Wikipedia

Joe Mondragon

Joe Mondragon (February 2, 1920 – July 1987) was an American jazz bassist.

Joe Mondragon
BornFebruary 2, 1920
Antonito, Colorado, U.S.
OriginEspañola, New Mexico, U.S.
DiedJuly 1987 (aged 67)
San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico, U.S.
GenresJazz
Instrument(s)Double bass

Early life edit

Mondragon was born in Antonito, Colorado, and raised in the Española Valley region of New Mexico. Mondragon was of Apache and Hispanic origin.[1][2]

Career edit

Mondragon was an autodidact on bass, and began working professionally in Los Angeles.[3] He served in the United States Army during World War II, and then joined Woody Herman's First Herd in 1946. Over the next two decades, he became one of the more popular studio bassists for jazz recording on the West Coast, appearing on albums by June Christy, Shorty Rogers, Shelly Manne, Buddy Rich, Buddy DeFranco, Marty Paich, Claude Williamson, Georgie Auld, Chet Baker, Bob Cooper, Harry Sweets Edison, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Bud Shank and Ella Fitzgerald. Mondragon can also be heard on soundtracks for films such as The Wild One and Pete Kelly's Blues.

Mondragon never recorded as a leader.

Personal life edit

Mondragon died in San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico.[4]

Discography edit

With Georgie Auld

With Chet Baker

With Louie Bellson

With Buddy Bregman

With Hoagy Carmichael

With Bobby Darin

With Harry Edison

With Herb Ellis and Jimmy Giuffre

With Astrud Gilberto

With Johnny Hartman

With Woody Herman

With Lena Horne

With Harry James

With Stan Kenton

With Barney Kessel

With Peggy Lee

With Henry Mancini

  • More Music from Peter Gunn (RCA, 1959)

With Shelly Manne

With Warne Marsh

With Carmen McRae

With Jack Montrose

With Gerry Mulligan

With Mark Murphy

  • Playing the Field (Capitol, 1960)

With Oliver Nelson

With Art Pepper

With Jane Powell

  • Can't We Be Friends? (Verve, 1956)

With Shorty Rogers

With Pete Rugolo

With Lalo Schifrin

With Bud Shank

With Carly Simon

With Paul Williams

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Lees, Gene (2009-04-30). Cats Of Any Color: Jazz, Black And White. Hachette Books. ISBN 978-0-7867-4678-1.
  2. ^ "AUTUMN LEAVES, THE WEST COAST, AND JOE MONDRAGON". Mark Weber. 2018-11-04. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  3. ^ Goldsby, John (2002). The Jazz Bass Book: Technique and Tradition. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 978-0-87930-716-5.
  4. ^ "Joe Mondragon". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
  5. ^ "Harry James And His Orchestra – Harry James And His Orchestra 1948-49". Discogs. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Mondragon&oldid=1216652635"