Joe Lovano Nonet

Joe Lovano brings his Nonet to Birdland as part of his Tenor Legacy residency, a series that celebrates today’s tenor saxophonists while calling up the spirits of the instrument’s past. For this appearance, the Grammy-winning saxophonist is joined by fellow saxophonists George Garzone and Jerry Bergonzi, with Leo Genovese on piano, Gerald Cannon on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. The billed nonet name frames a larger-ensemble evening, while this specific lineup points to a meeting of major improvisers around Lovano’s tenor-centered idea.

Cleveland-born Lovano is a saxophonist whose career reaches from small groups to ambitious ensemble writing. He has worked with John Scofield and Paul Motian and joined Dave Liebman and Michael Brecker in Saxophone Summit. Lovano has described his nonet’s approach as “groove city,” built around “swinging, telling stories, and hitting a groove together.” The group’s recordings include 52nd Street Themes, a Grammy winner for Best Large Ensemble, and On This Day…At The Vanguard. Reviewing the latter, All About Jazz called it “a decidedly looser, more exciting affair” and wrote that the band “has found its groove”; another review highlighted the nonet’s “lushly orchestrated” pieces.