Joe Lovano and US Five


Grammy winner and Blue Note recording artist Joe Lovano has been one of the world's most distinguished tenor saxophone players since the late 1970s. Recognized by readers and critics of DOWNBEAT magazine as Tenor Saxophonist of the Year multiple times, Lovano was named their Critic's Poll Winner for "Musician of the Year" in 2001 and has been called "one of the greatest musicians in jazz history" (New York Times).

First influenced by his father, Cleveland tenor player Tony "Big T" Lovano, Joe began playing alto at just six years old, and had switched to tenor by age eleven. His education at Berklee College of Music led him to the New York scene, where his celebrated associations with modern masters Paul Motian, Bill Frisell and John Scofield began when he was still in his 20s. Soon touring on the international scene, Lovano participated in a number of significant recordings with Motian's group.

Deeply influenced by Ornette Coleman, these recordings show off Lovano's technical mastery of the saxophone, featuring his striking tenor tone and the innovative creative approach that would help shape a new generation of contemporary jazz artists.

Since signing with Blue Note Records in 1991, Lovano has created nearly twenty-five recordings as a band-leader and is now widely acknowledged as one of the great jazz artists of our time. As an educator, Lovano is on the faculty at his alma mater, Berklee College of Music, and was the recipient of their Distinguished Alumni Award and an honorary PhD in 1998. Berklee also awarded Lovano its first endowed chair, The Gary Burton Chair for Jazz Performance in 2001. As one of the select Berklee faculty members who will guide the inaugural class of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, Lovano will soon be contributing to this innovative inter-disciplinary music program directed by renowned pianist Danilo Perez.

Over the years, Lovano has played, recorded and toured with most of the major jazz musicians of the late 20th century, including Gary Burton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Brother Jack MacDuff, Chet Baker, Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Mel Lewis, Paul Motian, John Scofield. Gunther Schuller, Herbie Hancock, Elvin Jones, Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, Bobby Hutcherson, Dave Brubeck, Billy Higgins, Dave Holland, Ed Blackwell, Michel Petrucciani, Lee Konitz, Abbey Lincoln, Tom Harrell, McCoy Tyner, Jim Hall, Danilo Perez, John Patitucci and Bob Brookmeyer, among others.

The band recorded the critically acclaimed disk "Folk Art" (Blue Note) last May and recently embarked on a national tour. Lovano will bring his young band of rising stars, US Five (featuring two drummers), to the Twin Cities Jazz Festival on June 18


Joe Lovano Web Site: www.joelovano.com



John Scofield with the

Piety Street Band




John Scofield is considered one of the "big three" of current jazz guitarists - along with Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell. With a distinctive sound and wide stylistic diversity, Scofield is a masterful jazz improviser whose music generally falls somewhere between post-bop, funk-edged jazz, and R&B.

Born in Ohio and raised in Connecticut, Scofield took up the guitar at age 11, inspired by both rock and blues players. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. After a debut recording with Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker, Scofield was a member of the Billy Cobham-George Duke band for two years. In 1977 he recorded with Charles Mingus, and joined the Gary Burton quartet, beginning his international career as a bandleader and recording artist in 1978. From 1982-85, Scofield toured and recorded with Miles Davis, a collaboration that placed him firmly in the foreground of jazz consciousness as both a player and composer.

Since that time he has prominently led his own groups in the international jazz scene and has recorded over 30 albums as a leader (many already classics) including collaborations with contemporary favorites like Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Eddie Harris, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Bill Frisell, Brad Mehldau, Mavis Staples, Government Mule, Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano and Phil Lesh. He has played and recorded with Tony Williams, Jim Hall, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Dave Holland, and Terumasa Hino. Throughout his career, Scofield has punctuated his traditional jazz offerings with funk-oriented electric music, always keeping an open musical mind.

Scofield will perform at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival on June 19th with the Piety Street Band, a talented group of musicians drawn from the vibrant local musical scene of New Orleans. They are featured with Scofield on his new CD Piety Street.

John Scofield Web Site: www.johnscofield.com



John Ellis and Double-Wide




New York City-based saxophonist John Ellis released Puppet Mischief, the latest CD from the project John Ellis and Double-Wide on ObliqSound this past February.

Consisting of Ellis on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet, Jason Marsalis on drums, Matt Perrine on sousaphone and Brian Coogan on organ.

Double-Wide has its roots in a gig Ellis played in the 1990s with Perrine. "I knew right away that I wanted to make a record one day with Matt playing sousaphone," says Ellis. "I built the concept for the band around him." Jason Marsalis, the drumming member of the famous NOLA clan, has appeared on three of Ellis' five previous albums and organist Coogan is new to the band. "This band is serious," Ellis says, "but serious fun."

The release of Puppet Mischief follows up one of the busiest years in Ellis' career, one that saw him accompanying a diverse array of musicians ranging from Sting to Mos Def to the Cuban drummer Ignacio Berroa, touring Europe with the John Patitucci Trio and other artists and, most significantly, the debut of The Ice Siren, Ellis' hour-long narrative composition for string quartet, tuba, percussion, guitar, vibes, winds and two singers. The piece, a collaborative effort with playwright Andy Bragen, debuted at the Jazz Gallery in New York in May 2009.

Ellis, now 35, was born in North Carolina and was first drawn to music when he heard legendary ragtime composer Scott Joplin. After moving to New Orleans, Ellis' jazz abilities improved radically as he gigged with the likes of Ellis Marsalis and Walter Payton. After three years in the Big Easy, where the other core members of Double-Wide still reside, he went north to New York City, graduating from the New School. Along the way, Ellis spent six years as a member of jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter's group, releasing four albums with them while also developing his own sound. Writing in The New York Times, critic Ben Ratliff once said that Ellis "has the knack for writing catchy, fluid, optimistic songs, but he is also fascinated by the ways musicians can break down structure and create it on the fly."

John Ellis and Double-Wide will perform at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival on June 19th.

John Ellis Web Site: www.johnaxsonellis.com


Sean Jones


Twice recognized as a DOWNBEAT "Rising Star" (2006 and 2007) Sean Jones has developed into one of jazz's top young trumpeters, know for both his technical prowess and lyrical fluidity.

He has been called "one of the most expressive, versatile and gifted players of his generation" and was most recently the lead tumpeter for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Jones points to Clifford Brown, Woody Shaw, Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard as important influences.

Jones blends the emotion of gospel with the creativity of jazz, making music that is an expression of life, not just performance. All five of his recordings are on the Mack Avenue label. His latest (The Search Within) made its debut at the number two spot on the Jazz Weeks chart.
Currently, Jones is a professor of Jazz studies at Duquesne University, and teaches Master Classes and clinics around country. He serves as the Artistic Director of both the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra.

Sean Jones will perform at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival on June 18th, where he will be joined by pianist Orrin Evans, saxophonist Brian Hogans, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Obed Calvaire.

Sean Jones Web Site: seanjonesmusic.com