Joe Marsala
Source: Flickr
Born on 4 January 1907 in Chicago, clarinetist Joe Marsala led his own band on above twenty recording sessions, more numerously backing other musicians. Marsala had played with such as Wingy Manone and Ben Pollack in the twenties. Among his longest musical associations was with his younger brother by a couple of years, trumpeter Marty Marsala. Joe and Marty were constant partners from 1926. They began their recording careers together with Charles LaVere's Chicagoans in 1935 and joined one another often on record until 1947 when they went separate ways. When they left Chicago for New York City in 1935 they played at the Hickory House for the next decade.
Joe's major recording period was the decade from 1935 to 1945, though he laid tracks on occasion until his last on July 3, 1970, with Louis Armstrong at the Shrine Auditorium in Pasadena, California. He and Marty first appeared on record shelves in 1935 resulting from a March session with Charles LaVere and his Chicagoans yielding 'Bugaboo Blues' (Columbia D-77), 'All Too Well' (Gannet CD CJR 1001) and 'Ubangi Man' (Columbia C3L-32) [Lord].
'Ubangi Man' Joe Marsala (tenor sax) w Charles LaVere and His Chicagoans
11 March 1935 in Chicago Matrix CT918-1 Columbia C3L-32
Trumpet: Johnny Mendell / Marty Marsala / Jabbo Smith
Trombone: Preston Jackson Alto sax: Boyce Brown
Piano: LaVere Guitar: Joe Young
Bass: Leonard Bibbs Drums: Zutty Singleton
Composition: LaVere
Another session with LaVere was held in April before recording with Adrian Rollini's Tap Room Gang in June in New York City, first performing with Putney Dandridge in that group. (See the Rollini album issued as 'Bouncin' in Rhythm' in 1995.) It was in Rollini''s band that Marsala connected with Wingy Manone. Manone would be a major figure in Marsala's career to 1944, his initial titles with Manone's band on July 5, 1935: 'Let's Swing It' / 'Rhythm Is Our Business' (Vocalion 2990) and 'A Little Door' / 'Love and Kisses' (Vocalion 2989).
'I'd Rather Be with You' Joe Marsala (clarinet) w Charles LaVere and His Chicagoans
5 April 1935 in Chicago Matrix C-955 Tax m-8007 (Sweden)
Trumpet: Johnny Mendell / Marty Marsala
Trombone: Preston Jackson Alto sax: Boyce Brown
Tenor sax: Joe Masek
Piano: LaVere (vocal) Guitar: Huey Long
Bass: Israel Crosby Drums: Zutty Singleton
Composition: Harry Akst / Lew Brown / Elsa Maxwell
'All Too Well' Joe Marsala (clarinet) w Charles LaVere and His Chicagoans
5 April 1935 in Chicago Matrix C-957 Tax m-8007 (Sweden)
Trumpet: Johnny Mendell / Marty Marsala
Trombone: Preston Jackson Alto sax: Boyce Brown
Tenor sax: Joe Masek
Piano: LaVere (vocal) Guitar: Huey Long
Bass: Israel Crosby Drums: Zutty Singleton
'I Got a Need for You' Adrian Rollini and His Tap Room Gang
14 June 1935 in NYC Matrix 92264-1 Victor 25072
Trumpet: Wingy Manone Clarinet / alto sax: Joe Marssala
Bass sax / vibes: Rollini Piano: Putney Dandridge Guitar: Carmen Mastren
Bass: Sid Weiss Drums: Sam Weiss
Vocal: Jeanne Burns
Composition: Jeanne Burns
'Nagasaki' Adrian Rollini and His Tap Room Gang
14 June 1935 in NYC Matrix 92266-1 Victor 25085
Trumpet: Wingy Manone Clarinet / alto sax: Joe Marssala
Bass sax / vibes: Rollini Piano: Putney Dandridge (vocal) Guitar: Carmen Mastren
Bass: Sid Weiss Drums: Sam Weiss
Composition: Harry Warren / Mort Dixon 1928
'Honeysuckle Rose' Adrian Rollini and His Tap Room Gang
14 June 1935 in NYC Matrix 92267-1 Victor 25085
Trumpet: Wingy Manone Clarinet / alto sax: Joe Marssala
Bass sax / vibes: Rollini Piano: Putney Dandridge (vocal) Guitar: Carmen Mastren
Bass: Sid Weiss Drums: Sam Weiss
Composition: Fats Waller / Andy Razaf 1929
'Steel Roof' Joe Marsala (clarinet) w the Six Blue Chips
17 Jan 1936 in NYC Matrix 60356-A Decca 740
Trumpet: Pee Wee Erwin
Piano: Frank Signorelli Guitar: Carmen Mastren
Bass: Artie Shapiro Drums: Stan King
Joe backed vocalist, Tempo King, on several occasions, the first on 17 April 1936 toward 'Just to Be In Carolina' and 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do'. Another major collaborator was guitarist, Eddie Condon, they joining one another on 17 August 1936 toward such as 'A Star Fell Out of Heaven' and 'If We Never Meet Again'.
'An Apple a Day' Joe Marsala (clarinet) w Tempo King (vocal) and His Kings of Tempo
17 Nov 1936 in NYC Matrix 03242-1 Bluebird B-6688
Trumpet: Marty Marsala
Piano: Queenie Ada Rubin Guitar: Eddie Condon
Bass: George Yorke Drums: Stan King
Composition: Clay Boland / Moe Jaffe
Marsala's debut recordings as a bandleader were with his Chicagoans on April 21, 1937, in New York City toward 'Wolverine Blues' (Variety 565), 'Chimes Blues' (unissued), 'Jazz Me Blues' (two takes: Meritt 9 / Variety 565) and 'Clarinet Marmalade' (two takes: Meritt 6 / Affinity AFS 1012). Lord's sessionography shows that to be Marsala's first session with another important partner, harpist, Adele Girard, whom he married later that year (1937).
'Wolverine Blues' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Chicagoans
21 April 1937 in NYC Matrix M-412-1 Variety 565
Trumpet: Marty Marsala Violin: Ray "Remo" Biondi
Harp: Adele Girard Piano: Joe Bushkin Guitar: Eddie Condon
Bass: Artie Shapiro Drums: Danny Alvin
Music: Jelly Roll Morton Lyrics: Ben and John Spikes 1923
'Jim Jam Stomp' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Chicagoans
16 March 1938 in NYC Matrix M-782-1 Vocalion 4116
Trumpet: Marty Marsala Violin: Ray "Remo" Biondi
Harp: Adele Girard Piano: Joe Bushkin Guitar: Jack LeMaire
Bass: Artie Shapiro Drums: Buddy Rich
Composition: Joe Marsala
Marsala's first titles with his Delta Four went down on April 4, 1940: 'Wandering Man Blues' / 'Sally Mama Blues' (General 1717) and 'Three O'Clock Jump' / 'Reunion in Harlem' (General 3001).
'Salty Mama Blues' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Delta Four
4 April 1940 in NYC Matrix R-2797-2 General 1717
Trumpet: Bill Coleman (vocal) Alto sax: Pete Brown
Guitar: Carmen Mastren Bass: Gene Traxler
'Three O'clock Jump' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Delta Four
4 April 1940 in NYC Matrix R-2798-2 General 3001
Trumpet: Bill Coleman Alto sax: Pete Brown
Guitar: Carmen Mastren Bass: Gene Traxler Vocal: Dell St. John
Composition: Gene Norman
'Reunion in Harlem' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Delta Four
4 April 1940 in NYC Matrix R-2799-2 General 3001
Trumpet: Bill Coleman Alto sax: Pete Brown Piano: Leonard Feather
Guitar: Carmen Mastren Bass: Gene Traxler
Composition: Leonard Feather
'Bull's Eye' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Orchestra
21 March 1941 in NYC Matrix 68854-A Decca 3715
Trumpet: Marty Marsala Alto sax: Ben Glassman Tenor sax: John Smith
Piano: Dave Bowman Guitar: Carmen Mastren
Bass: Shelly Manne
Composition: Adele Girard
'Jumpin' Jupiter' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Orchestra
17 June 1941 in NYC Radio broadcast
Harp: Adele Girard Drums: Dave Tough
Composition: Richard Carle / Sydney Rosenfeld 1911
'Soft Winds' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Orchestra
18 June 1941 in NYC Radio broadcast
Harp: Adele Girard Drums: Dave Tough
Music: Benny Goodman Lyrics: Fred Royal 1940
'Solid Geometry for Squares' Joe Marsala
Oct 1941 in NYC Radio broadcast
Harp: Adele Girard Drums: Shelly Manne
'Sweet Mama, Papa's Getting Mad' Joe Marsala and His Chosen Seven
6 July 1942 in NYC Matrix 71002-B Decca 27074
Trumpet: Max Kaminsky Trombone: George Brunies
Clarinet: Joe Marsala (alto sax) Piano: Dick Cary
Guitar: Carmen Mastren Bass: Haig Stephens Drums: Zutty Singleton
Composition: George Little / Peter Frost / Fred Rose 1941
'Blues In the Storm' Joe Marsala (clarinet) and His Orchestra
6 July 1942 in NYC Matrix 41 Black & White 1203
Trumpet: Joe Thomas Piano: Leonard Feather
Guitar: Chuck Wayne Bass: Irv Lang Drums: Buddy Christian
Vocal: Linda Keene
Composition: Carol & Leonard Feather
'My Melancholy Baby' Joe Marsala (clarinet) Sextet
12 Jan 1945 in NYC Matrix 72 Black & White 18
Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie Clarinet / vocal: Joe Marsala Piano: Cliff Jackson
Guitar: Chuck Wayne Bass: Irving Lang Drums: Buddy Christian
Composition: Ernie Burnett / George Norton
'Southern Comfort' Joe Marsala Septet
4 May 1945 in NYC Matrix 5284-1 Musicraft 328
Trumpet: Joe Thomas Clarinet / vocal: Joe Marsala Piano: Charlie Queener
Harp: Adele Girard Guitar: Chuck Wayne Bass: Sid Weiss Drums: Buddy Christian
Composition: Chuck Wayne / Joe Marsala / Robert Doraine
'Gotta Be This or That' Joe Marsala Septet
4 May 1945 in NYC Matrix 5287-1 Musicraft 328
Trumpet: Joe Thomas Clarinet / vocal: Joe Marsala Piano: Charlie Queener
Harp: Adele Girard Guitar: Chuck Wayne Bass: Sid Weiss Drums: Buddy Christian
Composition: Sunny Skylar
'Harp Boogie' Adele Girard (harp) Trio (Marsala out)
Soundies Featurette #1251
Music recorded 29 April 1946 Filmed 10 May 1946 Released 12 Aug 1946
Guitar: Salvatore Mancuso (Scott Miller) Bass: Emil Powell Dancing: Rusha Holden
Composition: Probably Girard
'Someone to Watch Over Me' Joe Marsala (clarinet) Band
1948 in NYC Matrix J581 V-Disc 860A
Trumpet: Marty Marsala Piano: Sherman Edwards
Harp: Adele Girard Guitar: Chuck Wayne Bass: Emil Powell Drums: Johnny Blowers
Composition: George & Ira Gershwin For the musical 'Oh, Kay!' Sung by Gertrude Lawrence 1926
Marsala largely retired from performing upon becoming a music publisher in 1948. He did little recording thereafter, though put up some tracks in 1957 with a group including Adele and Rex Stewart at trumpet. He backed Tony Bennett on 'Sweet Lorraine' in 1965. Per above, he supported Louis Armstrong on a least one track in 1970, getting issued on 'Hello Louis!' in 2000. Marsalas died of cancer on 4 March 1978 in Santa Barbara, California.
Sources & References for Joe Marsala:
VF History (notes)
Scott Yanow (All Music)
Associates Musical:
Adele Girard (1913-93 / harp / wife):
Phillip D. Atteberry DAHR Discogs Jan Evensmo Wikipedia Scott Yanow (All Music)
Marty Marsala (1908-75 / trumpet / Joe's younger brother / 45 sessions 1935-57):
DAHR Discogs Wikipedia Scott Yanow (All Music)
Recordings by Marsala: Catalogs: 45 Worlds Discogs RYM SHS
Recordings by Marsala: Compilations:
Chronological Classics (Discogs / Music Brainz):
Recordings by Marsala: Sessionographies:
DAHR (1935-49)
Tom Lord (leading 12 of 13 sessions 1935-36)
Further Reading:
American Harp Society (jazz harp pioneers)
Megan A. Bledsoe (The Harp in Jazz and American Pop Music / University of Washington / 2012)
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