May 24th 2013
Perth, Australia
With Cross Culture, his 23rd Blue Note recording and the third consecutive release by the critically acclaimed quintet, Us Five, Joe Lovano offers a summational document.
Augmenting his core group (pianist James Weidman, bassists Esperanza Spalding or Peter Slavov, and drummers Otis Brown and Francisco Mela) with guitarist—and fellow Blue Note artist—*Lionel Loueke*, Lovano consolidates ideas explored on Us Five’s 2009 debut, Folk Art, a diverse suite of his originals, and its follow-up, Bird Song*s, a well-wrought deconstruction of *Charlie Parker*’s lexicon. Both albums made an impact—*Folk Art earned best-of-class honors from both DownBeat and the Jazz Journalists Association, which also honored Bird Songs as 2011’s “Recording of the Year.”
On Cross Culture, with four years of regular touring and immersive interaction behind them, the band plays the 11-piece program (ten of them Lovano originals) with admirable clarity and focused intention. “The idea behind Folk Art was to put together music that’s beyond category, influenced by a combination of natural feelings of folk music around the world. Over time, I’ve developed my ideas and the repertoire. Each piece here has its own flavor and life in its rhythm and feel. We’re playing with a real sense of each other and a creative flow, and it’s so much fun to let the music unfold with a natural rhythm and energy that to me precedes all the styles in jazz.”
Indeed, Cross Culture is Lovano’s most fully realized representation of a career-long quest to explore the notion of universal musical language. “Since I started to tour in the late ‘70s, I’ve collected instruments from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern and Western Europe, and North and South America,” says Lovano, who, in addition to his instantly recognizable tenor saxophone, improvises on G-mezzo soprano, tarogato, and aulochrome, and plays an array of percussion—bells and shakers, an Israeli paddle drum, and a Nigerian slit drum called an oborom. “I’ve spent a lifetime feeling the passion of experiencing the spirits in the sounds of the collective ancestors in these instruments, creating music but feeling like the earth. It’s coming through in my compositions and in the way we play together.”
Loueke, who himself combines exhaustive knowledge of harmony and folk forms, contributes seamlessly and egolessly to six pieces. “Lionel doesn’t just play the guitar,” Lovano says. “He freely integrates himself with the rhythm section and with me in the front line, and shares the space in a personal way.”
The album-opening “Blessings In May” is an ebullient tune “about springtime and rebirth and new life,” on which Spalding plays bass. The solos—Lovano on tenor, then Weidman, then Lovano on G-mezzo—proceed over the unique, one-voice surge that Mela (left channel) and Brown (right channel) have conjured over their long association.
“They switch roles all the time,” says Lovano, a devotee of the two-drumset sound since the mid ‘70s. “Sometimes one plays more as a melodic percussionist in the front line with me, while the other plays the function of the drummer. We’re developing a vocabulary within the music’s language, and we communicate organically.”
Lovano wrote “Myths and Legends” on commission for the String Trio of New York in 1997; he restructured it for this occasion as a tenor saxophone feature. “The initial premise has been inside me for a while,” he says. “Unknown influences. Mysterious channeling of spirits, Legends in jazz, and in mankind, throughout history.”
A thematic section of the original “Myths and Legends” also seeds the title track “Cross Culture,” premised on similar one-world imperatives. Over a prancing beat that is completely unique to Us Five, Lovano declaims on tenor, Loueke and Weidman punctuate, Loueke bobs-and-weaves, initiating a conversation with Lovano on G-mezzo soprano. Lovano also produces rhythm timbre with log drums, shakers, and gongs.
The drums state a thunderous march creating a trance-like whirling dervish on “In A Spin,” propelling Loueke into a unison with Lovano’s tenor. After Weidman’s free-flowing improvisation, Loueke launches another unison with Lovano on aulochrome (a double soprano saxophone with one keyboard down the center), then uncorks a skronky solo, followed by a bellowing tenor declamation that limns the outer partials.
Lovano is magisterial on Billy Strayhorn’s “Star Crossed Lovers,” channeling the spirits of Ben Webster and John Coltrane while conveying the narrative of Othello and Desdemona. Note the way Mela and Brown orchestrate with mallets and brushes at this restrained tempo, and Spalding’s melodic, full-toned solo interlude.
Echoes of the Paul Motian Trio with Lovano and Bill Frisell suffuse the melody of “Journey Within,” a flowing ballad line that the ensemble—Lovano on G-mezzo, Loueke, and the parallel drumsets—shapes with nuance and soul. The collective interplay is intense, the solos brainy and heartfelt.
The same configuration—Lovano plays log drum and tarogato—addresses the appropriately titled “Drum Chant,” before the ensemble turns to “Golden Horn,” which Lovano first recorded in 1988 in a quartet led by bassist Henri Texier with electric bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Aldo Romano, and subsequently in 2001 in guitarist James Emery’s group with bassist Drew Gress, and vocalist Judi Silvano. He retains the double-bass context, pairing off Spalding and Slavov to introduce the melody, complemented by the drumsets, Lovano’s gong-strikes, and Mela’s balafon. The tempo coalesces around Weidman’s solo, before Lovano takes a dancing turn on tarogato, exploiting its woody tone.
“Royal Roost” is a hard-swinging new tune on which Lovano, on tenor, revisits “the joyous feelings” of post-war bebop on 52nd Street, a subject he explored on several of his Blue Note recordings of the aughts, both with his nonet and his quartet with Hank Jones and Paul Motian.
Lovano introduced “Modern Man” on the 1990 Blue Note date, From the Soul, in duet with seminal drummer Edward Blackwell. It’s a kinetic drum feature (Spalding plays bass), on which the leader, playing aulochrome, elicits the “feeling of a full ensemble saxophone section.”
The album ends with an expansive performance of “PM,” inspired by master drummer-composer Paul Motian, his frequent collaborator from 1981 until his death two months before the recording. The brisk 7-note clusters at the top evoke Motian’s penchant for creating islands of structure that elicit open improvisation, an art at which Lovano and Loueke are masters. Like everything that has preceded it, the performance, in Lovano’s words, “combines the harmonic and rhythmic structures of modern jazz in a free-flowing way, with a tribal energy, tying together things about the world of music, beyond just categories of jazz.”
May 24th 2013
Perth, Australia
The Ellington Jazz Club/Perth Jazz Festival
Joe Lovano with Katie Noonan & Vince Jones
May 25th 2013
Perth, Australia
The Ellington Jazz Club/Perth Jazz Festival
Joe Lovano with Katie Noonan & Vince Jones
May 28th 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Nonet "Streams of Expression" featuring Tim Hagans (Trumpet), Steve Slagle (alto/flute), Ralph Lalama (tenor/clarinet), Gary Smulyan (baritone), Barry Ries (trumpet) Larry Farrell (trombone), James Weidman (piano ), Cameron Brown (bass) a
May 29th 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Nonet "Streams of Expression" featuring Tim Hagans (Trumpet), Steve Slagle (alto/flute), Ralph Lalama (tenor/clarinet), Gary Smulyan (baritone), Barry Ries (trumpet) Larry Farrell (trombone), James Weidman (piano ), Cameron Brown (bass) a
May 30th 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Nonet "Streams of Expression" featuring Tim Hagans (Trumpet), Steve Slagle (alto/flute), Ralph Lalama (tenor/clarinet), Gary Smulyan (baritone), Barry Ries (trumpet) Larry Farrell (trombone), James Weidman (piano ), Cameron Brown (bass) a
May 31st 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Nonet "Streams of Expression" featuring Tim Hagans (Trumpet), Steve Slagle (alto/flute), Ralph Lalama (tenor/clarinet), Gary Smulyan (baritone), Barry Ries (trumpet) Larry Farrell (trombone), James Weidman (piano ), Cameron Brown (bass) a
Jun 1st 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Nonet "Streams of Expression" featuring Tim Hagans (Trumpet), Steve Slagle (alto/flute), Ralph Lalama (tenor/clarinet), Gary Smulyan (baritone), Barry Ries (trumpet) Larry Farrell (trombone), James Weidman (piano ), Cameron Brown (bass) a
Jun 2nd 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Nonet "Streams of Expression" featuring Tim Hagans (Trumpet), Steve Slagle (alto/flute), Ralph Lalama (tenor/clarinet), Gary Smulyan (baritone), Barry Ries (trumpet) Larry Farrell (trombone), James Weidman (piano ), Cameron Brown (bass) a
Jun 28th 2013
New York, NY USA
Town Hall
Wayne Shorter 80th Birthday Celebration Featuring Wayne Shorter Quartet, ACS, Sound Prints: Dave Douglas & Joe Lovano Quintet
Jun 29th 2013
Montreal, CANADA
Maisonneuve Theatre de la Place des Arts
Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints Featuring: Lawrence Fields, Linda Oh and Joey Baron
Jul 9th 2013
Frederiksberg, Denmark
The Betty Nansen Teatret, Valby Jazz Festival
Joe Lovano guest with Benjamin Koppel and Kenny Werner
Jul 12th 2013
Ghent, Belgium
Ghent Jazz Festival
Joe Lovano with Brussels Jazz Orchestra
Aug 18th 2013
Salt lake City, UT USA
Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre
Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints Featuring: Lawrence Fields, Linda Oh and Joey Baron
Aug 28th 2013
Los Angeles, CA USA
Hollywood Bowl
Wayne Shorter 80th Birthday Celebration - Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints Featuring: Lawrence Fields, Linda Oh and Joey Baron
Aug 28th 2013
Los Angeles, CA USA
Hollywood Bowl
Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints Featuring: Lawrence Fields, Linda Oh and Joey Baron
Aug 31st 2013
Detroit, MI USA
Cadillac Square, Detroit International Jazz Festiv
Saxophone Summit featuring Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman & Ravi Coltrane
Sep 16th 2013
New York, NY USA
Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dizzy's Club
Joe Lovano and the Berklee Global Jazz Ambassadors
Sep 20th 2013
Monterey, CA USA
Monterey County Fairgrounds, Main Stage
Joe Lovano Us Five featuring James Weidman, Peter Slavov, Otis Brown III, and Francisco Mela
Sep 22nd 2013
Monterey, CA USA
Monterey County Fairgrounds, Main Stage
Joe Lovano with Next Generation Jazz Orchestra
Sep 24th 2013
Columbus, OH USA
Wexner Performance Space
Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints Featuring: Lawrence Fields, Linda Oh and Joey Baron
Sep 24th 2013
Columbus , OH USA
Wexner Center for the Arts
Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints Featuring: Lawrence Fields, Linda Oh and Joey Baron
Sep 25th 2013
Easton, PA USA
Williams Center for the Arts
Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints
Oct 11th 2013
La Rochelle, France
La Coursive
Saxophone Summit featuring Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman & Ravi Coltrane
Oct 12th 2013
Bordeaux, France
Theatre Femina
Saxophone Summit featuring Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman & Ravi Coltrane
Oct 13th 2013
Paris, France
Salle Playel
Saxophone Summit featuring Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Ravi Coltrane
Oct 19th 2013
Barcelona, Spain
Teatre Auditori Sant Cugat, Barcelona Jazz Festiva
Saxophone Summit featuring Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman & Ravi Coltrane
Oct 29th 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slalov, Otis Brown III, and Francisco Mela
Oct 30th 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slalov, Otis Brown III, and Francisco Mela
Oct 31st 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slalov, Otis Brown III, and Francisco Mela
Nov 1st 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slalov, Otis Brown III, and Francisco Mela
Nov 2nd 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slalov, Otis Brown III, and Francisco Mela
Nov 3rd 2013
New York, NY USA
Village Vanguard
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slalov, Otis Brown III, and Francisco Mela
Nov 8th 2013
Newark, NJ USA
New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Jazz and Samba featuring Joe Lovano
Dec 13th 2013
Costa Mesa, CA USA
Samueli Theater
McCoy Tyner Quartet with special guest Joe Lovano
Dec 14th 2013
Costa Mesa, CA USA
Samueli Theater
McCoy Tyner Quartet with special guest Joe Lovano
Mar 6th 2014
Cambridge, MA USA
Sanders Theatre, Harvard University
Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding & Leo Genovese: The Spring Quartet
Apr 30th 2014
St. Louis, MO USA
Jazz At The Bistro
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slavov, Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela
May 1st 2014
St. Louis, MO USA
Jazz At The Bistro
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slavov, Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela
May 2nd 2014
St. Louis, MO USA
Jazz At The Bistro
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slavov, Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela
May 3rd 2014
St. Louis, MO USA
Jazz At The Bistro
Joe Lovano Us Five Featuring James Weidman, Peter Slavov, Otis Brown III and Francisco Mela
Please contact your region’s tour coordinator with any marketing questions
Technical Riders
Us Five Rider: Download (pdf)
Sound Prints Rider: Download (pdf)
Publicity/Marketing
Artist One Sheet (2011): Download (pdf)
Biography (2011): Download (doc)
Bird Songs Press Release (2011): Download (doc)
Bird Songs Press Quotes (2011): Download (doc)
Master Class/Education Materials
Education Overview: Download
from cleveland.com Joe Lovano, joined by family and friends, delivers a virtuoso Tri-C JazzFest performance By: Chuck Yarborough Treasures come in all forms. For some, it might be Spanish doubloons from an ancient shipwreck. To others, it might be a...
Posted Apr 29th, 2013
from chicagoreader.com Joe Lovano Us Five Over the course of his fruitful career, great postbop saxophonist Joe Lovano has made lots of concept records—paying tribute to a classic jazz album or a particular player, for instance, or taking inspiration from...
Posted Apr 22nd, 2013
from cleveland.com Joe Lovano comes home to perform with family and friends at Tri-C JazzFest By: Chuck Yarborough Clevelander Joe Lovano had a ready influence growing up – his father, tenor sax man Tony “Big T” Lovano. That’s why when...
Posted Apr 22nd, 2013
from coolcleveland.com Cleveland’s Joe Lovano Comes home For JazzFest It’s going to be quite an afternoon for jazz at the Allen Theatre. As soon as Bill Frisell’s Beautiful Dreamers wind up, Grammy-winning Cleveland-born sax player Joe Lovano and his group...
Posted Apr 20th, 2013
from cleveland.com Tri-C JazzFest makes a case for genre, hoping to broaden audience By: Chuck Yarborough No matter where you live — from a bustling metropolis to a wide spot in the road with a flashing yellow light as the...
Posted Apr 19th, 2013
from examiner.com Galaxy of stars lights up Tri-C JazzFest By: Frank Kuznik Jazz fans will have all they can handle and more at the Tri-C Jazz Fest, which opens at the State Theater in Cleveland on Friday, April 19. This...
Posted Apr 17th, 2013
from jazztimes.com Artist’s Choice: Joe Lovano on Paul Motian By: Joe Lovano One of the most swinging and creative drummers in jazz history, Paul Motian had a sound, touch, feeling and approach all his own that developed throughout his lifetime,...
Posted Mar 25th, 2013
from http://straightnochaserjazz.libsyn.com Podcast 340: A Conversation with Joe Lovano about The Tribute Concert for Paul Motian Symphony Space in Manhattan will be presenting an all-star cast of jazz greats on March 22, coming together to pay tribute to their colleague,...
Posted Mar 18th, 2013
from downbeat.com Lovano’s Us Five Strikes Gold at Mint By: Sean J. O’Connell On Jan. 22, saxophonist Joe Lovano brought Us Five to the Mint in Los Angeles. The quintet—including pianist James Weidman, bassist Esperanza Spalding and drummers Otis Brown...
Posted Mar 15th, 2013
Joe Lovano sits down with Wayne Shorter for Part 3 of a discussion about music and beyond. Now available from Blue Note Records: Wayne Shorter Quartet’s WITHOUT A NET & Joe Lovano Us Five’s CROSS CULTURE. To watch part 3...
Posted Mar 15th, 2013
Joe Lovano sits down with Wayne Shorter for Part 2 of a discussion about music and beyond. Now available from Blue Note Records: Wayne Shorter Quartet’s WITHOUT A NET & Joe Lovano Us Five’s CROSS CULTURE. To watch part 2...
Posted Mar 8th, 2013
Joe Lovano sits down with Wayne Shorter for Part 1 of a discussion about music and beyond. Now available from Blue Note Records: Wayne Shorter Quartet’s WITHOUT A NET & Joe Lovano Us Five’s CROSS CULTURE. To watch the video...
Posted Mar 5th, 2013
from online.wsj.com Joe Lovano Us Five The Allen Room (Jazz at Lincoln Center)* By:Will Friedwald Generally speaking, the bigger the band, the more support a soloist has. But leave it to saxophonist Joe Lovano to expand his group in a...
Posted Feb 20th, 2013
from artinfo.com Tribe of Joe: Saxophonist Joe Lovano and His Us Five Band By: Larry Blumenfeld Were Joe Lovano to play only tenor saxophone and perform solely in bands led by other musicians, he’d be an indispensable and original voice...
Posted Feb 15th, 2013
From NBC Catching up with Legendary Saxophonist Joe Lovano Saxophonist Joe Lovano is celebrating Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 25th anniversary this weekend. He sat down with Erika Tarantal to tell us more. To watch the video click here
Posted Feb 13th, 2013
from http://articles.mcall.com Joe Lovano’s jazz: intense and cerebral By: Tim Blangger Jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano doesn’t make recordings. He crafts intense, cerebral, joyous musical projects, which sometimes get recorded. The difference might seem insignificant, but in a mainstream jazz climate...
Posted Feb 7th, 2013
from heyreverb.com Joe Lovano and Us Five at Dazzle Jazz Club, 01/30/13 (review) By: Same DeLeo The goatee and barrel-chested frame may be trademarks, but musically, jazz master Joe Lovano is a chameleon. Whether Hammond B3 jazz, big band, hard...
Posted Feb 1st, 2013
from bluenote.com JOE LOVANO ON BLUE NOTE 1991-1999 By: Brad Farberman A Blue Note recording artist since 1991, the grounded but searching tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano released Cross Culture, his 23rd album for the label, this Tuesday, January 8th. Over...
Posted Jan 31st, 2013
Once he had established himself as a world-class saxophonist, Joshua Redman moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he grew up. Soon afterward, he co-founded the SFJAZZ Collective. With his successor in the tenor sax chair, Joe Lovano,...
Posted Jan 30th, 2013
from westword.com For Grammy-winning jazzman Joe Lovano, freedom and variety are key By: Jon Solomon “Free jazz is one thing,” says Joe Lovano, “but I like to say I play jazz free.” The Grammy-award-winning saxophonist, who has been playing professionally...
Posted Jan 30th, 2013
from triblive.com Lovano provides energetic jazz explorations on ‘Cross Culture’ By:Bob Karlovits “Cross Culture” is an album that requires several listenings before a judgment is passed. It is a lean exploration of jazz that is not eased by pretty melodies...
Posted Jan 26th, 2013
from metroland.net Joe Lovano and Us Five By: Jeff Nania Anything goes with these five. Us Five, that is—Joe Lovano’s newest supergroup that leveled the Egg this past weekend. This group explore the outer limits of creative improvisation in a...
Posted Jan 24th, 2013
from philly.com Saxophonist Joe Lovano leads his band down bold trails By:Shaun Brady Dressed from head to toe in shades of red, saxophonist Joe Lovano looked as colorful as the arrays of flowers that surrounded him in Longwood Gardens’ conservatory...
Posted Jan 21st, 2013
from timesunion.com Lovano’s Us Five a showcase of jazz talent By: Michael Eck Saxophonist Joe Lovano has a kinetic, aggressive sound, particularly on tenor. His tone is bone dry, and at times it seems that he refuses to play a...
Posted Jan 21st, 2013
from irockjazz.com Composer and saxophonist Joe Lovano, a man who never fails to keep things swingin’, recently released his latest album Cross Culture. With his notorious quintet Us Five, Lovano has produced his 23rd Blue Note record. His soft, breathy...
Posted Jan 18th, 2013
from philadelphiaweekly.com Editor’s Pick: Joe Lovano Us Five at Longwood Gardens By: Eugene Holley Jr. For the past three decades, Cleveland-born saxophonist Joe Lovano has been the hardest working man in the jazz business, performing and recording in bop, opera...
Posted Jan 16th, 2013
from chicagoreader.com Joe Lovano releases the first great jazz album of 2013 By: Peter Margasak The saxophonist Joe Lovano has regularly spoken of his malleable quintet Us Five as a band that’s capable of doing and playing anything, and on...
Posted Jan 11th, 2013
from cleveland.com Joe Lovano: Cleveland-born sax star and quintet on fire in ‘Cross Culture’ By: Chuck Yarborough Cleveland-born Joe Lovano occasionally makes it back to his hometown for gigs, and those are always treats for jazz enthusiasts. Sadly, his current...
Posted Jan 11th, 2013
On January 8, 2013, saxophonist and composer Joe Lovano will release Cross Culture, his 23rd Blue Note recording and the third consecutive release by his critically acclaimed quintet, Us Five. To celebrate the album’s release, Lovano will be taking Us...
Posted Jan 8th, 2013
from nytimes.com New Albums by Joe Lovano Us Five and Chris Tomlin By: Ben Ratliff and Jon Caramanica Most jazz musicians are flexible: it’s a philosophical requirement of the job. At 60, Joe Lovano is an extreme case, moving toward...
Posted Jan 8th, 2013
from http://somethingelsereviews.com Joe Lovano and Us Five – Cross Culture (2013) By: Nick DeRiso I expected Joe Lovano, after an association dating back to 1981, to offer tribute to Paul Motian — the legend who died just two months before...
Posted Jan 6th, 2013
from soundcheck.wnyc.org Check Ahead: Joe Lovano Us Five, “Cross Culture” By: Katie Bishop In an article on Salon.com last week titled “Did the American songbook kill jazz?,” arts reporter Scott Timberg explores the genre’s reliance on standards — and the...
Posted Jan 1st, 2013
From DownBeat Magazine Belgrade Shifts to Young and Impressive Program By: Josef Woodard A brief history of the Belgrade Jazz Festival is helpful in understanding its uniqueness, importance and formidable spirit. Founded in 1971 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia—a country whose status...
Posted Nov 30th, 2012
Few jazz bandleaders are as active — and actively acclaimed — as saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas. But while they’ve met from time to time on the bandstand, their brief overlap in the SFJAZZ collective — during a...
Posted Nov 25th, 2012
from NPR Sound Prints Quintet: Live At The Village Vanguard By Patrick Jarenwattananon Few jazz bandleaders are as active — and actively acclaimed — as saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas. But while they’ve met from time to time...
Posted Nov 19th, 2012
jazztimes.com Joe Lovano on the Music of Wayne Shorter & More Video interview with the acclaimed saxophonist and bandleader taped at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival By Lee Mergner During the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival, JazzTimes set up a make-shift...
Posted Nov 5th, 2012
networkedblogs.com/DP4Nx Review: Dave Douglas / Joe Lovano Soundprints By: Sebastian Scotney In the corporate world and in business schools there is an endless debate as to whether a dual CEO arrangement can ever work. (if I’ve put you off with...
Posted Oct 23rd, 2012
guardian.co.uk Dave Douglas/Joe Lovano – review By: John Fordham The Soundprints quintet, led by trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Joe Lovano, played almost two hours straight on their first night at Ronnie Scott’s – yet the show felt as if...
Posted Oct 17th, 2012
from latimes.com Jazz for Obama concert set for Tuesday night By: Chris Barton With Kid Rock on the road stumping for Paul Ryan and a variety of other musicians having tacitly endorsed President Obama by asking the Romney campaign not...
Posted Oct 9th, 2012
from thephoenix.com Live jazz from Joe Lovano, Eric Hofbauer, and Taylor Ho Bynum By: Jon Garelick Is there a more buoyant personality in jazz than Joe Lovano? The 59-year-old multi-reed player and composer brought his Us Five band into Scullers...
Posted Sep 18th, 2012
The Recording Academy played host to GRAMMYs On The Road at the Detroit Jazz Festival on Aug. 31-Sept. 3 in downtown Detroit. GRAMMY.com conducted an exclusive backstage interview with GRAMMY-winning saxophonist Joe Lovano. Joe sat down with The Recording Academy...
Posted Sep 12th, 2012
recordonline.com Astounding surprises mark DeJohnette tribute show By: Timothy Malcolm BEARSVILLE — Midway through Terri Lyne Carrington’s set, her blistering band hearing a roar from the Bearsville Theater audience Sunday night, she looked up and saw Jack DeJohnette standing beside...
Posted Aug 15th, 2012
from allaboutjazz.com Ottawa Jazz Festival, Days 4-8: June 21-23, 2012 By: John Kelman If OIJF festival director Catherine O’Grady was responsible for getting the world premier of Prism, she also deserves credit for bringing trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Joe...
Posted Jul 2nd, 2012
from jazzwisemagazine.com Ravi Coltrane makes his Blue Note debut with Spirit Fiction Jon Newey Saxophonist Ravi Coltrane (pictured), who signed to Blue Note in August 2010, makes his debut for the label with Spirit Fiction, released in the UK on...
Posted Jun 15th, 2012
from downbeat.com Benefit Concerts at Blue Note, Dizzy’s Fund Jazz Causes By: Russ Musto “Nobody said it was going to be easy, and nobody was right,” declared Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola Programming Director Todd Barkan, quoting the witty insight of the...
Posted May 11th, 2012
_from nydailynews.com “Tenor Masters” Offers Plenty of Sax Appeal at Jazz at Lincoln Center By: Greg Thomas Three distinct tenor sax voices — Joe Lovano, Benny Golson and Bennie Maupin — will share the stage Friday and Saturday at the...
Posted Mar 23rd, 2012
from jazztimes.com Joe Lovano Remembers Paul Motian The tenor saxophonist pays tribute to the legendary drummer By: Joe Lovano I grew up listening to a lot of music that Paul was a part of. Obviously Bill Evans’ music, and a...
Posted Mar 19th, 2012
from lausti.com Joe Lovano in concert in Málaga By:Tapani Lausti Joe Lovano walked on to the stage looking relaxed, waving his tenor sax as a way of greeting to the clearly enthusiastic audience. From the very first notes one could...
Posted Mar 12th, 2012
from allaboutjazz.com Joe Lovano: Inimitable Streams of Expression By: Angela Davis Penned as “one of the greatest musicians in jazz history,” saxophonist Joe Lovano has successfully created a unique voice within the jazz tradition and has contributed significantly to the...
Posted Mar 6th, 2012
from elpais.com En la familia del jazz, Joe Lovano es el padrino By:Iker Seisdedos Spanish: Como el resto de las madres sobre la faz de la tierra, la del saxofonista de ascendencia siciliana Joe Lovano, nombre decisivo en el jazz...
Posted Mar 5th, 2012
from theglobeandmail.com Joe Lovano’s Us Five bring energy to burn By: J.D. Considine Jazz saxophonist Joe Lovano brought his hot young quintet Us Five to Toronto Tuesday, in a makeup gig for an October show that had to be postponed...
Posted Feb 2nd, 2012
Paul Motian, drummer, bandleader, composer and one of the most influential jazz musicians of the last 50 years, died on November 22, 2011 in Manhattan. He was 80 and lived in Manhattan. Joe Lovano was a close personal friend of...
Posted Jan 2nd, 2012
from jazztimes.com Kennedy Center Honors with Sonny Rollins to be Broadcast Dec. 27 By: Jeff Tamarkin Sonny Rollins and his fellow 2011 Kennedy Center Honorees—Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Yo-Yo Ma and Meryl Streep—ere celebrated for their professional accomplishments and artistry...
Posted Dec 26th, 2011
from blog.thephoenix.com LIVE REVIEW: Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas at Sculler’s By: Jon Garelick A jazz supergroup of sorts made its debut at Scullers this week. The Joe Lovano/Dave Douglas quintet, calling itself Soundprints, rolled into town for sets Tuesday...
Posted Dec 1st, 2011
from downbeat.com Lovano, Saxophonists Showcased in Québec By: John Murph The saxophone was the focal point of the 5th annual Festival de Jazz de Québec, and from Oct. 20–30, three distinct major-league voices—Dave Liebman, Maceo Parker and Joe Lovano—set the...
Posted Nov 16th, 2011
Tonight is WBGO’s Champions of Jazz Benefit at Frederick P. Rose Hall at Lincoln Center. The “Champions of Jazz” honorees of the night are Jimmy Heath (NEA Jazz Master, Saxophonist, Composer and Educator) and Tommy LiPuma (GRAMMY® Award Winning Producer...
Posted Nov 2nd, 2011
from voir.ca Master Parker By: Antoine Leveillee When the soloist and composer Joe Lovano Us quintet founded the Five in 2008, the idea was to have a set tailored to showcase his own compositions. The first album, Folk Art ,...
Posted Nov 1st, 2011
mlive.com Fiery collaboration marks Jazz Series opener at St. Cecilia By: John Phipps Tenor saxman Joe Lovano isn’t one to let himself fall into a rut, and his appearance in Thursday night’s kickoff of St. Cecilia Music Center’s 2011-12 Jazz...
Posted Oct 28th, 2011
_from carngiehall.org Jeff Tamarkin on Joe Lovano By: Jeff Tamarkin Joe Lovano was only two years old when the iconic American saxophonist Charlie Parker passed away, but as Lovano began to master the instrument himself, it was “Bird” Parker who...
Posted Oct 26th, 2011
from ipr.interlochen.org Jeff Haas, the host of IPR’s “The New Jazz Archive,” sits down for a chat with saxophonist Joe Lovano. Lovano has a new album called “Bird Songs.” It’s an album of “re-imagined” versions of Charlie Parker tunes. JL:...
Posted Oct 25th, 2011
from kansas.com A bridge between jazz’s past and future Grammy-winning tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano followed in his father’s footsteps. By: Joe Stumpe It says something about tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano’s stature in the jazz world that his bassist is a...
Posted Oct 21st, 2011
from huffingtonpost.com Opening Night for the Westchester Jazz Orchestra With Special Guest Joe Lovano By: Ralph A. Miriello Two Saturday’s ago, in the sleepy town of Irvington, NY, the Westchester Jazz Orchestra kicked off their 2011 season with a very...
Posted Oct 6th, 2011
from www.lohud.com Jazz giant in Irvington By:Linda Lombroso Forty years into his career as a tenor saxophonist, Joe Lovano says he’s still scratching the surface. “I’m trying to just develop, tell more of a story of who I am in...
Posted Sep 21st, 2011
from jazztimes.com Excerpt from: The 2011 Chicago Jazz Festival: Ambitious Programming By: David Whiteis Booking the Saxophone Summit—Joe Lovano, David Liebman and Ravi Coltrane, along with pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart—after Deep Blue took both...
Posted Sep 19th, 2011
from MLive.com Hurricane Irene won’t stop saxophonist Joe Lovano from playing the Detroit Jazz Festival this weekend By: Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk GRAND RAPIDS – Hurricane Irene left millions without power or phone across the Eastern Seaboard, canceled some 9,000 flights and...
Posted Aug 30th, 2011
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review Saxophonist Joe Lovano taps into his music and instruments By Bob Karlovits Saxophonist Joe Lovano insists his music is more a creature of evolution than planning. “It’s not that I am looking for new things,” says...
Posted Aug 11th, 2011
From the New York Times Where Summertime Means Jazz By Phillip Lutz FOR jazz fans, the absence this summer of a festival in New York City produced by George Wein, who founded the Newport Jazz Festival and for many years...
Posted Aug 1st, 2011
The inspiration and encouragement I have received throughout the years from the masterful Frank Foster is beyond words for me. To know him, playing and studying his music, sharing the stage with him on occasion, has sent me on my...
Posted Jul 27th, 2011
From the San Jose Mercury News Something new for Carmel Bach Festival — a jazz saxophonist, Joe Lovano By Richard Scheinin CARMEL — In its 74th season, the Carmel Bach Festival has a new music director and conductor, Paul Goodwin,...
Posted Jul 25th, 2011
From the San Francisco Classical Voice Joe Lovano: Touring the World of Music, Many Horns in Hand By Jeff Kallis Joe Lovano’s love of music — and of the instruments, particularly saxophones, that he makes it on — transcends, if...
Posted Jul 15th, 2011
From NPR Joe Lovano With Us Five: A Different Kind Of Bird By: Nick Morrison Live sessions in the KPLU Performance Studio are always fun, but when saxophonist Joe Lovano stopped by with his group Us Five, it was more...
Posted Jun 30th, 2011
From Jazz Police Joe Lovano Nonet w/Lewis Nash: Streams of Expression at Dizzy’s By: Ronaldo Oregano Joe Lovano thrives on challenging his creative output through many formats. Unlike his other groups that primarily showcase his prowess on the tenor sax,...
Posted Jun 9th, 2011
KPLU Studio Sessions Joe Lovano Us Five – Taking Bird to new heights By Justin Steyer, Abe Beeson and Nick Francis Live sessions in the KPLU Performance Studio are always fun. However, when saxophonist, Joe Lovano, stopped by with his...
Posted May 9th, 2011
Art After Five’s Jazzy Take on a Modern Masterpiece In a new podcast that has just been released on iTunes, one of the most sought after jazz performers on the world stage, Joe Lovano, discusses his latest original composition—set to...
Posted May 4th, 2011
from SIGNON SAN DIEGO Joe Lovano’s High-Flying Musical Homage Sax great performs at Anthology Wednesday with his US Five band By George Varga April 23, 2011 Joe Lovano’s status as one of the top saxophonists in jazz has been a...
Posted Apr 25th, 2011
From the Kansas City Star Saxophonist Joe Lovano boldly upholds Charlie Parker’s legacy By Bill Brownlee Every serious jazz musician must eventually address his or her relationship with the groundbreaking music of Charlie “Bird” Parker. Few have done so with...
Posted Apr 4th, 2011
from guardian.co.uk By: John Fordham Joe Lovano has said that he doesn’t play free jazz, he plays jazz, free. On his superb new album Bird Songs, a set of adventurous interpretations of Charlie Parker classics, the gifted American saxophonist demonstrates...
Posted Apr 1st, 2011
From the London Evening Standard Joe Lovano delights legion of fans at Ronnie Scott’s By Jack Massarik Time was when American stars like Joe Lovano would spend entire fortnights at Ronnie Scott’s. In these straitened times fans had to settle...
Posted Mar 28th, 2011
From BBC Music Charlie Parker’s music rethought and interpreted in fresh ways By John Eyles Although he has recorded for Blue Note for 20 years, it is significant that saxophonist Joe Lovano’s recordings are now jointly credited to Us Five....
Posted Mar 2nd, 2011
From NPR Joe Lovano: Drawing On ‘Bird’ by Kevin Whitehead In the 1940s, Charlie Parker, nicknamed “Bird,” was a prime mover behind the new style of bebop, with its refined harmonies, offbeat rhythms and abstract melodies played at breakneck speed....
Posted Feb 24th, 2011
From PBS NewsHour Conversation: Joe Lovano Takes On Parker By Jeffrey Brown and Murrey Jacobson Long considered one of the great saxophonists of his generation, Joe Lovano is well known for his work in the be-bop traditions of jazz and...
Posted Feb 24th, 2011
Tune into catch the rebroadcast of Joe Lovano’s Us Five live at the Village Vanguard on NPR’s JazzSet tomorrow, February 17th. To check your local listings, click here
Posted Feb 16th, 2011
From AOL Spinner Joe Lovano Soars on the Wings of Bird With His Jazz Sax Tribute By Tad Hendrickson The legacy of Charlie Parker is something that every jazz musician has to contend with. As a co-creator of bebop up...
Posted Feb 11th, 2011
From NPR Music Joe Lovano: Playing ‘Bird Songs’ As Modern Jazz, NPR Saxophonist Charlie Parker was an original. His improvisations and harmonies still beguile and inspire, almost 60 years after he died at the age of 34. His influence on...
Posted Jan 31st, 2011
From the Times Union Jazz giants Lovano and Scofield talk about team work By R.J. DeLuke To call saxophonist Joe Lovano and guitarist John Scofield world-class musicians is like saying the Pope is fairly well-established in the religion business. The...
Posted Jan 27th, 2011
From All About Jazz Bird Songs By Andrew J. Sammut Sax giant Joe Lovano has blown next to a bevy of jazz greats, and been applauded as soloist and leader throughout his nearly 40-year career. While it might seem surprising...
Posted Jan 21st, 2011
From the Wall Street Journal Joe Lovano and Us Five By Will Friedwald After 30 albums as a leader and at least 25 years in the spotlight, it’s clear that Joe Lovano is more than a dominant figure in jazz....
Posted Jan 17th, 2011
From the LA Times Album review: Joe Lovano Us Five’s ‘Bird Songs’ By Chris Barton Given its occasional tendency to revel in its rich past, you could argue that jazz needs another album dedicated to one of its titans about...
Posted Jan 12th, 2011
From the Boston Globe Joe Lovano / Us Five, ‘Bird Songs’ By Steve Greenlee Saxophonist Joe Lovano has tried on a lot of bands and formats since joining the Blue Note label 20 years ago — duos, trios, quartets, big...
Posted Jan 10th, 2011
From DownBeat Magazine Joe Lovano Us Five, Bird Songs By Frank Alkyer For those who wonder, “Do we really need another interpretation of Charlie Parker’s music?” Yes, we do, and Bird Songs is it. Lovano’s big-hearted tenor and vast imagination...
Posted Jan 5th, 2011
UK newspaper The Guardian released its picks for the best of Jazz and World music in the new year. Among their picks are Joe Lovano and Baaba Maal. To read the full article click here
Posted Jan 4th, 2011
From NPR First Listen: Joe Lovano Us Five, ‘Bird Songs’ By Patrick Jarenwattananon It’s been more than 55 years since Charlie Parker last took up an alto saxophone, and just about every jazz musician still grapples with his legacy. Here’s...
Posted Jan 3rd, 2011
Sign up to win an autographed copy of Joe Lovano Us Five’s upcoming release, Bird Songs. Simply “like” Joe Lovano on facebook and click on the Bird Songs tab to enter.
Posted Dec 16th, 2010
Press release from Blue Note Records “I didn’t approach this as a tribute record,” states Joe Lovano, dispelling right off the bat any preconception that his new album Bird Songs—an exploration of the Charlie Parker songbook—is a mere retread. Lovano’s...
Posted Dec 2nd, 2010
From DownBeat Joe Lovano Us Five Breaks Mold Of Bird Tribute Albums Joe Lovano’s band Us Five has recorded a new CD, the saxophonist’s 22nd for the Blue Note label. Bird Songs, an exploration of the Charlie Parker songbook, will...
Posted Nov 11th, 2010
from the New York Times Ad Hoc Quartet With Common Roots By Nate Chinen MARLBORO, N.Y. — A few songs into a jazz summit meeting at the Falcon here on Saturday night, the all-stars went through an unannounced lineup rotation....
Posted Aug 31st, 2010
from Jazz Police Saxophone Summit: A Salute to James Moody with Alexander, Tabackin, Lovano, Heath, Potter 8/24-29 By Ronaldo Oregano The top saxophonists in jazz today are gathering at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York to pay tribute...
Posted Aug 23rd, 2010
from Blue Note Records Joe Lovano on Abbey Lincoln “Abbey was one of the most distinctive voices in modern jazz. She told some beautiful honest stories about her life and experiences and had a way of expression that touched you...
Posted Aug 17th, 2010
Enjoy these photos of Joe Lovano and the McCoy Tyner Trio at the Jazz Middelheim Festival on August 12, 2010
Posted Aug 13th, 2010
Get a behind the scenes look at Joe Lovano on the road with US Five! Watch the video here
Posted Jul 9th, 2010
from the Ottawa Citizen Lovano’s Quintet delivers raw, organic music By Peter Hum OTTAWA — With an uncommon instrumentation, the band of tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano made uncommonly good music in Confederation Park on Tuesday night. The New York jazz...
Posted Jun 30th, 2010
IMN congratulates Joe Lovano on winning Jazz Artist, Jazz Group and Jazz Saxophonist of Year in the 58th Annual DownBeat Critics Poll! In addition, he is featured on the magazine’s cover. This news comes after a string of recent awards...
Posted Jun 29th, 2010
from The Charleston Gazette Talking jazz with Joe Lovano By Bill Lynch Jazz saxophone player and bandleader Joe Lovano believes his album, “Folk Art,” touches people because “you can move to it and feel we’re creating music, not just creating...
Posted Jun 23rd, 2010
from Jazz Police Twin Cities Jazz Festival – 12th Annual Tops Them All By Andrea Canter For the twelfth time, area jazz fans, general music fans, and folks just out for some free fun found plenty to enjoy at the...
Posted Jun 21st, 2010
Saxophonist Lovano hits trifecta at Jazz Awards Associated Press By Charles J. Gans NEW YORK — Joe Lovano hit the trifecta at the annual Jazz Awards with wins for tenor saxophonist, small ensemble and record of the year. Lovano is...
Posted Jun 16th, 2010
Hank Jones Upon Reflection… Knowing and creating music with Hank over the last Fifteen years has enlightened and enhanced my life beyond description. He was the most sincere, gracious, elegant man I’ve had the pleasure to know. Hank was full...
Posted May 19th, 2010
Check out this recent video (by Bret Primack) chronicling Joe Lovano in 2010 thus far.
Posted Apr 27th, 2010
(from The New York Times by Nate Chinen) A warm sense of occasion surrounds this week’s Village Vanguard engagement by the saxophonist Joe Lovano. The club just commemorated its 75th anniversary, another mile marker in a storied and still vital...
Posted Feb 26th, 2010
So what happened on February 23rd, 1935? Max Gordon opened the doors to the Village Vanguard! And 75 years later, they’re still in the same spot; the basement of 178 7th Avenue South. The week of February 23rd – 28th,...
Posted Feb 23rd, 2010
Critics Picks: Top 50 New Albums and Top 10 Historical Releases By JazzTimes We compiled our top 50 new releases and top 10 historical/reissue recordings of 2009 from year-end lists by our critics. To see each voter’s ballot, go to...
Posted Jan 4th, 2010
Panama’s annual cornerstone cultural event, the seventh Panama Jazz Festival will be held January 11-16, 2010. With upwards of 100,000 people in attendance since the festivals 2003 inception, this year’s edition is dedicated to Panamanian pianist, Ellerton Oswald (better known...
Posted Nov 30th, 2009
LOVANO’S WINGS CLIPPED IN FULL FLIGHT I’d like to personally thank everyone for their concern and good wishes for my speedy recovery. I am doing fine and with the focus and attention I am receiving from my love and guardian-angel...
Posted Nov 17th, 2009
From The New York Times By Nate Chinen Joe Lovano, jovial but focused, brought his tenor saxophone to his lips at Birdland on Wednesday night, taking charge without preamble or pause. With his first few notes he traced a syncopated...
Posted Sep 25th, 2009
August 9, 2009 from WBGO – Jazz audiences mostly know Joe Lovano as a top-drawer, burly-toned tenor saxophonist. He bears a massive catalog of recordings, which he seemingly appends multiple times a year over the last 20-plus years. But at...
Posted Aug 12th, 2009
JazzTimes will be returning in August with their August/September issue with a cover story on Joe Lovano and his recent Us Five ensemble. To read more on JazzTimes, and the new ownership which saved the magazine from going out of...
Posted Jul 28th, 2009
John Zorn’s Masada project has blossomed over the past decade and a half, demonstrating durability in the face of multiple interpretations. The composer’s stated intention to create a classic songbook, a consistent body of written work to inspire artists beyond...
Posted Jun 29th, 2009
Folk Art, Joe Lovano’s latest release on Blue Note with his band Us Five, is the tenor saxophonist’s twenty-first album for the label. It’s also the first time Lovano has made an entire album comprising his own compositions. In so...
Posted Jun 1st, 2009
“It’s fair to say that he’s one of the greatest musicians in jazz history.” – Ben Ratliff, The New York Times Grammy-winning saxophonist and composer Joe Lovano stands alone at the vanguard of large and small group jazz. From his...
Posted May 19th, 2009
Joe Lovano is a restless creator. Less than two weeks before his newest band, Us Five, releases its debut recording and embarks on a European tour, the saxophonist guided his nonet through a 90-minute musical joy ride Friday night at...
Posted May 10th, 2009
Nominations for the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards were announced today by The Recording Academy at which seven IMN Artists were nominated. International Music Network would like to congratulate all of our artists that were nominated. Here is a list of...
Posted Dec 6th, 2007
Official Website: www.joelovano.com
Label: Blue Note
Current Release:
Press Contact:
Cem Kurosman
Blue Note/EMI
p. 212.786.8634
Available Configurations:
Solo (guest), Quintet (Us Five), Nonet, Symphonic
Joe Lovano Symphony
Sound Prints
Grammy-winning saxophonist and composer Joe Lovano and two-time Grammy nominated trumpeter Dave Douglas are current masters on their respective instruments within the pantheon of modern jazz. From their collaborations on acclaimed recordings such as Trio Fascination: Edition Two and more recently John Zorn’s Stolas, Lovano and Douglas have shown that their distinct and robust voices can lead, blend and push the idiom forward both in composition and improvisation, while embracing the front-line masters of previous generations. In 2008, when Lovano and Douglas were co-leaders of the renowned SFJAZZ Collective, the group paid tribute to living icon Wayne Shorter showcasing arrangements of Shorter originals alongside newly composed pieces influenced by Shorter’s compositional voice. The experience was a catalyst that lead the two instrumentalists to conceive the Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas Quintet, Sound Prints; an all-star ensemble including up and coming pianist Lawrence Fields, bassist James Genus, and drummer Joey Barron. Performing new repertoire as well as brand new Shorter compositions in direct collaboration with Shorter, the quintet is less an homage to Wayne Shorter and more of a unique convergence of three unparalleled trajectories.
| *Bird Songs EPK | |
| Folk Art EPK | |
| Joe Lovano with the Brussels Jazz Orchestra | |
| Joe Master Class Video | |
| Sound Prints EPK |
organic and basic, intense and casual… Mr. Lovano’s performance is a knockout
New York Times
After 30 albums as a leader and at least 25 years in the spotlight, it’s clear Joe Lovano is more than a dominant figure in jazz. He’s jazz’s answer to George Clooney or Jeff Bridges, a vibrant player who delivers an award-worthy performance every time out.
Wall Street Journal
Leave it to restless tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano to take the idea of a tribute record and turn it on its head with this collection dedicated to Charlie Parker… Lovano digs for new twists in Parker’s compositions like the flesh-and-blood creatures they are rather than replicating what’s already been heard… Though a showcase for history, Lovano and his band expertly show the many ways these classics can still throw sparks.
Los Angeles Times
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