Joe Mondragon

Joe Mondragon (February 2, 1920 – July 1987) was an American jazz bassist.

Mondragon was an autodidact on bass, and began working professionally in Los Angeles. He served in the Army during World War II, and then joined Woody Herman's First Herd in 1946. Over the next two decades, he became one of the more popular studio bassists for jazz recording on the West Coast, appearing on albums by June Christy, Shorty Rogers, Shelly Manne, Buddy Rich, Buddy DeFranco, Marty Paich, Claude Williamson, Georgie Auld, Chet Baker, Bob Cooper, Harry Sweets Edison, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Bud Shank and Ella Fitzgerald. Mondragon can also be heard on soundtracks for films such as The Wild One and Pete Kelly's Blues.

Mondragon never recorded as a leader.

Discography

With Chet Baker

• Grey December (Pacific Jazz, 1953 [1992])
• Pretty/Groovy (World Pacific, 1953 [1958])
• The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker (Pacific Jazz, 1953)
• Chet Baker & Strings (Columbia, 1954)

With Georgie Auld

• In the Land of Hi-Fi with Georgie Auld and His Orchestra (EmArcy, 1955)

With Louis Bellson

• Louis Bellson Swings Jule Styne (Verve, 1960)

With Hoagy Carmichael

• Hoagy Sings Carmichael (Pacific Jazz, 1956)

With Harry Edison

• Sweets (Clef, 1956)

With Herb Ellis and Jimmy Giuffre

• Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre (Verve, 1959)

With Stan Kenton

• Lush Interlude (Capitol, 1958)

With Barney Kessel

• Carmen (Contemporary, 1959)

With Henry Mancini

• More Music from Peter Gunn (RCA, 1959)

With Shelly Manne

• The West Coast Sound (Contemporary, 1955)

With Carmen McRae

• Can't Hide Love (Blue Note, 1976)

With Jack Montrose

• Arranged by Montrose (Pacific Jazz, 1954)

With Gerry Mulligan

• Gerry Mulligan Quartet Volume 1 (Pacific Jazz, 1952)
• Lee Konitz Plays with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet (Pacific Jazz, 1953 [1957]) with Lee Konitz
• Gene Norman Presents the Original Gerry Mulligan Tentet and Quartet (GNP, 1953 [1997])

With Oliver Nelson

• Zig Zag (Original Motion Picture Score) (MGM, 1970)

With Shorty Rogers

• Shorty Rogers and His Giants (RCA Victor, 1954 [1956])
• Collaboration (RCA Victor, 1954) with André Previn
• Afro-Cuban Influence (RCA Victor, 1958)
• Chances Are It Swings (RCA Victor, 1958)
• The Wizard of Oz and Other Harold Arlen Songs (RCA Victor, 1959)

With Lalo Schifrin

• Gone with the Wave (Colpix, 1964)

With Bud Shank

• Strings & Trombones (Pacific Jazz, 1955)
• I'll Take Romance (World Pacific, 1958)

References

• Scott Yanow, Joe Mondragon at Allmusic