Joe Holiday

Joseph Befumo, known professionally as Joe Holiday (10 May 1925 – 9 February 2016), was an American jazz saxophonist who was born in Sicily.

The father of the Befumo family played clarinet. In 1925 the family emigrated to the United States, taking residence in Newark, New Jersey, where young Joseph picked up his father's instrument and mastered it. While still in his teens he began forming musical groups and obtained his first recording contract (with King Records) in 1949. He adopted the stage name "Joe Holiday" before the recording contract date.

Holiday played hard bop early in his career, but he is best known for his adaptations of the mambo style. Many of his sessions included members of Machito's ensemble, the Afro-Cubans. He had a hit in the U.S. with "This Is Happiness" in 1951 and recorded for Prestige Records with Max Roach and Billy Taylor. Sarah Vaughan recorded his composition "Serenada".

Holiday also does abstract painting. He and his wife, Kelly Holiday, are president and vice-president, respectively, of the St. Lucie Professional Arts League based in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where he presents annual "Art & All That Jazz" events, which have included Linda Cole (singer and daughter of Nat King Cole), Miami musicians Ira Sullivan, violinist Nicola Yearling, and pianist Lenore Raphael.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 10, 1925 (Sicily), Died February 9, 2016

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1955 - 1957

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor saxophone

= 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 88657 9/16/1955 Timmy's tune Joe Holiday and his Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 88658 9/16/1955 Love is a many splendored thing Joe Holiday and his Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 88659 9/16/1955 Opening night Joe Holiday and his Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 88660 9/16/1955 Tiny mite Joe Holiday and his Band instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 101595 2/7/1957 Curtain call Joe Holiday instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 101596 2/7/1957 Mimi the champ Joe Holiday instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 101597 2/7/1957 Hello to you Joe Holiday instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 101598 2/7/1957 Winter snow Joe Holiday instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 101599 2/7/1957 Skeetie Joe Holiday instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 101600 2/7/1957 Dorothy's little shadow Joe Holiday instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 101601 2/13/1957 Study in turquoise Joe Holiday instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 101602 2/13/1957 Cousin Nino Joe Holiday instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Holiday, Joe," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/321567.

Holiday, Joe. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/321567.

"Holiday, Joe." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/321567

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