Sonny Igoe

Owen Joseph "Sonny" Igoe (October 8, 1923 – March 28, 2012) was an American jazz drummer and music educator who, toured with the orchestras of Tommy Reed (1913–2012), Les Elgart, Ina Ray Hutton, Benny Goodman, and Woody Herman from the mid-1940s to the mid-1950s.

From the mid-1940s to 1988, he performed on over 79 recordings with bands and artists, including The Buddy Stewart (1922–1950) Quintet, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, Woody Herman and His Orchestra, Frances Wayne with Neal Hefti and His Orchestra, Rita Moss with the George Williams Orchestra, Charlie Ventura, Tony Bennett, Billy Maxted and His Manhattan Jazz Band, The Chuck Wayne Quintet, The Don Elliott Quintet, Joe Wilder, Phil Napoleon and His Original Memphis Five, Sammy Spear (né Samuel Shapiro; 1909–1975), Pee Wee Erwin, Joe Williams, Marlene Ver Planck (born 1933), Savina (Savina J. Hartwell; 1926–1992), Dick Meldonian (né Richard Anthony Meldonian; born 1930), and Doctor Billy Dodd.

A longtime resident of Emerson, New Jersey, Igoe grew up in Ridgewood and was attending Ridgewood High School when he got his start after winning a Gene Krupa drumming contest.

In the 1960s, Igoe was a member of the NBC Television Orchestra and then the CBS Television Orchestra, where his credits included The Ed Sullivan Show and The Jackie Gleason Show.

Igoe's playing was initially influenced by Krupa, but he soon drew upon elements of Max Roach and others, which eventually developed into an exuberant and individual style.

Jazz drummer, leader of The Birdland Big Band, and music educator Tommy Igoe (Thomas Robert Igoe; born November 18, 1964) is his son.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 8, 1923 (Jersey City), Died March 28, 2012 (Ridgewood)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1952 - 1954

Roles Represented in DAHR: drums

= 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
Decca 83144 7/23/1952 Somebody loves me Neal Hefti Orchestra ; Frances Wayne instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 83145 7/23/1952 Jambalaya Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 83146 7/23/1952 Two-faced clock Neal Hefti Orchestra ; Frances Wayne instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 83147 7/23/1952 Mean to me Neal Hefti Orchestra ; Frances Wayne instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 83148 7/24/1952 Four or five times Modernaires ; Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 83149 7/24/1952 When my love comes back to me Modernaires ; Neal Hefti Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 84421 5/5/1953 The great lie Jackie Cain ; Roy Kral ; Charlie Ventura instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 84422 5/5/1953 Turnpike Jackie Cain ; Roy Kral ; Charlie Ventura instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 84423 5/5/1953 They can't take that away from me Jackie Cain ; Roy Kral ; Charlie Ventura instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 84424 5/5/1953 The honey jump, part 1 Jackie Cain ; Roy Kral ; Charlie Ventura instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 84425 5/5/1953 The honey jump, part 2 Jackie Cain ; Roy Kral ; Charlie Ventura instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 85911 1/30/1954 How deep is the ocean Charlie Ventura Quartet instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 85912 1/30/1954 Pagan love song Charlie Ventura Quartet instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 85913 1/30/1954 Between the devil and the deep blue sea Charlie Ventura Quartet instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 85914 1/30/1954 Over the rainbow Charlie Ventura Quartet instrumentalist, drums  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Igoe, Sonny," accessed May 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/322385.

Igoe, Sonny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/322385.

"Igoe, Sonny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/322385

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