Joseph Albani, known professionally as Joe Albany, and born on January 24, 1924, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was a modern jazz pianist. He began playing jazz in nightclubs after moving to Los Angeles in 1941 and was playing with Benny Carter's orchestra in 1943. Albany's first recorded performance was in February 1946 at the Finale Club with Charlie Parker. He moved to New York that same year and began recording with artists like Georgie Auld and Lester Young. Throughout his career, Albany faced personal struggles including drug addiction and alcoholism, which led to periods of incarceration and nomadic living between California, New York, Europe, and Italy. Notable albums include The Right Combination (1958), Proto-Bopper (1972), and At Home (1972). Albany passed away on January 12, 1988, in New York City. His life was documented in the film Low Down, released posthumously in 2014.
