Joe Howard was born in Cleveland in 1928. A pianist from an early age, he attended John Adams High School, Cleveland Institute of Music, and, after a stint in the Army, Western Reserve University. After college he played piano live for WTAM, Cleveland's NBC affiliate.
In 1959 he became music director at WEWS-TV, Channel 5, where he played live daily. Later he earned a masters degree from Kent State University and in 1967 he became a music professor at Cuyahoga Community College. At this time he was described by Cleveland's daily paper, The Plain Dealer, as "Cleveland's most widely known and accomplished Jazz pianist." He also headed jazz studies at the Cleveland Music School Settlement.
He earned a Ph.D. with a dissertation on Art Tatum. Throughout this professional and academic career he played in a wide variety of venues and with a wide range of other players, bands, and orchestras. For years he spent regular time in Florida. He was playing in local clubs until weeks before his death.
Source : https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/joe_howard
Swingin' Close in
with
Joe Howard
and Friends
Tracks
1 Just in Time (Comden, Green, Styne) 2:40
2 Greensleeves (Hlavacek) 3:12
3 A Foogy Day (Gershwin, Gershwin) 2:47
4 Lullaby Of the Leaves (Petkere, Young) 3:50
5 'S Wonderful (Gershwin, Gershwin) 2:50
6 My Funny Valentine (Rodgers, Hart) 4:42
7 You Make Me Feel So Young (Myrow, Gordon) 3:20
8 I Let A Song Go Out My Heart (Ellington, Nemo, Mills, Redmond) 2:35
9 This Much I Know (Dubey, Karr) 3:42
10 Easy Street (Jones) 4:54
11 Imagination (Burke, Van Heusen) 3:18
12 A Fine Romance (Kern, Fields) 3:05
*
Personnel
Joe Howard - p, el p & clst
Lloyd Casterline - g & fl
Bob Sikora - b
Vince Bilardo - prc
Bobby Brack - prc
Recorded in Chicago ; 1957