Joseph Claude Caputo, (July 12, 1921 – March 7, 2016), better known as Joe Cabot, was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and musical director. He is best known for his responsive phrasing and mute-on/mute-off virtuosity. His original composition, "Slow Down, Sugar, Take Your Time," was praised by music critic John Wilson and likened to the stylings of the Nat Cole Trio in an Oct. 31, 1982 piece in the New York Times' Arts and Leisure section. In addition to trumpet, Cabot also played the Flugelhorn.Cabot was born in Cleveland, Ohio into a musical family led by his father Joseph and uncle August. His first performances took place locally while he was still a small boy, and by 1939 Cabot was a sideman with Gene Krupa. Describing what it was like to play with Krupa at the height of his popularity, Cabot has been quoted as saying, “Coming out of the pit at the Paramount was one of the biggest thrills I ever had…to be part of something.” Stints with the Dorsey's, Claude Thornhill, and Artie Shaw followed. Regarding his time with Tommy Dorsey, Cabot stated, “When you were with big bands in those days you lived in an iron lung in that bus. But you were part of a family.”
Over the span of six decades, Cabot has backed vocalists including Peggy Lee, Ruth Brown, Chris Connor, Eartha Kitt, Anita O'Day, Fran Warren, Tony Bennett. He played with Bobby Darin on many recordings, most notably during the “That’s All” sessions of December ’58 which yielded two of Darrin’s biggest hits, “Mack the Knife” and “Beyond the Sea.”Throughout his career, Cabot has worked alongside many luminaries of the jazz world, among them Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, and Harry James. He maintained a close relationship with James until his death in 1983, and is quoted extensively in Peter Levinson's 1999 release Trumpet Blues: The Life of Harry James. In 2007, a personally owned and stage-played custom made trumpet formerly owned by both James and Cabot was sold at auction for a mid five-figure amount. It was played by both men while they toured together from 1979–1982 in the musical review The Big Broadcast of 1944, and bestowed upon Cabot by James shortly before the tour's completion.In 1981 Cabot conducted an eight-piece jazz band at NYC's famed Michael's Pub backing vocals by Fran Warren. For 30 years he performed on television as part of the Cerebral Palsy and Muscular Dystrophy Telethons. He died surrounded by family on March 7, 2016 at the age of 94, leaving his wife of 59 years singer Cindy Lord (whom he married in August 1957 ), two daughters, Gina and Christina, and three grandchildren.
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