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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZLOVANO, Joe(b 29 Dec. '52, Cleveland OH) Saxophones. Began with Lonnie Liston Smith '74--6, Woody Herman '76--9, key member of New York scene in '80s. Achieved wide recognition in Paul Motian's bands, his smoky tenor gracing drummer's recordings of his own quirky compositions, Monk tunes and even Broadway show favourites. Particularly effective paired with guitarists Bill Frisell (in Motian's bands) and John Scofield, Lovano is one of the busiest saxophonists working today thanks to a supremely cultured, mature tone, an improvisatory gift encompassing influences ranging from swing players through John Coltrane to Ornette Coleman, and a refreshingly open-eared approach documented on his septet Wind Ensemble's Worlds '89 on Label Bleu (on Evidence as CD Worlds), with Frisell, Motian, wordless soprano Judi Silvano, Tim Hagans on trumpet, Gary Valente, trombone; Henri Texier on bass. (This was Lovano's first opportunity to write for a larger ensemble; Cadence in a 'Point:Counterpoint' ran two reviews: mainstream fan Jack Bowers found it 'dissonant, vexatious and largely unlistenable'; Stuart Broomer thought 'it could be an unwieldy assembly, but it manages to soar ... consistently high level ... outstanding contributions'.) Much of Lovano's work is more straightahead; a linchpin of Blue Note's late-'80s renaissance, his albums as leader incl. Landmarks '90, From The Soul '92, Universal Language '93 and Tenor Legacy '94, the last featuring Joshua Redman. Rush Hour '95 had Ed Schuller on bass, George Schuller on drums and arr./cond. Gunther Schuller with a 31- piece orchestra on standards, originals and one tune each by Ellington, Monk, Mingus and Ornette Coleman, Silvano on some tracks; it won a Grammy '95. Quartets '96 had him live at the Village Vanguard in two very different groups, one with no piano, recorded ten months apart. Celebrating Sinatra '96 had arr. by Manny Albam, sidemen such as George Mraz, Al Foster, Ted Nash. Many Lovano appearances as a sideman incl. Motian's One Time Out '87 on Soul Note and Monk In Motian '88 on JMT; Mike Mainieri's An American Diary (music inspired by American classical composers) and A Tribute To Lee Morgan (with Cedar Walton and others), both released '95 on NYC Records; George Schuller's Lookin' Up From Down Below '86--8 on GM; and Big Band de Lausanne's live Cosmos on TCB with pianist/arranger Kenny Werner. |