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Joe Puma

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Joe Puma
Born(1927-08-13)August 13, 1927
New York
DiedMay 31, 2000(2000-05-31) (aged 72)
New York
GenresJazz
OccupationMusician
InstrumentGuitar
Years active1949–2000

Joe Puma (August 13, 1927 – May 31, 2000) was an American jazz guitarist.

Puma was born in the Bronx, New York. His first professional experience came with Joe Roland in 1949–50. He played in the band led by Cy Coleman.[1] He acted as a session musician for many jazz musicians during the 1950s, including Louie Bellson, Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five, Eddie Bert, Herbie Mann, Mat Mathews, Chris Connor, and Paul Quinichette, Lee Konitz, and Dick Hyman;[2] he also recorded extensively as a leader at this time. In the 1960s, he worked with Morgana King, Bobby Hackett, Gary Burton, and Carmen McRae, and between 1972 and 1977 he and Chuck Wayne led an ensemble. He continued to perform and teach into the late 1990s.

Honors

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In 1957 he won the New Star Award for Guitar from Metronome Magazine.[3]

Discography

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As leader

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  • Joe Puma (Bethlehem, 1954)
  • Wild Kitten (Dawn, 1957)
  • The Fourmost Guitars with Jimmy Raney, Chuck Wayne, Dick Garcia (ABC-Paramount, 1957)
  • Jazz (Jubilee, 1958)
  • Like Tweet: Jazz Versions of Authentic Bird Calls (Columbia, 1961)
  • Interactions with Chuck Wayne (Choice, 1974)
  • Shining Hour with Hod O'Brien, Red Mitchell (Reservoir, 1987)
  • It's a Blue World with Murray Wall, bass; Eddie Locke, drums (Euphoria, 1999)

As sideman

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With Louis Bellson

  • The Amazing Artistry of Louis Bellson (Norgran, 1954)
  • The Exciting Mr. Bellson (Norgran, 1954)
  • Skin Deep (Norgran, 1955)

With Chris Connor

  • This Is Chris (Bethlehem, 1955)
  • Chris (Bethlehem, 1956)
  • Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song (Atlantic, 1957)
  • A Jazz Date with Chris Connor (Atlantic, 1958)

With Morgana King

  • Stretchin' Out (Muse, 1978)
  • Looking Through the Eyes of Love (Muse, 1981)
  • Portraits (Muse, 1984)
  • This is Always (Muse, 1994)

With Herbie Mann

With Artie Shaw

  • Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five Album #3 (Clef, 1954)
  • Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five Album #4 (Clef, 1955)
  • The Last Recordings Rare & Unreleased (MusicMasters, 1991)
  • More Last Recordings: The Final Sessions (MusicMasters, 1993)

With others

References

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  1. ^ HighBeam
  2. ^ "Archives". Los Angeles Times. 12 June 2000.
  3. ^ "Joe Puma".
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