Pianist Joe Baque was a mainstay of the jazz scene in the South Sound for three decades after he moved to Olympia, Washington in the mid-1980s. Baque was born in the borough of Queens in New York City in 1922 and passed away four years ago today at the age of 100.

Joe Baque began taking piano lessons at a young age and played his first paying gig at 13. As a young boy he developed an ability to understand and remember songs after hearing them just a few times. Over the ensuing 87 years he would play with Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Lena Horne and Stan Getz, perform at Carnegie Hall and appear on the Tonight Show and the Merv Griffin Show. He also played regularly at the Olympia Farmer’s Market.

In addition to his life as a musician, Joe was a foster parent to more than 70 children and cared for many rescue animals in his home. Baque also taught innumerable piano students over the years.
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Here is a link to Joe Baque playing at Boxley's Jazz Club in North Bend, Washington:

"C JAM BLUES"