Joe Lovano & Umbria Jazz Orchestra
arranged and conducted by Michael Gibbs
feat. Steve Wilson, Peter Washington, Lewis Nash
This new Festival production with the Umbria Jazz Orchestra is very challenging and ambitious.
The core of this project is one of the protagonists of contemporary jazz music, Joe Lovano. A balanced combination of tradition and innovation, from US Five to Trio Tapestry, the saxophonist from Cleveland has created or taken part in countless projects with the most diverse formulas: solo performances, duo, trio, quartet, quintet, large formations, and even symphonic. He has worked with organists (especially early in his career) and guitarists (the trio with Frisell and Motian, the quartet with Scofield, but also bands with Jim Hall and John Abercrombie), he has met pianists from different generations and schools, from Hank Jones to McCoy Tyner, and soloists dedicated to experimentation, from John Zorn to Dave Douglas. He founded the Saxophone Summit (the name says it all) with Michael Brecker and Dave Liebman. He has taken part in an edition of the legendary Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra featuring Carla Bley. He came to Umbria Jazz as Diana Krall’s special guest, and “Roma” is the name of the album in which he shares the project’s leadership with Enrico Rava. His artistic coherence is unchanged. His vision of jazz music is that of a genre connected to its roots but constantly evolving.
Orchestration and conduction are in the hands of an expert: Micheal Gibbs. A historical exponent of European jazz music, he is one of the most brilliant sound alchemists. During his outstanding career, he has worked, among others, with Jaco Pastorius, Joni Mitchell, Michael Mantler, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Peter Gabriel, John Scofield, Whitney Houston, and Gary Burton.
This is the latest in a long series of partnerships between the Umbria Jazz Orchestra and artists such as Bill Frisell, Kurt Elling, Ryan Truesdell, Wayne Shorter, Gil Goldstein, Gregory Porter, Vince Mendoza, Quincy Jones, Paolo Fresu and Ethan Iverson. The orchestra has always shown outstanding professionalism and musical quality and received approval and praise.
The project includes three special guests: Steve Wilson on saxophone, Peter Washington on double bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. Wilson and Nash will also perform in duo during the Festival.
