Joey DeFrancesco

Who is Joey DeFrancesco?

Joey DeFrancesco is an American jazz organist, trumpeter, and vocalist. Down Beat's Critics and Readers Poll selected him as the top jazz organist every year from 2003 to 2009.

DeFrancesco was born in Springfield, Pennsylvania to "Papa" John and Laurene DeFrancesco. His grandfather was multi-instrumentalist Joe DeFrancesco, of Italian descent He grew up in Philadelphia, and started visiting jazz clubs his father was playing in from the age of seven. Joey DeFrancesco started playing the piano at the age of two when his father gave him a toy piano obtained from a cruise tour. After watching a television commercial showing a Fats Domino compilation, he decided to order it without telling his parents. His father appreciated the young DeFrancesco's interest in music, so he encouraged him to sit in on gigs. By age ten, he was enrolled in the Settlement Music School Jazz Band. Under the direction of Lovett Hines, he learned and performed with the Jazz Band with the likes of saxophonist Robert Landham, drummer Kevin Outterbride, bassist Leonard Richardson Sr. and guitarist Kelvin McDaniel, playing out on his own, as well as sitting in with organ legends like Jack McDuff and Richard "Groove" Holmes. DeFrancesco went to high school with bassist Christian McBride, where the two were often scolded for altering their big band charts. While in High school, he was also in a local jazz trio called Strictly Business with drummer Leon Jordon Sr. and bassist Leonard Richardson Sr..