Joe Lovano - General discussion

[Alon Marcus]

Joe Lovano is celebrating his Birthday today. Lovano is 53 years old today and I wish him all the best. Tones, Shapes and Colors will find the way to my CD player this evening. Kenny Werner sounds great here and of course Lovano also. The great Mel Lewis is another reason to listen to this recording.

Happy Birthday to Joe Lovano!

[Guy Berger]

Recently listening to Trio Fascination. Fantastic session, Elvin is on fire here.

[Peter Friedman]

I agree with an earlier comment by Chuck in that I also can't connect with most of Lovano's playing. When he is playing with one of my favorite piano

Players, such as his recordings with Mulgrew Miller or Hank Jones, I find his cd's acceptable, but that is as far as Ii go with him.

[John Tapscott]

In the summer of 2000 I attended a Lovano concert. For 2 hours (with a brief intermission) Joe held forth on tenor only with just the backing of drums and bass (Dennis Irwin and Willie Jones III). It was one of the greatest jazz concerts I have ever attended. Lovano was on fire; incredibly creative and powerful. And he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. It was all one could hope for from a jazz concert. I also met Joe afterwards and had him autograph a CD insert. He was very friendly and gracious.

Having said that, I must also say that most of his recordings are but a shadow of what I heard that night, though there are several I enjoy. It's a mystery, but Joe's playing does not come across nearly as well on records, at least compared to what I heard that night.

[Steve Reynolds]

Years ago I also saw Joe in one the best concerts I have ever seen - a trio with Mark Dresser and Gerry Hemingway downstairs at the Knitting factory. It was right after the trio CD with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones came out - and the trio was burning.

I agree about the recorded stuff not being on the same level except for "From the Soul" and "Sounds of Joy" - especially the former - but a damn shame they didn't record the trio I saw as those guys pushed Joe to places none of the musicians on any of his recordings are willing to go to.

And it is not to say they didn't groove or swing - fact of the matter is I remember trying to tell people but they think of Dresser and Hemingway like they pay with Braxton or Crispell and it was nothing like that - When Hemingway plays in a post bop groove mode, there is really nothing like it. I recently saw BassDrumBone and there was one piece where Helias and hemingway played this freebop or post bop groove together for about 8 to 10 minutes to close the first set and it was as deep a groove as any "bop" drum/bass rhythm section would ever play.

And I still remember the end of that show (maust be 12-14 years ago) when it was like a modern day Ornette groove with Lovano playing like a man possessed with those brilliant mad men of the bass and drum exploding the groove.

[clifford_thornton]

Wow, wish I'd been there!

Have little interest in Lovano's recordings from the ones I've heard, but I'm always game for dudes getting rugged.

[MartyJazz]

In the summer of 2000 I attended a Lovano concert. For 2 hours (with a brief intermission) Joe held forth on tenor only with just the backing of drums and bass (Dennis Irwin and Willie Jones III). It was one of the greatest jazz concerts I have ever attended. Lovano was on fire; incredibly creative and powerful. And he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. It was all one could hope for from a jazz concert. I also met Joe afterwards and had him autograph a CD insert. He was very friendly and gracious.

Having said that, I must also say that most of his recordings are but a shadow of what I heard that night, though there are several I enjoy. It's a mystery, but Joe's playing does not come across nearly as well on records, at least compared to what I heard that night.

The nearest way to capture how wonderful Lovano can be in person is to purchase a terrific DVD of a nonet performance in Paris around 10 or so years ago. I have loads of jazz DVDs and this one, trust me, is right up there for fabulous music, as well as great Joe:

Edited March 21, 2012 by MartyJazz

[jazzbo]

That's a very good DVD.

[johnlitweiler]

I'd rather hear Chuck Burdelik.

Nothing against Lovano, but so would I.

[MartyJazz]

I'd rather hear Chuck Burdelik.

Nothing against Lovano, but so would I.

Really? Who is he? Any specific recommendations?

[BillF]

That's a very good DVD.

Yes, indeed!

[paul secor]

I'm surprised moms hasn't made an appearance yet.

[JETman]

I'm surprised moms hasn't made an appearance yet.

I wonder what he thinks of Garzone.

[erwbol]

Joe Lovano and John Scofield are touring again. A quartet concert has been announced for 11 November 2015 at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam. Hopefully this leads to another album, studio or live.

[StarThrower]

I bought Lovano's first five Blue Note albums as they appeared in the early to mid 90s. I got the most mileage out of the first three, and also the three with Scofield. Universal Language is probably my favorite of his. I think it's his most interesting record. I like the two bass concept, and DeJohnette sounds great on this one.

1991's From The Soul is a fine effort as well. It's good that he had the opportunity to make a record with Ed Blackwell and Michel Petrucciani while they were around. But after '95 I stopped buying his records.

[erwbol]

From his post 1995 output, I like the first trio fascination with Elvin Jones and Dave Holland, and also the two quartet discs with Hank Jones, George Mraz and Paul Motian. And, of course, there's the Paul Motian trio with Bill Frisell.

The best Scofield Lovano stuff is the Live Jazz Door bootleg (Scofield lists it on his website's discography, and the Live in Montreal DVD.

Edited June 16, 2015 by erwbol

[HutchFan]

I dig Lovano. My favorites are probably Rush Hour, Joyous Encounter, and Live at the Village Vanguard.

Lovano may not blow my mind, but he's always interesting.

Much of Lovano's work as a sideman is also very strong -- especially with the recordings with Paul Motian & Bill Frisell. And don't overlook his work on Jim Hall's Grand Slam: Live at the Regatta Bar. It's a doozy of a disc. Fantastic playing by the entire band -- Hall, Lovano, George Mraz, and Lewis Nash.

[A Lark Ascending]

I had a few Lovano's in the 90s when I reconnected with jazz after a long affair with classical. I was buying a lot of newly released US jazz then - there weren't many UK releases and in pre-internet days outside of ECM it was difficult to get any sense of European jazz. The law of diminishing returns set in and I gave up following him by 2000.

However, a few years ago I bought this:

Not only is it a tremendous record but I love Lovano's playing on it. Must go back to those 90s discs.

[jazzbo]

Lovano is one of the nicest musicians I have ever met. I have been buying his recordings and don't feel that they diminished in quality.

[7/4]

I had a few Lovano's in the 90s when I reconnected with jazz after a long affair with classical. I was buying a lot of newly released US jazz then - there weren't many UK releases and in pre-internet days outside of ECM it was difficult to get any sense of European jazz. The law of diminishing returns set in and I gave up following him by 2000.

However, a few years ago I bought this:

Not only is it a tremendous record but I love Lovano's playing on it. Must go back to those 90s discs.

Ah...I love this album. It got quite a few spins and it's in the car again this week.

[John Tapscott]

Lovano is one of the nicest musicians I have ever met. I have been buying his recordings and don't feel that they diminished in quality.

I enjoy some of Lovano's recordings more than others (and I don't have a complete set of them by any means), but I fully agree with your first sentence. Very friendly and helpful. When the pen I had wouldn't mark on the booklet of the CD I brought him to sign (I think it was Rush Hour with a glossy insert), Lovano himself went off to find a pen that would work, and found one! The concert I saw was just Lovano, Dennis Irwin and Willie Jones III. Two hours of just tenor trio with a short intermission. One of the finest concerts I've ever attended and honestly Lovano sounds way better live than on record.

Edited June 16, 2015 by John Tapscott

[danasgoodstuff]

Lovano sounds way better live than on record. I'd even say that he sounds better live than live sometimes - I saw him on two different stages on the same day at Newport and his sound was way better on one than the other but then one was in the sun and the other in the shade and that could play havoc with any acoustic instrument.

[jlhoots]

I actually like the relatively new CD with Dave Douglas, which BTW is live.

[CJ Shearn]

Yes, the new disc is nice. He is also wonderful on Antonio Sanchez "Three Times Three" as well.

[Scott Dolan]

I had a few Lovano's in the 90s when I reconnected with jazz after a long affair with classical. I was buying a lot of newly released US jazz then - there weren't many UK releases and in pre-internet days outside of ECM it was difficult to get any sense of European jazz. The law of diminishing returns set in and I gave up following him by 2000.

However, a few years ago I bought this:

Not only is it a tremendous record but I love Lovano's playing on it. Must go back to those 90s discs.

Ah...I love this album. It got quite a few spins and it's in the car again this week.

I had this album recommended to me a couple of years ago by a good friend. Still haven't picked it up, but glad to see more glowing opinions of it.

The only Lovano I own to this point is his excellent Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard. The first disc with the Ornette-like piano-less quartet is the standout, but both discs are really, really good.