Friday jazz: RIP, Joey DeFrancesco

 One of the great players of the Hammond organ passed away.  Joey DeFrancesco.  He leaves a recorded legacy of his own, along with a legacy as one of the great accompanists, and while the glory does not always go to the accompanist, it is a very difficult job.  DeFrancesco played with many of the greats, and I will shine a light on albums with two of the greatest guitarists ever to pick up the axe:  Pat Martino, and Danny Gatton.  Martino was not just a marvel of a player, but an inspiration.  He rose to prominence in the 1960s as one of the hard bop leaders, but was felled by an aneurism.  He completely lost the ability to play, and retaught himself, from square one, by listening to his original albums.  He came back, better than ever.  Danny Gatton was a stylist of such range and virtuosity that he made others want to quit the instrument.  A bandleader fortunate enough to have Gatton in his band bestowed upon him the greatest nickname ever:  The Humbler.

Upon whom did these legends call when they needed a Hammond player?  Joey DeFrancesco.  I couldn't pick, so here is a selection from Joey playing with Pat, and one from his album recorded with Danny.  "El Hombre," from Pat's Live At Yoshi's, and "Fine," from Relentless.