The Photographs of Giovanni Piesco: Joe Lovano

March 19th, 2025

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…..The Naples, Italy native Giovanni Piesco is an Amsterdam-based photographer who since 1985 has taken photographs of the famous and the unknown, in places and in ritual, consistently demonstrating a flair for capturing the essence of human character.

…..Among his passions is jazz music and the musicians who create it.  Beginning in 1990, Giovanni began taking backstage photographs of many of the great musicians who played in Amsterdam’s Bimhuis, that city’s main jazz venue which is considered one of the finest in the world.

…..Jerry Jazz Musician  will occasionally publish portraits of jazz musicians that Giovanni has taken over the years. This edition features the December 5, 1999 photographs of the saxophonist Joe Lovano.

 

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All photos © Giovanni Piesco

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Joe Lovano
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One of the most accomplished jazz musicians of his generation, Cleveland, Ohio native Joe Lovano first came into prominence in the 1990s with the release of several albums on Blue Note, among them Universal Language (1993) and the Grammy Award-winning 52nd Street Themes (2000).

During his career, Lovano has recorded over 30 albums as a leader, and has appeared as sideman on countless others.   He has worked with iconic legendary musicians (i.e. Hank Jones, Bob Brookmeyer, Charlie Haden, Mel Lewis, Paul Motian, Jim Hall, Carla Bley); contemporary peers (i.e. Bill Frisell, Marilyn Crispell, Dave Douglas, Dave Holland, John Scofield, Enrico Rava) and has made recordings paying homage to his idols (i.e. Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Enrico Caruso).

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Lovano’s 1995 Blue Note album Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard was named Jazz Album of the Year by Downbeat Magazine (Readers poll).  Listen to him perform the Vernon Duke/Ira Gershwin composition “I Can’t Get Started” from that album . [Universal Music Group]

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Listen to the 2015 live recording of Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas performing “Sound Prints” – their quintet of the same name, including Lawrence Fields (piano); Linda Oh (bass); and Joey Baron (drums).  [Universal Music Group]

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Listen to the 2022 recording of Lovano performing his composition “Crystal Ball,” with Marilyn Crispell (piano); and Carmen Castaldi (drums).  [Universal Music Group]

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Click here to visit Joe Lovano’s Wikipedia page

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Click here  to visit Giovanni Piesco’s website

Click here  to view previous editions of The Photographs of Giovanni Piesco

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Click here  to read The Sunday Poem

Click here  for information about how to submit your poetry, short fiction or art

Click here  to subscribe to the (free) Jerry Jazz Musician quarterly newsletter

Click here  to help support the ongoing publication of Jerry Jazz Musician, and to keep it commercial-free (thank you!)

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