Joe Sullivan
Michael Joseph O'Sullivan (November 4, 1906 – October 13, 1971) was an American jazz pianist. Sullivan was the ninth child of Irish immigrant parents. He studied classical piano for 12 years and at age 17, he began to play popular music in silent-movie theaters, on radio stations, and then with the dance orchestras, where he was exposed to jazz. He graduated from the Chicago Conservatory and was an important contributor to the Chicago jazz scene of the 1920s. Sullivan's recording career began towards the end of 1927, when he joined McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans. Other musicians in his circle included Jimmy McPartland, Frank Teschemacher, Bud Freeman, Jim Lanigan and Gene Krupa. In 1932 he was a member of recording group the Rhythmakers. In 1933, he joined Bing Crosby as his accompanist, recording and making many radio broadcasts. He contracted tuberculosis in 1936, and while he was convalescing at a sanitarium in Monrovia, California in 1937, Crosby organized and appeared in a five-hour benefit for him at the Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles on May 23, 1937 in front of an audience of six thousand. The show was broadcast over two different radio stations, with fourteen bands attending (including those led by Woody Herman, Ray Noble, Jimmy Dorsey, Jimmy Grier, Louis Prima, Harry Owens, and Victor Young) and other performers included Connie Boswell, Johnny Mercer, Red Norvo, and Ella Logan. Approximately $3,000 was raised for Sullivan. After suffering for two years with tuberculosis, he briefly re-joined Bing Crosby in 1938 and the Bob Crosby Orchestra in 1939. In 1940, when leading Joe Sullivan's Cafe Society Orchestra, he had a minor hit with "I've Got a Crush on You". By the 1950s, Sullivan was largely forgotten, playing solo in San Francisco. Marital difficulties and excessive drinking caused Sullivan to become increasingly unreliable and unable to keep a steady job, either as band member or soloist. In 1963, Sullivan met up with old colleagues Jack and Charlie Teagarden plus Pee Wee Russell when they performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival. The British poet (and jazz pianist) Roy Fisher celebrated Sullivan's playing with a poem, "The Thing About Joe Sullivan", regarded by some critics as one of the best poems about jazz. Fisher also used that title for a book of his selected poems, because (he said) he felt Sullivan was a neglected master who deserved to have his name on the cover of a book. Joe Sullivan died in San Francisco in October 1971, at the age of 64. |
Birth and Death Data: Born November 4, 1906 (Chicago), Died October 13, 1971 (San Francisco)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1946
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-48345 | 10-in. | 2/8/1929 | I'm gonna stomp Mr. Henry Lee | Eddie's Hot Shots | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
Victor | BVE-48346 | 10-in. | 2/8/1929 | That's a serious thing | Eddie's Hot Shots | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, piano, composer | |
Victor | BS-028816 | 10-in. | 10/30/1938 | Mill blues | Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers | String band | composer | |
Columbia | W26341 | 10-in. | 12/13/1939 | Night and day | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
Columbia | W26342 | 10-in. | 12/13/1939 | The man I love | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
Columbia | W26343 | 10-in. | 12/13/1939 | You're just a no account | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
Columbia | W26344 | 10-in. | 12/13/1939 | You're a lucky guy | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
Columbia | W265146 | 10-in. | 10/2/1933 | Sweet Lorraine | Joe Venuti's Blue Six | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Columbia | W265147 | 10-in. | 10/2/1933 | Doin' the uptown lowdown | Joe Venuti's Blue Six | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Columbia | W265148 | 10-in. | 10/2/1933 | Jazz me blues | Joe Venuti's Blue Six | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Columbia | W265149 | 10-in. | 10/2/1933 | In de ruff | Joe Venuti's Blue Six | instrumentalist, piano | ||
OKeh | W82030 | 10-in. | 12/8/1927 | Sugar | McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W82031 | 10-in. | 12/8/1927 | China boy | McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W82082 | 10-in. | 12/16/1927 | Nobody's sweetheart | McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W82083 | 10-in. | 12/16/1927 | Liza | McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W400899 | 10-in. | 7/28/1928 | Oh, baby! | Eddie Condon's Quartet | Instrumental quartet, with vocal introduction | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W401035 | 10-in. | 7/28/1928 | Indiana | Eddie Condon's Quartet | Jazz/dance quartet, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
OKeh | W401689 | 10-in. | 3/5/1929 | Knockin' a jug | Louis Armstrong Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
Decca | 65942 | 10-in. | 7/10/1939 | You and your love | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 65943 | 10-in. | 7/10/1939 | Melancholy mood | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 65998 | 10-in. | 7/24/1939 | Over the rainbow | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 65999 | 10-in. | 7/24/1939 | Oh you crazy moon | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66000 | 10-in. | 7/24/1939 | Day in, day out | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66072 | 10-in. | 8/11/1939 | There'll be some changes made | Eddie Condon | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66073 | 10-in. | 8/11/1939 | Nobody's sweetheart | Eddie Condon | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66074 | 10-in. | 8/11/1939 | Friar's point shuffle | Eddie Condon | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66075 | 10-in. | 8/11/1939 | Someday sweetheart | Eddie Condon | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66220 | 10-in. | 8/29/1939 | Boogie woogie Maxixe | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66221 | 10-in. | 8/29/1939 | Blue orchids | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66222 | 10-in. | 8/29/1939 | The world is waiting for the sunrise | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66292 | 10-in. | 9/6/1939 | What used to was used to was | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66293 | 10-in. | 9/6/1939 | Lilacs in the rain | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66539 | 10-in. | 9/11/1939 | can I help it? | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66540 | 10-in. | 9/11/1939 | The starlit hour | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66601 | 10-in. | 9/18/1939 | Till we meet again | Bob Crosby's Bob Cats | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66602 | 10-in. | 9/18/1939 | The love nest | Bob Crosby's Bob Cats | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66662 | 10-in. | 9/25/1939 | Washington and Lee swing | Bob Crosby's Bob Cats | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66663 | 10-in. | 9/25/1939 | Peruna | Bob Crosby's Bob Cats | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66664 | 10-in. | 9/25/1939 | The love nest | Bob Crosby's Bob Cats | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66665 | 10-in. | 9/25/1939 | Feather your nest | Bob Crosby's Bob Cats | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66666 | 10-in. | 9/25/1939 | The little man who wasn't there | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66667 | 10-in. | 9/25/1939 | (Why couldn't it last) Last night | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 66702 | 10-in. | 10/2/1939 | Air mail stomp | Bob Crosby Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 73279 | 1/16/1946 | After you've gone | Bing Crosby | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 119658 | 10-in. | 3/28/1941 | Summertime | Joe Sullivan | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 6 | 10-in. | 8/8/1934 | I love you truly | Bing Crosby | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 9 | 10-in. | 8/8/1934 | Someday sweetheart | Bing Crosby | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 72 | 10-in. | 11/9/1934 | Love is just around the corner | Bing Crosby | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 224 | 10-in. | 8/8/1935 | My little pride and joy | Joe Sullivan | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 225 | 10-in. | 8/8/1935 | Little Rock getaway | Joe Sullivan | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 226 | 10-in. | 8/8/1935 | Just strolling | Joe Sullivan | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 227 | 10-in. | 8/8/1935 | Minor mood | Joe Sullivan | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 262 | 10-in. | 11/13/1935 | Moonburn | Bing Crosby | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 328 | 10-in. | 3/31/1936 | Love in the first degree | Ray McKinley's Jazz Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 329 | 10-in. | 3/31/1936 | New Orleans parade | Ray McKinley's Jazz Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 330 | 10-in. | 3/31/1936 | Shack in the back | Ray McKinley's Jazz Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | DLA 331 | 10-in. | 3/31/1936 | Fingerwave | Ray McKinley's Jazz Band | instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Sullivan, Joe," accessed May 14, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104215.
Sullivan, Joe. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 14, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104215.
"Sullivan, Joe." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 14 May 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Joe Sullivan
Discogs: Joe Sullivan
Allmusic: Joe Sullivan
Grove: Joe Sullivan
IMDb: Joe Sullivan
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Sullivan, Joe, 1906-1971 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83065735
Wikidata: Joe Sullivan - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1691615
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/4074156012381349700009
MusicBrainz: Joe Sullivan - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/bce1a608-9541-4392-9837-23f972013343
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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