- Born: July 17, 1928 in Springfield, MA
- Years Active: 1964-1977
- Genre: Jazz
- Influenced by: Dave Tough, Gene Krupa, Louie Bellson, Don Lamond, Buddy Rich
- Followed By: Haroldo Jobim, Billy Martin
- Similar Artists: Jack DeJohnette, Mel Lewis, Max Roach, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Duffy Jackson, Butch Miles
A brilliant drummer, Joe Morello played early on with Phil Woods and Sal Salvador. He had short stints during 1952-1953 with Johnny Smith, Stan Kenton's Orchestra, and Gil Melle, but really gained a strong reputation for his work with the Marian McPartland trio (1953-1956); he also played during the period with Tal Farlow and Jimmy Raney. Morello gained fame as a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet during 1956-1967, making it possible for Brubeck to experiment with unusual time signatures. Due to his failing eyesight (he went blind in 1976), Morello has mostly worked as a drum instructor since (Danny Gottlieb was a student), but still plays and participated in reunions with Brubeck and McPartland. He has led sessions for Score (1956), RCA (1961-1962), Ovation (1969), and DMP (1993-1994). ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide