Joe Lovano

Joe Lovano 1952年12月29日出生在在美国俄亥俄州克里夫兰市，Joe Lovano与管风琴Lonnie Smith和Jack McDuff离开了克里夫兰市，1976年至1979年Joe Lovano在赫尔曼，之后来到了纽约，在那里他很快的找准了自己的位置，1980年他加入了Mel Lewis' orchestra乐团。1996年专辑四重奏:"Live at the Village Vanguard"被评为爵士乐唱片奖。在2004年发表了专辑:"I'm All for You"。
by Chris Kelsey
Active during a period of jazz history when it seemed radical innovation was a thing of the past, Joe Lovano nevertheless coalesced various stylistic elements from disparate eras into a personal and forward-seeking style. While not an innovator in a macro sense, Lovano has unquestionably charted his own path. His playing contains not an ounce of glibness, but possesses in abundance the sense of spontaneity that has always characterized the musics finest improvisers. Lovano doesnt adopt influences — he absorbs them — so that when playing a standard, he exudes the same sense of abandon as when playing totally free (which, it should be pointed out, he does well, if infrequently). Lovanos most significant achievement is his incorporation of free and modal expressive devices into traditional chord-change improvisation.
Lovano is the son of the respected Cleveland saxophonist Tony Big T Lovano. Joe started playing alto sax as a child, taught by his father, who also introduced him to jazz. In his youth, Joe would hear many of the prominent jazz artists who passed through town, including Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Sonny Stitt, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Lovano began playing in jam sessions around Cleveland while still in his teens. Although thoroughly steeped in bebop, he also developed an interest in the jazz experimentalism of the 1960s, listening to such musicians as John Coltrane, Jimmy Giuffre, and Ornette Coleman. Following high school, Lovano moved to Boston and attended the Berklee School of Music. Fellow students included such future collaborators as John Scofield, Bill Frisell, and Kenny Werner. While at Berklee, Lovano discovered modal harmony and opened up to the broad areas of tonal freedom that he found so attractive in the music of John Coltrane, among others.
After leaving Berklee, Lovano worked with organists Lonnie Smith (with whom he made his recording debut) and Jack McDuff. He toured with Woody Herman from 1976-1979. After leaving Herman, Lovano settled in New York City, where he quickly established himself. He joined drummer Mel Lewis orchestra in 1980; he played the bands regular Monday night gigs at the Village Vanguard until 1992. He also recorded several times with the band. Lovano would also work with Elvin Jones, Carla Bley, Lee Konitz, Charlie Haden, and Bob Brookmeyer, among others. He joined drummer Paul Motians band in 1981 (which also included his Berklee classmate Frisell), and played with guitarist John Scofields quartet. Lovano began leading dates for Blue Note in the 90s, and continued doing so throughout that decade and into the next, recording in a variety of contexts ranging from trios to larger woodwind and brass ensembles. Lovano received a number of Grammy nominations for his work on Blue Note. His 1996 album Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note) was named Jazz Album of the Year by readers of Downbeat Magazine. Lovanos wife is vocalist Judi Silvano.
Since then, Lovano has split his time in the studio between releasing impressive original recordings and albums reinterpreting the work of artists who have influenced him, including vocalist Frank Sinatra on 1996s Celebrating Sinatra, various bop-era stalwarts including pianist Tadd Dameron on 2000s 52nd Street Themes, and opera tenor Enrico Caruso on 2001s Viva Caruso. In 2004, the always unpredictable reedman released the ballads album Im All for You, featuring journeyman pianist Hank Jones. Joyous Encounter followed in spring 2005 with Streams of Expression appearing on Blue Note a year later. Lovano once agian paired up with Jones for the live duets album Kids: Duets Live at Dizzys Club Coca-Cola in 2007.