At the W.C. Handy Festival in 1997

 To describe Joseph Diamond merely as a pianist, composer, and producer is to present an image that is far too narrow. It's true that his pianistic abilities run into the virtuosic range, which is not surprising given his jazz and classical pedigree: daily childhood studies with his mother, jazz explorations in high school with George Handy, trial-by-fire in the University of Miami music department, and further college study with jazz icons such as Jackie McLean, Nat Reeves, and James Williams, as well as the late Jaki Byard and Walter Bishop, Jr. It's possible to trace still other significant influences on Joseph's musicianship by following the path of his lengthy tours on Caribbean cruise ships and Broadway road productions, as well as the years he spent mastering Latin piano styles at New York's Boy's Harbor, a legendary hotbed of Latin music activity.

But knowing all this still won't prepare you for the impact Joseph's music may have on you when you hear it. Elements of all these influences come in and out of his compositions, but it's Joseph's ingenuity and creativity - okay, his chops, too - that make each tune a self-contained world of clever orchestration, beguiling melody, and burning grooves, unlike any you've heard before. The lines between tradition and innovation are blurred in Joseph's world, though he hasn't penned a tune yet that wasn't true to the integrity of the styles embodied in it. Live or on disc, Joseph's music is fresh and engaging.

In fact, Joseph's two CDs are the fruit of his own production efforts, from top to bottom. Anchored by his long-time favorite rhythm section of Leo Traversa on bass and Vince Cherico on drums, each disc was recorded only after months of live shows and rehearsals. This allowed the band to fine-tune their ears to each other's strengths, and to create an ensemble sound that never flagged or stumbled. As a result, Joseph's recordings have a live feel and energy, but with studio precision.

His first release, Not Your Typical New Yorker, featured the work of his late friend and main man, woodwind and keyboard artist Drew Francis, as well as that of percussionists Emedín Rivera, Joe Barnes, Norman Hedman, Pocholo Segundo, and Rudy Romero. About half the tunes on the disc show Joseph's Latin side, and half could be said to come from his jazz roots. But each composition is thoughtfully arranged and full of humor, energy, and excitement - all trademarks of Joseph's music.

For his second self-produced album, Island Garden, Joseph expanded his palette to include a host of guest musicians on winds and percussion. His arranging talents grew to accommodate the increased resources, applying them not just for color, but to play integral compositional roles. His own playing is over the top, from blazing montunos to mad bebop solos.

The variety and depth of these two albums is testimony to Joseph's determination, musicality, and imagination. Catch him playing live somewhere in New York, and you'll be similarly rewarded with melodic gems, endlessly interesting arrangements, and foot-tapping rhythms - and some dynamite piano playing to boot.

Ernie Rideout

Not Your Typical New Yorker

With the release of Not Your Typical New Yorker, Joseph Diamond – pianist, composer, producer – sees the realization of a long-held dream. Once he had recognized the idea that, "It was about time to do something on my own," Joe pursued his goal with foresight and determination. He rehearsed his band "on and off for a year," while writing music and fine tuning his concept for the CD. He hired topnotch musicians for his rhythm section – Vince Cherico on drums and Leo Traversa on bass – and enlisted the services of his best friend and "main man," the late Drew Francis on keyboards, flutes, and tenor sax. He immersed himself in Latin music, which he had studied with Oscar Hernández. As a result, six of the tunes on Not Your Typical New Yorker – a title which Joseph finds reflective of his own friendly attitude – are Latin in structure and feeling.

Of course, Joseph’s musicianship has a long past. His mother, to whom the CD is dedicated, played piano, which Joseph, who grew up in Liberty, New York, studied as a youngster. Under the tutelage of George Handy, an arranger famed for his work with the Boyd Rayburn Orchestra, Joe was introduced to jazz in junior high school. Joseph furthered his experience in the competitive atmosphere of the University of Miami, majoring in music and gaining confidence. He transferred to the University of Hartford, where the music program is run by famed alto saxophonist Jackie McLean. Some of the fine musicians Joseph learned from are Nat Reeves, James Williams, and the late piano titans, Jaki Byard and Walter Bishop, Jr.

After graduating, Joe began gigging in diverse situations: he played with an all-Argentinean show band in Aruba, worked on cruise ships, and was music director of the Broadway road show "Dreamgirls." He moved to St. Louis for awhile, where he worked frequently in duo settings with vocalists, and was inspired to write tunes with lyrics. An apartment offer drew him to New York City in 1994, where his studies at Boys’ Harbor put him in touch with players like Luis Cruz, Ricky Gonzalez, and Papo Luca.

The talents of several other players are documented on Not Your Typical New Yorker as well – Emedín Rivera and Joe Barnes on percussion, Norman Hedman and Pocholo Segundo on congas, Rudy Romero on bongos, and Sharon Thorne, who co-arranged for synthesizer along with Drew Francis. But the core is anchored and the spirit sparked by Joseph Diamond, who says of the project, "I feel like I really had something to say, compositionally and melodically, and I think those are my strong points. I think my music is memorable, and it feels good. I wanted to be in charge of every aspect (of the project), and I was. I have a product that I’m really proud of!"

Karen Bennett