Joe Lovano and Judi Silvano are both jazz legends in their own right — he a saxophonist and she as a singer. The husband and wife duo will perform together on stage for what they promise to be a special family affair.
Lovano and Silvano will perform on Dec. 30 at the Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks. Lovano has performed with musicians including John Scofield and McCoy Tyner and is nominated for a Grammy for his 2011 album “Bird Songs,” a tribute to saxophonist Charlie Parker. Silvano has been named a top jazz vocalist by Down Beat magazine and is well known as a jazz teacher and arranger.
Silvano said their set at the Elk Creek will draw from jazz standards, their own original material and maybe even a holiday song or two.
“Joe and I are both composers, but we like to pepper our performances with material that is near and dear to our hearts … songs by Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Duke Ellington and (Thelonius) Monk.”
The pair met in 1980 at a combination dance party/jam session at a mutual friend’s New York City loft. They now reside in upstate New York and perform together when time permits in their busy personal schedules. They’ll swing by the Elk Creek on their way home from visiting Lovano’s family in Cleveland for the holidays.
“The most fun is when we get to play together,” Silvano said. “That’s how we met in the early ’80s and our musical relationship continues to grow along with our personal relationship.”
Silvano and Lovano will be backed by guitarist Michael Bocian, bassist Tony Marino and drummer Phil Haynes — all musicians they’ve come to know over the years but have not performed with recently.
“Jazz musicians have an emotional connection and trust in someone’s skill, so even though we haven’t played together in a while, I fully trust in their abilities to listen to each other and to us,” she said. “It’s a wonderful combination of personalities and it will be a journey for the audience, as well for us.”
Looking ahead, 2012 promises to be a busy year for both Silvano and Lovano. Her album “Indigo Moods,” a stripped-down interpretation of jazz standards, will be released in April and he will perform with McCoy Tyner in Europe.
Joe Lovano and Judi Silvano will perform at8:30 p.m. Dec. 30 at the Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks, 100 W. Main St., Millheim. Call 349-8850 or visit www.elkcreekcafe.net for more information.
