LIVE: Joe Lovano’s Paramount quartet

Joe Lovano’s Paramount quartet:

Joe Lovano: tenor and soprano saxes, alto clarinet

Julian Lage: guitar

Asante Santi Debriano: double-bass

Will Calhoun: drums

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Live at Luxembourg Philharmonie, Salle de Musique de Chambre,  February 03, 2025

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A collaboration between saxophone Joe Lovano and guitar virtuoso Julian Lage has been in the air since their first meeting in 1999. Lage – 37 years old and already a great promise on his instrument – saw Lovano play in McCoy Tyner’s band. They got talking and kept in touch over the years.

This year, the long-cherished wish to work together finally came true: the Paramount Quartet had its baptism of fire in the legendary Village Vanguard in February. Lage’s light-footed style and feather-light touch blend seamlessly with Lovano’s expressive tenor sound. Bassist Santi Debriano (Archie Shepp Quartet) and drummer Will Calhoun (of rock band Living Colour) provide the driving force in this versatile supergroup.

left to right: Lage, Calhoun, Debriano, Lovano

A few words for everyone

Lovano is very well known from his many appearances over the years. He often likes to replace the piano in the standard rhythm section with guitar (in records with John Scofield, Bill Frisell and others). He prefers tenor sax, but is happy to include soprano sax and alto clarinet as well. All three were used at this concert. There is something that gives his playing a unique sound. Here you can find very detailed info about his setup Gear – Joe Lovano

Guitarist Julian Lage. You never know where a piece is going to go – the beginning rarely predicts the middle or the end – or how the musicians will interact with each other, or who will suddenly come to the fore and dominate, however briefly.

Somehow naturally, even though the guitar replaces the piano in the standard rhythm section, Lage’s voice is the most prominent and his playing, as always, is as technically impeccable as it is imaginative, moving easily from fast-fingered flights to beautiful ballad spaces to jazz/blues rhythms to unpredictable discordance.

Panamian-born bassist/composer Santi Debriano, who was raised in Brooklyn since the age four, has forged a stable path in the left side of jazz through remarkable collaborations, both on record and on stage, with luminaries like Sam Rivers, Archie Shepp, Oliver Lake and David Murray. Although capable of spawning powerful grooves and holding complex rhythms, He impressed with long solos and wonderful comping during the fast passages in some of the pieces.

And finally, the drummer Will Calhou. I can’t describe everything this guy did, even though I’m a drummer, at times I was amazed by the complexity of his solos. The setup includes 2 bass drums (like rock drummers) and 2 altos, as well as a set of cowbells, adding also excellent work with brushes, sticks and mallets.

The concert lasted 2 hours, including a big encore with 2 interpretations over Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane pieces

Author: Cyrille Vladimirov