Joseph C Mudele (30 September 1920 – 7 March 2014), known as Joe Mudele and sometimes as Joe Muddel or Muddell), was a British jazz double bass player, one of theClub Eleven collective, where he first played withJohn Dankworth.[1]
Mudele grew up inDownham, South East London. He left school at the age of 14 and began singing and playing in local bands, but only began playing double bass at the age of 17 after buying an upright bass in a junk shop.[2] During the war he served in theRoyal Air Force.[3] After the war he studied for a while with James Merritt, principal double bassist with thePhilharmonia Orchestra, while resuming an earlier career as a roofer. His professional playing career took off in 1947 with the likes of clarinetistCarl Barriteau, accordianistTito Burns and with the Jimmy Macaffer Band. He toured with visiting American pianistHoagy Carmichael during the autumn of 1948.[1] Attending the 1949 International Jazz Festival in Paris, Mudele was invited to sit in withCharlie Parker (on his European debut) and his drummerMax Roach.[4]
In 1948 Mudele became a founder member of Club Eleven, a Soho nightclub open between 1948 and 1950 which played a significant role in the emergence of thebebop jazz movement in Britain. The club was so named because it was a musicians cooperative with 11 founders – business manager Harry Morris along with ten British bebop players, including Mudele: the others wereLennie Bush,Leon Calvert,Tony Crombie, Bernie Fenton (1921-2001, piano), Laurie Morgan (1926-2020, drums), Johnny Rogers (1926-2016, saxophone),Tommy Pollard (1923-1960, piano and vibes), Ronnie Scott, andHank Shaw. John Dankworth was also involved, heading up one of two house bands with Mudele on bass.[1]
After the club was closed Mudele became a founder member of the John Dankworth Seven, while also continuing to play with others, includingAmbrose, Jack Nathan, the Norman Burns Quintet andKenny Baker's Quartet. He formed his own band, Blue Room, for a year (1952-3, including the Jamaican saxophonistJoe Harriott), was a member of the house band of the Coconut Grove nightclub inRegent Street, then stayed for an extended period with theTommy Whittle Quintet (from 1954) and later theTony Kinsey Quartet.[1] During this period Mudele also played forSophie Tucker,Judy Garland andBilly Eckstine[4] and recorded with (among others)Larry Adler,Humphrey Lyttelton, the Melody Maker All Stars,George Chisholm andSid Phillips.
As with many established jazz players, Mudele supplemented his appearances in clubs with extensive radio, television and recording studio work outside of jazz from the 1960s onwards. He appeared on many pop music sessions, wrote songs forVal Doonican andAdam Faith, played withBarry Gray on the soundtracks to the television seriesThunderbirds andJoe 90, and featured as a regular on BBC radio'sSing Something Simple for 30 years with theCliff Adams Singers.[2] His name can be found in the session notes of artists such asCilla Black,Johnny Cash,Bradley Cooper,Johnny Depp,John Lennon,Mantovani andBarbra Streisand. He backedYehudi Menuhin andStéphane Grappelli on their violin duets.[2][4]George Martin used him regularly for sessions atAbbey Road Studios, and he can be heard on guitaristJohn Williams'Changes album (1971).[3]
In later life Mudele lived inBromley and played weekly at theBexley Jazz Club in Kent, taking over management duties after owner Les Simons died in 2004.[2] In 2010 he recordedFor All We Know, with Robin Aspland (piano) and Geoff Gascoyne (drums). He died aged 93, survived by his second wife Janet (who he married in 1991) and two daughters from his first marriage.[2]
