Joe Carroll

Who was Joe Carroll?

Joe "Bebop" Carroll was a jazz vocalist, known primarily for his work with Dizzy Gillespie between 1949 and 1953. His collaborations with Gillespie include the humorous songs "Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac" and "Oo Bla Dee."

He was known for an upbeat, energetic comedic style, often employing scat singing or vocalese. Carroll recorded three albums under his own name in the late 1950s and early 1960s; the best-known, and only one to have been released on CD, is 1962's The Man With The Happy Sound.

The 1947 Tadd Dameron song "A Be Bop Carroll" is a Christmas song with a punning reference to Carroll.