[JPL] Joe Beck

[Jeffrey Andrew Caddick]

http://www.jazztimes.com/columns_and_features/news/detail.cfm?
article=11511

Guitarist Joe Beck Dead at 62 
Date: July 25, 2008 
Written By: Jeff Tamarkin  

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Joe Beck, an acclaimed jazz guitarist whose career began in the 
1960s, died of complications from lung cancer on July 22nd in 
Woodbury, Conn. Beck would have turned 63 on July 29th. 
Born in Philadelphia, Beck recorded numerous albums as a leader and 
in tandem with other artists. A list on a Yahoo Web site credits 
Beck with having contributed to recordings by Miles Davis, Gil 
Evans, Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich, Paul Desmond, Maynard Ferguson, 
Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Larry Coryell, Gene Ammons, Sergio Mendes, 
Antonio Carlos Jobim, Laura Nyro, Houston Person, Roger Kellaway, 
Richie Havens, Paul Simon, Joe Farrell, James Brown and Gato 
Barbieri.

Beck made his professional debut with Paul Winter’s group in 1964, 
then went on to play with Gary McFarland, Charles Lloyd and Chico 
Hamilton. Beck joined Gil Evans’ orchestra from 1967 to 1971. During 
this period he also became the first guitarist in a Miles Davis band 
(in 1967), recorded as a sideman for CTI Records and recorded his 
first album under his own name, 1969’s Nature Boy on Verve. In 1970 
Beck and the flamenco guitarist Sabicas recorded an album together, 
Rock Encounter, which was intended to merge the seemingly disparate 
worlds of flamenco and rock.

In 1971, Beck left music for three years to become a dairy farmer, 
citing frustration with his career. He returned in the mid-’70s and 
recorded an album for the CTI spinoff Kudu Records, which was issued 
only in Japan—he also continued to work as a sideman for CTI-related 
projects. Beck also recorded for Polydor, Columbia and, primarily, 
DMP, on which he released a string of albums from the mid-’80s to 
2001. His most recent release was Coincidence, an album of duets 
with fellow guitarist John Abercrombie on the Whaling City label. 
Previous co-artist projects included recordings with Mike Mainieri, 
John Babarian and David Sanborn.

Beck also maintained a lucrative three-decade side career as a 
composer for TV and film, and produced and arranged for other 
artists, among them Frank Sinatra and Esther Phillips. 
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JEFFREY ANDREW CADDICK
JOYOUS SHOUT
P.O. BOX 15244
EVANSVILLE, IN 47716 
joyshout at evansville.net 
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