April 1, 2004

CONTACT: LISA WOSKE
(805) 756-7110

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Joe Lovano and Nonet To Perform Miles Davis Tribute April 25

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Grammy winner and Down Beat Critic and
Reader's Poll jazz favorite saxophonist/composer Joe Lovano and the Joe
Lovano Nonet will perform "Birth of a Cool Suite - A Tribute to Miles
Davis" on Sunday, April 25, 2004 at 7 p.m. at the Cal Poly Theatre.

The Village Voice proclaimed, "Move over Pavarotti, the great Italian
tenor around today isn't Luciano, but Lovano."

"Lovano plays with a balance of imaginative abandon and technical
control that has not been heard since John Coltrane." (Down Beat)

Cal Poly Arts presents the tenor saxophonist Lovano and his
saxophone-rich Nonet in an evening that explores Miles Davis' seminal
masterpiece, "Birth of the Cool Suite." Torrid solos and hard-driving
classic bop are featured in the arrangements by the legendary Gunther
Schuller, an original member of the nonet that recorded "Birth..."

Nonet musicians include George Garzone, Gary Smulyan, and Steve Slagel
on saxophones, Tim Hagans on trumpet, Conrad Herwig on trombone, pianist
John Hicks, bassist Dennis Irwin, and Lewis Nash on drums.

New Yorker Lovano has worked with such jazz masters as John Scofield,
Herbie Hancock, Elvin Jones, Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, Bobby
Hutcherson, Billy Higgins, Dave Holland, Ed Blackwell, Michel
Petrucciani, Lee Konitz, Abbey Lincoln, Tom Harrell, McCoy Tyner, Jim
Hall, and Bob Brookmeyer.

Scofield says, "(Lovano is) very sonically aware - he thinks about the
effect different instruments and different personalities will have...his
sense of swing and his tone reminded me of the older guys, in a really
positive way."

Lovano's early years were filled with jam sessions and rent gigs, but
eventually he joined the Mel Lewis Orchestra for its regular Monday
night concert at New York City's famed Village Vanguard, playing from
1980 to 1992 and recording six albums with the Orchestra.

Beginning in 1981, he gained further exposure and renown - particularly
in Europe - through his work with the Paul Motian Trio, which also
featured former Berklee College of Music classmate, guitarist Bill Frisell.

Lovano's debut 1991 Blue Note release, "Landmarks," featured guitarist
John Abercrombie; Lovano's first engagement as a leader at the Village
Vanguard coincided with the release of that record.

The critically acclaimed "From the Soul" followed with Michel
Petrucciani, Dave Holland, and the legendary Ed Blackwell. Readers of
AllAboutJazz.com voted "From the Soul" #34 in their all-time "Top 100
Jazz CDs" poll.

"Universal Language" features the soprano voice of Judi Silvano, as well
as trumpeter Tim Hagans and pianist Kenny Werner. Lovano's 1994 release,
"Tenor Legacy," features tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman and received
wide critical acclaim, culminating in a Grammy nomination for "Best Jazz
Small Group Recording."

1995's "Rush Hour" showcases his tenor saxophone with voice, string and
woodwind ensembles arranged and conducted by Gunther Schuller in
compositions by Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Thelonious Monk, Duke
Ellington, Schuller and Lovano himself.

As CD Review's "Disc of the Month" stated, "Music doesn't get any better
than this. ("Rush Hour") is a wonder." Lovano and Schuller subsequently
collaborated on the score for a Showtime movie, "Face Down."

"Joe Lovano Quartets at the Village Vanguard" earned two Grammy
nominations and won Jazz Album of the Year in the 1996 Down Beat Readers
Poll. Recorded at two separate engagements at the historic club, the
special set features Lovano with Mulgrew Miller, Christian McBride, and
Lewis Nash on one CD, and with Tom Harrell, Anthony Cox and Billy Hart
on the other.

Down Beat Magazine's 5-star review says simply, "The Vanguard sessions
are extraordinary."

Lovano's eagerly anticipated "Joe Lovano Celebrating Sinatra" followed
in 1997 and garnered another Grammy nomination. In 1998, "Flying Colors"
offered a duo album with the great Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

"Trio Fascination: Edition One" featured drummer Elvin Jones and bassist
Dave Holland. In 1999, Lovano collaborated with fellow Blue Note
recording artist alto saxophonist Greg Osby for "Friendly Fire."

Lovano jumped into the new millennium with "52nd Street Themes,"
Lovano's tribute to the days when swing and bebop co-mingled freely.
The acclaimed session features compositions by some of the art form's
greatest composers and won the Grammy for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album."

In 2001, Lovano received "Jazz Artist of the Year" honors for the third
time in both Critic’s & Reader’s polls in Down Beat magazine spurred by
his acclaimed return to the trio format on "Flights of Fancy: Trio
Fascination, Edition Two."

2002's "Viva Caruso" finds Lovano investigating many of the popular
melodies made famous by the Italian tenor. Lovano notes, "In the
tradition of Bird’s ‘White Christmas" and Sonny Rollins’ ‘Toot Toot
Tootsie’, the challenge was to take these well-known melodies and try to
make them my own."

His latest, "On This Day...At the Vanguard" is a critical favorite and
marks Lovano’s 22nd release as leader, his 15th album for Blue Note, and
as he points out, "My third recording as a leader live at the Vanguard."

A pre-concert lecture will be held by Cal Poly Music professor Paul
Rinzler, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Philips Recital hall.

Tickets for the performance are $32 & $38, with student discounts
available, and may be purchased at the Performing Arts Ticket Office, 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. To order by
phone, call 805/756-2787; to order by fax: 805/756-6088. Order on-line
at www.pacslo.org.

Sponsored by American Airlines/American Eagle and KCBX 90.1 FM.

For audio and video samples of Cal Poly Arts events, visit
www.calpolyarts.org.

- 30 -