Joe Cocuzzo

Joseph "Joe" Cocuzzo (* 17th September 1937 in Boston , † 31 July 2008 in New Jersey ) was an American jazz - drummer and songwriter.

Live and act

Cocuzzo grew up in a family of amateur musicians; He started playing drums as a child. In the late 1950s he moved to Chicago, where he first worked in the big band on Ralph Marterie ("When My Sugar Walks Down the Street"), then with Woody Herman and His Orchestra . In the early 1960s he worked a. a. in the bands of Don Ellis , Les and Larry Elgart , Gary McFarland and Tony Bennett , also with Orchestra USA , Jack Reilly , Erroll Garner and Mose Allison . In 1964 he appeared in a program organized by Leonard Bernstein ( Young People's Concerts ) with a band put together by Gunther Schuller ( Improvisations for Orchestra and Jazz Soloists , with Don Ellis, Benny Golson , Eric Dolphy , Richard Davis ).

In the mid-70s he played again in Bennett's backing band, as well as with Harry James and Rosemary Clooney . As a session musician, he has also worked for singers such as Vic Damone , Julius LaRosa , Susannah McCorkle , Marlene VerPlanck , Barbara Carroll ( Live at Birdland , with Jay Leonhart ), Barbara Lea , Michael Feinstein , Sylvia Syms and most recently with Keely Smith in 2004 . In later years he also worked as a songwriter, u. a. with Ivan Lins . In the field of jazz he was involved in 77 recording sessions from 1959 to 2005, including a. also with Buddy DeFranco , George Masso , John Bunch & Bucky Pizzarelli , Joe Wilder and Dick Sudhalter .

personal data
SURNAME	Cocuzzo, Joe
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Cocuzzo, Joseph G.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American jazz musician and songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH	September 17, 1937
PLACE OF BIRTH	Boston
DATE OF DEATH	July 31, 2008
Place of death	New Jersey