b. Joseph Francis Marsala, 4 January 1907, Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. 4 March 1978, Santa Barbara, California, USA. After playing locally, Marsala's first name-band job was with Wingy Manone in 1929. In the early 30s he gigged in Chicago and elsewhere, returning several times to Manone, with whom he appeared at a number of leading New York nightspots. In 1935, he played and recorded with Adrian Rollini's Tap Room Gang before yet another spell with Manone, this time at the Hickory House. Taking over the band on Manone's departure in 1936, Marsala became one of the first bandleaders on 52nd Street to regularly front a racially mixed band, which included Henry "Red" Allen. The Hickory House engagement was another long-running affair, extending into the mid-40s, but interspersed with leading bands on cruise ships. He also briefly led a big band that played charts commissioned from Don Redman. In some of these bands, Marsala was joined by his brother, trumpeter Marty Marsala.

Listen to Joe Marsala at Finetune.

• (1942)  1936-1942

• Art Tatum
• Fats Domino
• Toots Thielemans
• Benny Goodman and His Orchestra
• Charlie Barnet
• Cookie Williams and His Rug Cutters
• Bing Crosby
• Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys
• Bobby Short
• Chet Atkins
• Dale Miller
• Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich
• Doc Watson
• Doc Watson/David Grisman
• Eubie Blake
• Flatt & Scruggs
• Freda Payne
• Gary U.S. Bonds
• Georgie Fame
• Jack Bruce