Joseph Francis Michael Morris, also known as Joe Morris, was born on September 13, 1955, in New Haven, Connecticut, and is an American jazz guitarist, bassist, composer, and educator who initially learned trumpet before switching to guitar at the age of fourteen. He moved to Boston in 1975. His professional journey started in Boston, where he joined the Boston Improvisers’ Group after performing in Belgium and the Netherlands. Notable collaborators included Lowell Davidson, Billy Bang, Andrew Cyrille, and Peter Kowald. His discography features albums like Antennae (1997), A Cloud of Black Birds (1998), and Soul Search (2000). He has released music on labels such as AUM Fidelity, Knitting Factory, and Leo Records. His guitar style, influenced by Derek Bailey, incorporates elements of traditional African music and avant-garde jazz. He has also performed on bass, contributing to albums like High Definition (2008) with his Bass Quartet and Every Day: All the Way (2025) with Larry Ochs and Charles Downs.
