Bass Player: Joe Mondragon

Joe Mondragon (February 2, 1920 – July 1987) was self taught on the bass, and began working professionally in Los Angeles. He served in the Army during WWII and then joined Woddy Herman’s First Herd in 1946. Over the next two decades, he became one of the more popular studio bassists for jazz recording on the US West Coast appearing on albums by June CHristy, Shorty ROgers, Shelly Manne, Buddy Rich, Buddy DeFranco, Marty Paich, Claude WIlliamson, George Auld, Chet Baker, Bob Cooper, Harry ‘Sweets’ Wdison, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Bud Shank and Ella Fitzgerald.

Mondragon is also the man who played potentially one of the most widely heard bass lines in history of Jazz. This is Mondragon’s line for the Peggy Lee hit, ‘Fever’. An easy read but watch the key changes!!