Joe Baiza

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Joe Baiza
Born (1952-01-11) January 11, 1952 (age 72)
California, United States
GenresPunk rock, jazz
OccupationGuitarist
InstrumentGuitar
Years active1980–present

Joe Baiza (born January 11, 1952)[1][2] is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Most of Baiza's music touches on a fusion of punk rock and jazz. Eugene Chadbourne cites Baiza as one of the most noteworthy guitarists to emerge from the Southern California punk rock milieu.[3]

Career

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Baiza is a founding member of the bands Saccharine Trust,[4] Universal Congress Of,[5] and The Mecolodiacs. He also performed guest guitar spots on several Minutemen tracks and played alongside Black Flag's Greg Ginn and Chuck Dukowski in the SST all-star jam band October Faction, recording two albums with them. Baiza was also part of the musical side project Nastassya Filippovna which featured Bob Lee (drums), Devin Sarno (bass) and Mike Watt (bass). He substituted for Nels Cline during Mike Watt's European and American tours behind his second solo album, Contemplating the Engine Room, in 1997 and 1998.[6] Also in 1997, he and Cline played (sometimes together) in the band Solo Career with Lee (drums), Richard Derrick (bass), Walter Zooi (trumpet) and Gustavo Aguilar (percussion); other guitarists in that rotating ensemble included Mario Lalli, Woody Aplanalp and Ken Rosser. Currently, he is in the reunited Saccharine Trust as well as the improvisational unit Unknown Instructors with former Minutemen Mike Watt and George Hurley.[7]

Artwork

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Baiza is also an accomplished visual artist.[8] In 1983 he illustrated the cover of the Minutemen's record Buzz or Howl Under the Influence of Heat.[9] The illustration depicts the faces of D. Boon and Mike Watt engaged in heated dialogue as they so often did as friends and musical collaborators.[9]

In late 2013 The Cornelius Projects in San Pedro hosted The Mind of Joe Baiza – Paintings, Drawings, Photographs & Artifacts.[10]

Discography

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Saccharine Trust
Universal Congress Of
Mecolodiacs
  • Mecolodiacs (1994, Enemy Records)
  • Glamjazz (1998, Hazelwood)
Puttanesca
Unknown Instructors
with Mike Watt
Solo
  • Prelude to Peace (2017, MINUS ZERO Recordings)[12]
  • Two Duos with Jason Kahn and Felix Gebhard (2018, Hangover Central Station)[13]
Guest appearances

References

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  1. ^ Rate Your Music, Born January 1952, CA
  2. ^ California Births, 1905 – 1995, Joe Eugene Baiza
  3. ^ Chadbourne, Eugene. "Joe Baiza: Biography". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  4. ^ Robbins, Ira; Sprague, David. "Saccharine Trust". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  5. ^ Robbins, Ira; Sprague, David. "Universal Congress Of". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  6. ^ Watt, Mike. "mike watt and the black gang crew". Hoot Page. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Breihan, Tom (March 25, 2009). "Mike Watt Drops Album, Tours, Writes Opera". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  8. ^ Gleason, Mat (July 3, 2017). "JOE BAIZA – Modern Art Blitz episode #78". Modern Art Blitz. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  9. ^ a b Azerrad, Michael (2002). Our Band Could Be Your Life. Back Bay Books. p. 81. ISBN 978-0316787536.
  10. ^ "The Mind of Joe Baiza – Paintings, Drawings, Photographs & Artifacts". Cornelius Projects. October 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  11. ^ Watt, Mike (November 24, 2017). "happy #RecordStoreDay good people!". Facebook. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  12. ^ "Prelude to Peace". Bandcamp. August 23, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  13. ^ "Two Duos". Bandcamp. November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  14. ^ "Hairsuit (with Joe Baiza)". Bandcamp. September 13, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2019.