# Joe LaBarbera

Joseph James LaBarbera (born February 22, 1948) is an American jazz drummer and composer. He is best known for his recordings and live performances with the trio of pianist Bill Evans in the final years of Evans's career. His older brothers are saxophonist Pat LaBarbera and trumpeter John LaBarbera.

## Career

He grew up in Mount Morris, New York. His first drum teacher was his father. For two years in the late 1960s he attended Berklee College of Music, then went on tour with singer Frankie Randall. After Berklee he spent two years with the US Army band at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He began his professional career playing with Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd.
His reputation grew in the 1970s when he spent four years recording and touring with Chuck Mangione. He also worked as a sideman for Bob Brookmeyer, Jim Hall, Art Farmer, Art Pepper, John Scofield, Toots Thielemans, and Phil Woods. In 1979 he was a member of the Bill Evans trio, then spent much of the 1980s and early 1990s with Tony Bennett. He was in a quartet with his brother Pat and in a trio with Hein van de Geyn and John Abercrombie. He has taught at the California Institute of the Arts and the Bud Shank Jazz Workshop.

## Discography
### As leader

* The Joe La Barbera Quintet Live (Jazz Compass, 2001)
* Mark Time (Jazz Compass, 2003)
* Love Locked Out (2003), with Patti Wicks and Keter Betts
* Native Land (Jazz Compass, 2006)
* Silver Streams (Jazz Compass, 2012)

### As sideman

With Tony Bennett
* 1986 The Art of Excellence
* 1987 Bennett/Berlin
* 1990 Astoria: Portrait of the Artist
* 1992 Perfectly Frank
* 2007 Sings the Ultimate American Songbook Vol. 1
With Rosemary Clooney
* 1989 Rosemary Clooney Sings Rodgers, Hart & Hammerstein
* 1992 Girl Singer
* 1997 Mothers & Daughters
* 2000 The Songbook Collection
* 2001 Sentimental Journey: The Girl Singer and Her New Big Band
With Bill Cunliffe
* 1993 A Paul Simon Songbook
* 1995 Bill in Brazil
* 2001 Live at Bernie's
* 2002 Bill Cunliffe Sextet: Live at Rocco
* 2003 How My Heart Sings
With Bill Evans
* 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 1
* 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 2
* 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 3
* 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 4
* 1979 Live at the Balboa Jazz Club, Vol. 5
* 1979 Live in Buenos Aires, 1979
* 1979 We Will Meet Again
* 1980 Letter to Evan
* 1980 Turn Out the Stars
* 1983 The Paris Concert: Edition 1
* 1983 The Paris Concert: Edition 2
* 1996 His Last Concert in Germany
* 1996 The Brilliant
* 1996 Turn Out the Stars: Final Village Vanguard Recordings
* 2000 The Last Waltz
* 2005 Live in Rome 1979
With John LaBarbera
* 2003 On the Wild Side (Jazz Compass)
* 2005 Fantazm (Jazz Compass)
* 2013 Caravan (Jazz Compass)
With Pat LaBarbera
* 1976 Pass It On
* 1993 JMOG (Jazz Men on the Go)
* 2003 Deep in a Dream
* 2005 Crossing the Line
With Chuck Mangione
* 1973 Land of Make Believe
* 1975 Bellavia
* 1975 Chase the Clouds Away
With Bud Shank
* 1996 Plays the Music of Bill Evans
* 1999 After You Jeru
* 2000 Silver Storm
* 2002 On the Trail
* 2009 Fascinating Rhythms
With Kim Richmond
* 1994 Range
* 1999 Look at the Time
* 2001 Ballads
With Terry Trotter and Trotter Trio
* 1993 It's About Time
* 1995 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum...In Jazz
* 1995 Company...In
* 1995 Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd in Jazz
* 1996 The Michel Legrand Album
* 1997 Sketches on Star Wars
* 1998 Follies
* 2001 The Fantasticks in Jazz
With others
* 1992 In Tribute, Diane Schuur
* 1997 " All the More", Kenny Wheeler
* 2003 As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II, Rod Stewart
* 2003 Michael Bublé, Michael Bublé
* 2004 Renee Olstead, Renee Olstead
* 2007 Call Me Irresponsible, Michael Bublé
* 2009 Skylark, Renee Olstead
* 2009 Crazy Love, Michael Bublé
* 2025 Seascape, Atlantic Jazz Collective, Alma Records