Joe Diorio
Encyclopedia
Joseph Louis Diorio is an American jazz guitarist. He has performed with legends of jazz like Sonny Stitt
, Eddie Harris
, Ira Sullivan
, Stan Getz
, Pat Metheny
, Horace Silver
, and Freddie Hubbard
. In recent years he also recorded albums with modern performers like Robben Ford
, Gary Willis
, David Becker and fellow guitar education legend Mick Goodrick
.
Following in the footsteps of an uncle, Diorio took up the guitar, studying formally in the early 50s at a local music school. He worked for a while with local bands, but in the early 60s he ventured into New York City
where he played with several jazz musicians.
In April 2005 he struggled to regain the full use of his left hand following a stroke he suffered at his West Coast residence in San Clemente.
Diorio currently teaches at the University of Southern California
. He was also one of the first instructors for the Guitar Institute of Technology
. He has published several instructional books and videos, and has released 10 albums under his name.
Sonny Stitt
Edward "Sonny" Stitt was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. He was also one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording over 100 albums in his lifetime...
, Eddie Harris
Eddie Harris
Eddie Harris was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ...
, Ira Sullivan
Ira Sullivan
Ira Sullivan is a bop jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, flautist, saxophonist and composer born in Washington, D.C.. An active musician since the 1950s, he may be best known for his extensive work with Red Rodney and Lin Halliday among others....
, Stan Getz
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
, Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny
Patrick Bruce "Pat" Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer.One of the most successful and critically acclaimed jazz musicians to come to prominence in the 1970s and '80s, he is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works and other side projects...
, Horace Silver
Horace Silver
Horace Silver , born Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva in Norwalk, Connecticut, is an American jazz pianist and composer....
, and Freddie Hubbard
Freddie Hubbard
Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
. In recent years he also recorded albums with modern performers like Robben Ford
Robben Ford
Robben Ford is an American blues, jazz and rock guitarist.-Biography:Ford was born in Woodlake, California, United States, but raised in Ukiah, California, and began playing the saxophone at age 10, picking up the guitar at age 13...
, Gary Willis
Gary Willis
Gary Willis is an American bassist and composer known foremost as the co-founder of the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech. Aside from his work in Tribal Tech, Willis has worked with numerous other jazz musicians including Wayne Shorter, Dennis Chambers, and Allan Holdsworth...
, David Becker and fellow guitar education legend Mick Goodrick
Mick Goodrick
Mick Goodrick is an American post bop jazz guitarist and educator most noteworthy for his work with vibraphonist Gary Burton's band from 1973 to 1976, where for part of that time he was playing alongside guitarist Pat Metheny...
.
Following in the footsteps of an uncle, Diorio took up the guitar, studying formally in the early 50s at a local music school. He worked for a while with local bands, but in the early 60s he ventured into New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where he played with several jazz musicians.
In April 2005 he struggled to regain the full use of his left hand following a stroke he suffered at his West Coast residence in San Clemente.
Diorio currently teaches at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He was also one of the first instructors for the Guitar Institute of Technology
Musicians Institute
Musicians Institute is a privately owned for-profit music vocational school located in Hollywood, California. Although not a regionally accredited school, the school offers a variety of unaccredited Bachelor Degree, Associate Degree and Certificate programs in fields including contemporary music...
. He has published several instructional books and videos, and has released 10 albums under his name.
Discography
Discography:- Solo Guitar (Spitball 1973)
- Rapport - with Wally Cirillo (Spitball 1974)
- Solo-Duo - with Cirillo (Spitball 1976)
- Straight Ahead To The Light - with Steve Bagby (Spitball 1976)
- Peaceful Journey (Spitball 1977)
- Bonita (Zdenek 1980)
- 20th Century Impressions - with Jeff BerlinJeff BerlinJeff Berlin is an American jazz, jazz fusion and progressive rock electric bass player.Jeff Berlin's bass playing is somewhat similar to that of Jaco Pastorius, though Berlin plays a fretted bass and has stated his distaste for Jaco imitators.-Early life:Jeff Berlin was born to parents who were...
, Vinnie ColaiutaVinnie ColaiutaVincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
(J Disc 1981) - Earth Moon Earth (Nocturne 1987)
- Italy (MGI 1989)
- Minor EleganceMinor EleganceMinor Elegance is a 1990 studio album by Joe Diorio and Robben Ford. Recorded live at the Mad Hatter Studios Los Angeles and mixed at the MGI Records Studios Munich.-Track listing:...
- with Robben FordRobben FordRobben Ford is an American blues, jazz and rock guitarist.-Biography:Ford was born in Woodlake, California, United States, but raised in Ukiah, California, and began playing the saxophone at age 10, picking up the guitar at age 13...
(MGI 1990) - Double Take - with Riccardo Del Fra (Ram 1992)
- We Will Meet Again (Ram 1992)
- Rare Birds - with Mick GoodrickMick GoodrickMick Goodrick is an American post bop jazz guitarist and educator most noteworthy for his work with vibraphonist Gary Burton's band from 1973 to 1976, where for part of that time he was playing alongside guitarist Pat Metheny...
(Ram 1993) - The Breeze And I - with Ira SullivanIra SullivanIra Sullivan is a bop jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, flautist, saxophonist and composer born in Washington, D.C.. An active musician since the 1950s, he may be best known for his extensive work with Red Rodney and Lin Halliday among others....
(Ram 1993) - Quartet Narayani - with Hal CrookHal CrookHal Crook is a jazz trombonist. He has a degree from the Berklee College of Music and is considered to be a leading teacher and author in the field of jazz improvisation.- Discography :* Hello Heaven * Only Human...
(Ram 1994) - More Than Friends - with Steve La Spina, Steve Bagby (Ram 1994)
- To Jobim With Love (Ram 1995)
- I Remember You: A Tribute To Wes Montgomery (Ram 1998)
- Stateside (Diorio Jazz 2000)
- Joe Diorio Live (Diorio Jazz 2002)
As a mentor
- The Color of Sound - David BeckerDavid Becker TribuneThe David Becker Tribune is an American contemporary jazz band. The band is led by namesake David Becker, who is the guitarist and composer.-History:...
& Joe Diorio(Acoustic Music - 2005) - Alone Together - Eric Leboucher-Radiguet & Joe Diorio (Djazz 2003)
- Under the Influence - Pino Marrone.