Joe Marsala

Joe Marsala (January 4, 1907 – March 4, 1978) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist and songwriter, born and based in Chicago. He was active during the big band era. Marsala is notable as one of the early employers of drummer Buddy Rich. Among his other musicians included pianist Joe Bushkin and guitarist Jack Lemaire, Carmen Mastren. Leonard Feather, among others, gives him a good deal of credit for breaking down race segregation in jazz.

Marsala's own playing was rich and graceful, owing a lot to Jimmie Noone. Although usually thought of as a "dixielander" along with Eddie Condon, Marsala was more adventurous: in the 1940s he used Dizzy Gillespie on a recording session, for instance.

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