Joe Lovano : NPR

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Craig Lovell/Courtesy of the artist

Cleveland's Joe Lovano Comes Home

WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center

May 16, 2019 • Every December, saxophonist Joe Lovano travels home to Cleveland to throw himself a birthday concert. We hear tales of Lovano family lore, and a get a slice of his musical past and present.

Cleveland's Joe Lovano Comes Home

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For John Scofield, Everything Old Is New Again — Even The Hard Parts

John Scofield's latest album, Past Present, reunites an old quartet for set of tunes steeped in reflection and loss. Philippe Levy/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Philippe Levy/Courtesy of the artist

For John Scofield, Everything Old Is New Again — Even The Hard Parts

December 27, 2015 • The jazz guitarist has a new record out with an old quartet, playing music that deals, in part, with the death of Scofield's son.

For John Scofield, Everything Old Is New Again — Even The Hard Parts

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Joe Lovano And Dave Holland On Piano Jazz

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Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz

Joe Lovano And Dave Holland On Piano Jazz

October 2, 2015 • The saxophonist and bassist formed a dynamic trio with Marian McPartland for this 2000 session.

Joe Lovano And Dave Holland In The Studio

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Chick Corea (keyboard) joined the SFJAZZ Collective for the closing performance, an arrangement of his piece "Spain." Scott Chernis/Courtesy of SFJAZZ Center hide caption

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Scott Chernis/Courtesy of SFJAZZ Center

JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater

SFJAZZ Center Opening Night On JazzSet

WBGO

May 2, 2013 • On opening night at San Francisco's newly constructed building designed for and dedicated to jazz, fans filled the stunning Robert N. Miner Auditorium for a maiden voyage and festive concert.

SFJAZZ Center Opening Night On JazzSet

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Joe Lovano & Joshua Redman: Live At SFJAZZ

Saxophonists Joshua Redman (center) and Joe Lovano (left) lead a performance at the SFJAZZ Center grand opening. Scott Chernis/Courtesy of SFJAZZ hide caption

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Scott Chernis/Courtesy of SFJAZZ

Joe Lovano & Joshua Redman: Live At SFJAZZ

January 30, 2013 • Joshua Redman co-founded the SFJAZZ Collective. With his successor in the tenor sax chair, Joe Lovano, the band runs through "Blackwell's Message," a jaunty, open swinger.

Geniuses Collide In 2008's Best Jazz

90.5 WESA

December 31, 2008 • Cross-pollination of excellent musicians made for some amazing jazz in 2008. The year's best CDs feature numerous musicians collaborating with each other on a wide variety of recordings. Hearing the best musicians work with other geniuses is a wonderful thing to witness. Here are 10 of the best jazz CDs of the year.

Hear Shaunna Morrison Machosky Discuss Her Top Pick

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The Year In Jazz: Best CDs Of 2008

WBGO

November 25, 2008 • It's been a remarkable year for jazz, and narrowing down a Top 10 list for 2008 takes a bit of work. Once again, there's room for enthusiasm and optimism about the state of jazz and its ability to inspire musicians and listeners alike. Here's a look (and a listen) back at some of the year's highlights.

Joe Lovano and Mike Stern in Concert

WBGO

June 26, 2008 • Two artists in prime musical condition, in terms of both careers and chops, play outdoors and back to back at the J&R Music Festival in New York. This program is dedicated to Lovano's longtime friend and bandmate, Dennis Irwin, who died earlier this year.

Joe Lovano in Concert on JazzSet 8/26/06

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Review

WBGO

December 25, 2007 • WBGO Morning Jazz host Gary Walker shares his favorite jazz recordings of 2007. Among the artists he singles out: Michael Brecker, Abbey Lincoln, Maria Schneider and Ron Carter.

The Year's Best Jazz CDs

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Joe Lovano, Returning to 'The Birth of the Cool'

October 1, 2006 • On a new CD, Streams of Expression, tenor sax player Joe Lovano performs three songs arranged by Gil Evans for the Miles Davis Nonet. The selections form the origins of the "cool sound" in jazz. They're part of a suite sewn together by Gunther Schuller, who played with Davis.

Joe Lovano, Returning to 'The Birth of the Cool'

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Review

Jazz Review: 'I Have The Room Above Her'

Fresh Air

March 24, 2005 • Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews I Have The Room Above Her by the Paul Motian/Bill Frisell/Joe Lovano trio.

Jazz Review: 'I Have The Room Above Her'

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'Saxophone Summit: A Gathering of Spirits'

September 10, 2004 • Music critic Ashley Kahn reviews Saxophone Summit: A Gathering of Spirits, a new jazz CD spotlighting three contemporary saxophone masters: Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman and Michael Brecker.

'Saxophone Summit: A Gathering of Spirits'

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Review

Review: 'The Element of Swing'

Fresh Air

April 15, 2002 • Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews The Element of Swing (Stunt) featuring drummer Ed Thigpen and saxophonist Joe Lovano.

Review: 'The Element of Swing'

Only Available in Archive Formats.

Real Media

Saxophonist & Composer Joe Lovano

Fresh Air

March 19, 2001 • In 2000, saxophonist Joe Lovano was voted Down Beat Readers and Critics Poll Winner Tenor Player of the Year. Early in his career, Lovano played with Woody Herman and the Mel Lewis Orchestra. He's also worked with Elvin Jones, Carla Bley, Lee Konitz and Charlie Haden. And he played with the Paul Motian Trio which featured his Berklee School of music classmate, Bill Frisell. In 1991 he began work as a leader, and has recorded a number of albums. His latest is Flights of Fancy: Trio Fascination, Edition Two.

Saxophonist & Composer Joe Lovano

Only Available in Archive Formats.

Real Media

Sound Prints Quintet: Live At The Village Vanguard

The Sound Prints Quintet is (L-R): Lawrence Fields, Dave Douglas, Joe Lovano, Linda Oh, Joey Baron. John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com hide caption

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John Rogers for NPR/johnrogersnyc.com

Sound Prints Quintet: Live At The Village Vanguard

WBGO

November 28, 2012 • Few jazz bandleaders are as active — and as actively acclaimed — as saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas. They've launched a band with friends new and old. Hear a live performance.

Sound Prints Quintet: Live At The Village Vanguard

1:11:59

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Jimmy Katz

Blue Note Classics In Black And White

September 14, 2009 • Blue Note Records is a record label for which the visuals carry almost as much artistic cachet as the music. The label's covers tend to employ generous amounts of white space, splashes of color, prominent shading and themes evoking introspection and celebration. All of that frequently translates to the music inside.

Tenors Of Our Time: Five Saxophone Modernists

Folk Art is Joe Lovano's 21st recording for the Blue Note label. He gives a generous nod to Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango on the stand-out track, "Dibango." Jimmy Katz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jimmy Katz/Courtesy of the artist

Take Five: A Jazz Sampler

Tenors Of Our Time: Five Saxophone Modernists

WBGO

March 23, 2009 • Even with his contributions to the instrument, not even Coleman Hawkins could have predicted how the tenor saxophone would become so centrally identifiable with jazz. Five of today's leading tenor players have new releases in 2009, each with his own take on the shape of jazz to come.

Courtesy of Phil Farnsworth

Concerts

Gary Burton On JazzSet

WBGO

January 20, 2011 • The vibraphonist celebrates 50 years at Berklee College of Music with three generations of friends. Joe Lovano, Steve Swallow and Julian Lage all join Gary Burton onstage for this concert from JazzSet.

Gary Burton On JazzSet

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Joe Lovano With Us Five: A Different Kind Of Bird

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Favorite Sessions

Joe Lovano With Us Five: A Different Kind Of Bird

Jazz24

June 30, 2011 • Saxophonist Joe Lovano and his group Us Five get down to business in this session with KPLU. Listen to the band play works from jazz great Charlie Parker.

Joe Lovano With Us Five: A Different Kind Of Bird

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On Bird Songs, Joe Lovano looks for new ways into Charlie Parker's material. Courtesy of Jimmy Katz hide caption

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Courtesy of Jimmy Katz

Review

Music Reviews

Joe Lovano: Drawing On 'Bird'

Fresh Air

February 23, 2011 • 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. On Bird Songs, Joe Lovano looks for new ways into Parker's material.

Joe Lovano: Drawing On 'Bird'

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Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding performs at the Village Vanguard with the Joe Lovano Us Five, just a month before her Best New Artist win. John Rogers/johnrogersnyc.com hide caption

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John Rogers/johnrogersnyc.com

Concerts

Fivin' Around At The Village Vanguard

WBGO

February 17, 2011 • From the best-known jazz club on earth, hear performances by the Greg Osby Five and Joe Lovano's Us Five, featuring recent Best New Artist Grammy winner Esperanza Spalding on bass.

Fivin' Around At The Village Vanguard On JazzSet

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First Listen: Joe Lovano Us Five, 'Bird Songs'

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Jimmy Katz/Courtesy of EMI

First Listen

First Listen: Joe Lovano Us Five, 'Bird Songs'

January 2, 2011 • The celebrated saxophonist and his percussion-heavy band have made a new album of Charlie Parker songs. But it isn't just that Lovano wants to play 1947 music with a 2011 lexicon; he also presents alternate, occasionally radical visions of those works.