Joe Holiday

While not as well-known as Stan Getz, this tenor saxophonist has had a similar career, minus the psychological torture. Born Joseph Befumo in Sicily, Italy, on May 10, 1925, he was a hard bopper whose commercial career took off when he mastered and began recording a world music style, in this case the mambo. A single in this style, enthusiastically entitled "This Is Happiness," was a hit in 1951, a status that not surprisingly led to more recording opportunities, including a series of sessions for Prestige featuring top modern jazz players such as drummer Max Roach and pianist Billy Taylor.

Vocalist supreme Sarah Vaughan also did well recording Holiday's original composition "Serenada." His father was a clarinetist who moved his family to New York City when Holiday was about a half a year in age. Based out of Newark, the saxophonist began leading his own combos as early as the...

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Joe Holiday Albums

1 record

Albums featuring Joe Holiday

1 record