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Joey Calderazzo

Everybody knows Joey Calderazzo, the phenomenal band pianist. From the time of his emergence with Michael Brecker in 1986 through his recent work in the Branford Marsalis Quartet, and on five previous albums under his own name, Calderazzo has proved to be among the most intense and engaged of contemporary soloists and accompanists. His energy, technique and rapid fire imagination have marked him as one of the most exciting jazz pianists to emerge in the past two decades. Calderazzo has documented this commanding mastery of group interplay on five previous albums that found him matching ideas and passions with such imposing artists as Brecker, Marsalis, Jerry Bergonzi, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, John Patitucci and Jeff “Tain” Watts.

After nearly two decades in the spotlight, Calderazzo has become a more complete and nuanced player, one equally capable of touching souls with taste and sensitivity. The complete range of Calderazzo’s skills, however, has never been more evident than on Haiku, his debut disc on Marsalis Music.

What Calderazzo can imagine is more solo playing in his future. While continuing to display his interactive skills in the collective cauldron of Marsalis’ quartet, he is simultaneously finding new levels of feeling, and new directions, in the unaccompanied format. “I learned more from this album than from any album I ever did,” the pianist emphasizes. “Playing solo just feels right. To do more of that, then get back together with Branford and Mike will just be the best.” Now Joey Calderazzo’s fans can learn more about his expanding talents on Haiku.

Photo Credit: Hans Speekenbrink

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Album Review

Steve Haines and The Third Floor Orchestra: Steve Haines and The Third Floor Orchestra

Read "Steve Haines and The Third Floor Orchestra" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Dare al lettore—nel breve spazio di una recensione—l'idea del contenuto e del valore (in un giudizio ovviamente soggettivo) di un album spinge a usare tutte quelle classificazioni nate per orientarci. In poche parole, creare delle mappe è utile ma se il territorio è ricco di elementi diversi si rischia di usare etichette fuorvianti. L'ascolto di questo disco orchestrale di Steve Haines spinge a queste considerazioni per il suo collocarsi tra differenti universi musicali (folk, classica, jazz, canzone ...

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Album Review

Joey Calderazzo: Going Home

Read "Going Home" reviewed by Luigi Sforza


Un senso di ordine e precisione, di pertinenza linguistica agli schemi del bop e del post bop infondono in Going Home un carattere di immacolato rigore espressivo. Collaboratore abituale di noti ed importanti musicisti mainstream americani-- tra i quali Jerry Bergonzi, Bob Mintzer, Michael Brecker e Branford Marsalis, quest'ultimo ospite nella garbata ballad “I Never Knew" -Joey Calderazzo guida un efficace quanto affiatato trio, con il quale affronta brillanti medium swing ("Manfold"), intensi jazz waltz ("Why Me"), sequenze ...

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Interview

Joey Calderazzo: Improviser in Top Form

Read "Joey Calderazzo: Improviser in Top Form" reviewed by R.J. DeLuke


Creative musicians are generally an insightful lot: people that have curious minds but also have a sense of direction--a sense of purpose, if not a search for it. They express what they see, what they experience. Pianist Joey Calderazzo is among those. A man of extraordinary talent at the keyboard, he's held the piano chair in Branford Marsalis' band for some 11 years and also spent a long tenure with Michael Brecker. Both of those men have had ...

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Album Review

Joey Calderazzo: Amanecer

Read "Amanecer" reviewed by Elliott Simon


There is a hopefulness borne out of the continued crystallization of pianist Joey Calderazzo's sense of his artistic self on Amanecer. Compositionally and musically, the session is a potpourri. Reworked pieces that date to his associations with saxophonists Michael Brecker and Branford Marsalis along with new originals are presented in solo, duo and trio formats. Artistically, there is clearly a developmental process at work here; Calderazzo reaches back to the roots of his craft to extend his ...

175
Album Review

Joey Calderazzo: Amanecer

Read "Amanecer" reviewed by Mark F. Turner


On Amanecer, pianist Joey Calderazzo continues to prove that playing solo is one of his strengths. His fearless and stalwart performances with the Branford Marsalis Quartet have been documented over the last few years but outside of the group his playing soars even more. Like its predecessor Haiku (Marsalis Music,2004), this recording is intimate, insightful, flowing with a quiet strength as the pianist delivers an effective set of tunes (both solo and with special guests). The music ...

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Album Review

Joey Calderazzo: Amanecer

Read "Amanecer" reviewed by Jim Santella


With five solo piano selections and several with guests in tow, Joey Calderazzo gently squeezes tender melodies from the piano in a program of muted eloquence. He caresses the keys in a fluid manner, adding in blue notes and consonant harmonic gestures to maintain balance. Calderazzo loves to “sing through his piano pieces, providing a fragrant adventure for each tune that's designed to instill lyrical simplicity.

The pianist, 42, has made an impression during the past two decades ...

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Album Review

Joey Calderazzo: Haiku

Read "Haiku" reviewed by Joshua Weiner


Until the recording of his new album Haiku , Joey Calderazzo was, he has admitted, frightened by the total exposure of solo piano performance. Indeed, such solo work is daunting to most pianists, particularly in jazz, where the rhythm provided by bass and drums is so integral to the music's movement and swing. Calderazzo, however, exhibits no sign of nerves, and acquits himself nicely on Haiku 's well-balanced and well-recorded program of originals, standards, and one tune each by his ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Ravi Coltrane, Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo, a New Big Band Debuts, and More

Jazz This Week: Ravi Coltrane, Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo, a New Big Band Debuts, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

The tenor sax plays a major role in this week's schedule of jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with two of the instrument's most prominent current exponents in town, plus several other noteworthy shows including the debut of a new big band as well. Let's go to the highlights... Tonight, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane (pictured) opens a four-night engagement continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. Coltrane, the son of legendary saxophonist John Coltrane and pianist/harpist Alice Coltrane, last ...

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Video / DVD

STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Mirth and Melancholy with Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo

STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Mirth and Melancholy with Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week, our video spotlight shines on saxophonist Branford Marsalis and pianist Joey Calderazzo, who will be in St. Louis for a duo performance on Sunday, January 22 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. In June of last year, Marsalis and Calderazzo released Songs of Mirth and Melancholy, a duo CD on the saxophonist's Marsalis Music label. This tour essentially is a followup to that recording, which received favorable reviews such as this one ...

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Performance / Tour

Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo to Perform Sunday, January 22 at the Sheldon

Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo to Perform Sunday, January 22 at the Sheldon

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This just in: Saxophonist Branford Marsalis (pictured) and pianist Joey Calderazzo, who has played with Marsalis for 13 years as part of his quartet, will perform in a duo concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, January 22 at the Sheldon. Marsalis and Calderazzo in June of this year released a duo CD, Songs of Mirth and Melancholy, on the saxophonist's Marsalis Music label. The disc generally has received very favorable reviews, such as this one from Jazz Times' Jeff Tamarkin and ...

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Recording

Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo - Songs of Mirth and Melancholy (Marsalis Music, 2011)

Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo - Songs of Mirth and Melancholy (Marsalis Music, 2011)

Source: Music and More by Tim Niland

Tenor and soprano saxophonist Branford Marsalis pares back to a saxophone and piano duet format, joined by longtime colleague Joey Calderazzo for a subtle ballad oriented program. Slow themes abound, but on the two pieces where Marsalis switches to tenor saxophone, the opener “One Way" and “Endymion" his unique muscularity on the bigger horn comes through. I must admit a personal preference for Marsalis on the tenor saxophone, I've loved his sound on the instrument for a long time. That ...

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Recording

Joey Calderazzo - Amanecer (2007)

Joey Calderazzo - Amanecer (2007)

Source: Something Else!

By Mark Saleski The opening track of Joey Calderazzo's Amanecer, for once, gave the listener some insight into where the pianist was headed. “Midnight Voyager," which first appeared on Michael Brecker's Tales From The Hudson, is a complete reworking of the original. By “complete" I mean that I did not recognize the tune until nearing the end. Repeat listens revealed that Calderazzo has both deconstructed and expanded the piece. Quite amazing. Amanecer found Calderazzo stepping away from his Branford Marsalis ...

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Recording

Hakan Brostrom Quartet Featuring Joey Calderazzo- "Refraction" CD & MP3 Download Release

Hakan Brostrom Quartet Featuring Joey Calderazzo- "Refraction" CD & MP3 Download Release

Source: Michael Ricci

Art of Life Records is pleased to present alto/soprano saxophonist and composer Hkan Brostrm's recording debut for Art of Life Records. Joining Hkan on “Refraction" are pianist Joey Calderazzo (Branford Marsalis), drummer Daniel Fredriksson and acoustic bassist Martin Sjstedt. The album features a version of the song “Nothing Personal" written by pianist Don Grolnick which originally appeared on saxophonist Michael Brecker's self-titled recording debut in addition to a version of the song “See Saw" written by pianist Richie Beirach. Pianist ...

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Performance / Tour

Upcoming "Harlem in the Himalayas" Shows in April

Upcoming "Harlem in the Himalayas" Shows in April

Source: Two for the Show Media

Friday, April 11, 2008 HARLEM IN THE HIMALAYAS Performer: Joey Calderazzo, Pianist 7:00 pm | Rubin Museum of Art 150 West 17th Street -NYC Box Office: 212.620.5000 ext. 344 $18 in advance | $20 at door Piano - Joey Calderazzo Joey Calderazzo is one of the leading pianists in the jazz realm. Ashe approaches nearly two decades as a definitive accompanist, and sees his output, as a composer, performer and ...

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Recording

Joey Calderazzo Breaks New Ground on Amanecer

Joey Calderazzo Breaks New Ground on Amanecer

Source: DL Media

PIANIST'S NEW DISC ON MARSALIS MUSIC FEATURES SOLO, DUO AND TRIO PERFORMANCES WITH GUESTS CLAUDIA ACUNA AND ROMERO LUBAMBO CAMBRIDGE, MA - As the next chapter in his ongoing evolution as a pianist, composer and performer, Marsalis Music artist Joey Calderazzo has created Amanecer. This intensely beautiful collection of solo, duo and trio performances, produced by Branford Marsalis, will be released domestically on June 5, 2007.

Calderazzo sees the album as a natural progression from Haiku, his 2004 label release ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Steve Haines and The...

Justin Time Records
2019

buy

Going Home

Sunnyside Records
2015

buy

Refraction

Art of Life Records
2011

buy

Amanecer

Marsalis Music
2008

buy

Amanecer

Marsalis Music
2007

buy

The Tales From The...

Creative Sources
2007

buy

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