Brecker, Toots Thielemans, Lee Konitz, Joe Locke, John Abercrombie, Phil Woods, Bud Shank, Gary Burton, Dado Maroni, Enrico Pieranunzi, Brad Mehldau, Phillipe Catherine and Kenny Wheeler to name only a few.

He taught at the prestigious California Institute for the Arts for 28 years also appearing as a clinician and guest artist at many major universities around the world. After retiring in 2021 he was awarded Faculty Emeritus from Cal Arts. He is the recipient of the 2019 Jazz Treasure Award from the Los Angeles Jazz Society, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County.
His book, Times Remembered The Final Years of the Bill Evans Trio published in 2021 has been praised by musicians and fans alike. His latest recording, World Travelers, the Joe La Barbera Quintet is recently released on Sam First Records.