Born: Dec 29, 1952 in Cleveland, OH
Instruments: Sax (Tenor), Sax (Soprano), Drums

Active during a period of jazz's history when it seems radical innovation is a thing of the past, Joe Lovano nevertheless coalesces 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's always characterized the music's finest improvisers. Lovano doesn't 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). Lovano's 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. Joe 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 the organists (Lonnie Smith (with whom he made his recording debut) and Jack McDuff. He toured with Woody Herman from 1976-9. 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 band's regular Monday night gigs at the Village Vanguard until 1992. He also recorded several times with the band. Lovano would also work with, among others, Elvin Jones, Carla Bley, Lee Konitz, Charlie Haden, and Bob Brookmeyer. He joined drummer Paul Motian's band in 1981 (which also included his Berklee classmate), Frisell), and played with guitarist John Scofield's quartet. Lovano began leading dates for Blue Note in the '90s, 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. Lovano's wife is vocalist Judi Silvano.

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