JOE-LOVANO Joe Lovano gives advice on telling a story through jazz and shares notable experiences and lessons through his lifelong saxophonist career. Moderated by pianist James Weidman, the two give a short performance ahead of their full duo concert later that night. By Holland Mowry. 521 words, photo, audio

Topics: Jazz music, saxophone, teaching music

Saxophonist Joe Lovano talks with students and community members about jazz, life and telling stories through music at Hodgson School of Music’s Common Hour Conversation series. (Photo/Holland Mowry)

Athens, GA — In Edge Hall at the University of Georgia’s Hodgson School of Music, the fully lit stage is empty except for a grand piano and two chairs.

That is until Joe Lovano begins to promenade across, his silver ponytail trailing down the collar of the brown, suede blazer draped over his shoulders. It’s worn in – one could assume from many nights spent with the saxophone. 

The auditorium fills with patrons for this week’s Common Hour Conversation, a free, open series every Wednesday at the music school. James Weidman, assistant professor of jazz piano at UGA and moderator of the event, walks through the aisles gleefully talking to some of his jazz ensemble students in the audience about the class they had just come from. 

On stage, the Grammy-winning saxophonist admires the auditorium through a pair of Lennon-esque, circular sunglasses. With each slow step he takes, the gold hook at the end of his saxophone strap patters against his sternum. It looks like a part of him rather than an accessory – as if he’s been wearing it since the beginning and never once taken it off.

“When I think about Joe,” said Weidman, “I think about one word: destiny.” 

Born in Cleveland, Ohio to tenor saxophonist Tony ‘Big T’, Lovano has lived a life of jazz. He began playing at five years old and was thrown into gigs by high school, playing professionally with musicians, or ‘cats’, of all ages and backgrounds. It was “trial by fire”, he told the audience, but his many years of experience make for vast wisdom and skill. 

“You know, now the heart of the music is the blues, and the expression of telling a story,” Lovano said. “It’s not just like a 12-bar piece of music, it’s a story about who you are, your life, and how you can be telling that story no matter what. And it becomes a clear statement about who you are and about what’s important to you about humanity and nature.”

The audience then listened in awe as Weidman and Lovano performed Yesterdays, a piece composed in 1933 by Jerome Kern. The two musicians intertwined melodies in an effortless, intuitive way. As Lovano gracefully fluttered through riffs, Weidman improvised on the piano – their years of experience evident through tapping feet, flowing improvisation, emotive expression and sheer technical skill. 

As the final notes cast their shadow on the audience’s eager ears, applause ripped through the auditorium and the entire room was brought to their feet.

“I talk a lot about street-level learning, about the learning that we just heard,” Weidman said after taking a bow. “Devoid of a textbook, devoid of a lot of terminology initially, really, just using our ears.” 

Lovano agreed, saying these lessons are gained through the years by listening to the music around you. Referencing musicians like Charlie Parker, Diana Washington and Gary Burton, Lovano noted how their styles and individuality gave him a deeper understanding of jazz as a means to tell a story.  

Lovano and Weidman will be playing a free, full duo concert on Wednesday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m. in Edge Hall.