Joe La Barbera enjoys a rewarding and varied career in music which takes him all over the world with some of the finest names in jazz. He is regarded by his peers as a musical drummer and a supportive accompanist. Jazz great Bill Evans summed it up best when he said that “Joe is very dedicated to playing quality music, and he’s willing to make the concessions of dues toward that end. He’s a top soloist and he does the right thing at the right time.”
Born in Mt. Morris, New York, his first musical experiences began at home as part of the family band with his parents and two older brothers, saxophonist Pat and trumpeter and arranger/composer John La Barbera. From his father he received a solid foundation in drumming as well as lessons on clarinet and saxophone. His education continued at the Berklee College of Music in Boston where his teachers included John LaPorta, Charlie Mariano, Herb Pomeroy and the great Alan Dawson.
After Berklee and two years with the U.S. Army band at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Joe began his professional career with Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd. The Chuck Mangione Quartet followed with gigs ranging from jazz clubs with the small group to symphony halls with full orchestra. Then it was onto New York and a fruitful two-year period of freelancing with Jim Hall, Phil Woods, Art Farmer, Gary Burton, Art Pepper, John Scofield, Bob Brookmeyer and Toots Thielmans to name just a few.
In 1978 Joe was asked to join Bill Evans in what was to become a landmark trio, widely regarded as one of Evan’s finest. After Bill Evans untimely death in 1980, Joe joined singing great Tony Bennett, touring internationally for over a decade.
Since settling in Los Angeles in 1987, Joe has worked with many well known jazz artists over the years, including Lee Konitz, Bill Mays, Eddie Daniels, Toots Thielemans, Larry Goldings, Dave Liebman, Bill Cunliffe, Alan Pasqua, brother Pat La Barbera, Bud Shank, Conte Candoli and Teddy Edwards. Recently Joe was reunited with Bob Brookmeyer for memorable performances of Bob’s New Arts Ensemble in Los Angeles. The Joe La Barbera Quintet remains active with concerts at the Rochester International Jazz Festival and dates in Seattle, San Diego and the Los Angeles area. Joe’s latest CD, Native Land, received unanimous praises from reviewers and fans alike.
On the international scene, Joe has toured Europe with Eddie Gomez, Rosario Giuliani, Joe Locke, Don Friedman, John Proulx, Philip Catherine, Kenny Wheeler, Bassline (with Hein Van De Geyn and John Abercrombie) and the renowned WDR Radio Orchestra. This year Joe toured Europe with performances at the Umbria Jazz Festival, Fribourg Jazz Festival and Dinant Jazz Festival.
Joe has also toured Japan extensively with artists such as Lee Konitz, Karrin Allyson, Roberta Gamberini and the prestigious 100 Golden Fingers tour featuring piano greats Junior Mance, Cedar Walton, Kenny Baron and Don Friedman among others. This year, he will tour Japan with with his own trio including Grammy Award winning pianist and composer Bill Cunliffe.
Joe’s discography continues to grow with the latest CDs from Enrico Pieranunzi, Ken Peplowski, Eddie Daniels, Joe Locke, Rosario Giuliani, Eden Atwood, Don Friedman, Bill Mays and the Grammy Award winning Resonance Big Band.
Since 1993, Joe has been on the faculty of California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California. He has served on the National Endowment for the Arts council in Washington D.C. and has been a guest clinician and lecturer at many universities and colleges including The Eastman School of Music, North Texas State, University of Nevada in Las Vegas, McGill University in Montreal, Humber College in Toronto, University of Louisville, Cornish College, Mannes College and Arizona State University. In 2010, Joe was again on the faculty of the 19th annual Festival Ren Contres de Contrabasse in Cap Breton, France. In 2011 he will be touring extensivley in Europe, Japan and New Zealand and will be in residence at the Jazz Cool Roma.