Michael Joseph "Joe" O'Sullivan (November 4, 1906 – October 13, 1971) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz pianist.
Sullivan was the ninth child of Irish immigrant parents. He studied classical piano for 12 years and at age 17, he began to play popular music in a club where he was exposed to jazz. He graduated from the Chicago Conservatory and was an important contributor to the Chicago jazz scene of the 1920s.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Joe Sullivan' Start a new discussion about 'Joe Sullivan' Answer questions from other users |
Michael Joseph "Joe" O'Sullivan (November 4, 1906 – October 13, 1971) was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz pianist.
Biography
Sullivan was the ninth child of Irish immigrant parents. He studied classical piano for 12 years and at age 17, he began to play popular music in a club where he was exposed to jazz. He graduated from the Chicago Conservatory and was an important contributor to the Chicago jazz scene of the 1920s. Sullivan's recording career began late in 1927 when he joined
McKenzie and Condon's ChicagoansMcKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans was a jazz band from Chicago, led by banjo player Eddie Condon and sponsored by singer and comb player Red McKenzie. Their four recordings in December 1927 were important influences on early Chicago style jazz....
. Other musicians included
Jimmy McPartlandJimmy McPartland was an American cornetist and one of the originators of Chicago Jazz...
,
Frank TeschemacherFrank Teschemacher was an American jazz clarinetist and alto-saxophonist, associated with the "Austin High" gang...
,
Bud FreemanLawrence "Bud" Freeman was a U.S. jazz musician, bandleader, amd composer, known mainly for playing the tenor saxophone, but also able at the clarinet. He had a smooth and full tenor sax style with a heavy robust swing. He was one of the most influential and important jazz tenor saxophonists of...
,
Jim LaniganJim Lanigan was an American jazz bassist and tubist.Lanigan learned piano and violin as a child, and played piano and drums in the Austin High School Blue Friars before specializing on bass and tuba...
and
Gene KrupaGene Krupa was an influential American jazz and big band drummer and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.-Biography:...
. In 1933, he joined
Bing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American popular singer and actor whose career stretched over more than half a century from 1926 until his death....
as his accompanist, recording and making many radio broadcasts. After suffering for two years with
tuberculosisTuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria...
, he briefly rejoined
Bing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American popular singer and actor whose career stretched over more than half a century from 1926 until his death....
in 1938 and the
Bob CrosbyBob Crosby was an American dixieland bandleader and vocalist, best known for his group Crosby and the Bob-Cats.-Family:...
Orchestra in 1939.
By the 1950s, Sullivan was largely forgotten, playing solo in San Francisco. Marital difficulties and excessive drinking caused Sullivan to become increasingly unreliable and unable to keep a steady job, either as band member or soloist.
Selected Discography
- 1933: Gin Mill Blues (Columbia Records)
- 1935: Little Rock Getaway (Decca)
- 1941: Forevermore (Commodore)
- 1953: Jazz, Vol. 9: Piano (Folkways Records
Folkways Records is a record label that documents folk and world music. It is now owned by the Smithsonian Institution.-History:The Folkways Records & Service Co. was founded by Moses Asch and Marian Distler in 1948 in New York City. Asch sought to record and document sound from the entire world....
)
- 1953: Hangover Blues (Brunswick)
- 1966: The Asch Recordings, 1939 to 1947 - Vol. 1: Blues, Gospel, and Jazz (Folkways)
- 1973: The Musical Moods of Joe Sullivan: Piano (Folkways)
External links