His approach to piano is very modern utilizing bitonality, dissonance, and extended harmonies. LoCascio has a thorough sense of harmony as well as rhythm and it is a pleasure to hear all three musicians work with such artistry.

10 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Neo-Bop, JAZZ: Progressive Jazz



Details:
Born and raised in New York, Joe LoCascio has made Houston his permanent home since 1977. He attended the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut where he studied with John Mehegan and Neil Slater. A prolific performer and composer, LoCascio has eight albums as a leader to his credit and has recorded or performed with jazz luminaries such as Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Ernie Watts, Tony Campise, George Mraz, George Coleman and Hank Crawford among others. He is a member of the jazz faculty at Houston Community College where he teaches improvisation and jazz studies and is the author of "The Jazz Piano Handbook".

"He combines many styles within his playing from stride to bebop to modal. In general his approach is very modern utilizing bitonality, dissonance, and extended harmonies. LoCascio has a thorough sense of harmony as well as rhythm and it is a pleasure to hear all three musicians work with such artistry. This is a very flexible recording as the new jazz fan can enjoy its listener friendly quality while the experienced listener can enjoy traveling inside the music with its various twists and turns. Tastefully done!" - Michelle Labieniec-Despard. Jazz Improv

"Joe LoCascio is a first rate jazz pianist and composer with a style growing out of bop, but completely his own." - Randy Brecker

"I Love Joe LoCascio's writing! His pieces have an innocence that sings to the heart while providing a challenge in harmony and form at the same time. Joe plays who he is: generous, intelligent and warm. This sincerity as well as his devotion to the music, is never in question when listening to him perform. Joe LoCascio is a poet on the piano, as well as a painter." - Art Lande

"LoCascio's playing, like his writing (all the tracks are his originals), is heady, clean and crisply swinging, and while he describes his writing and playing as "linear," he's downplaying his strongest quality: texture....gorgeous ballads." Harvy Siders, JazzTimes Magazine

"His technical facility, harmonic sophistication and fluid melodic lines" Paul McArthur, DownBeat Magazine

"A great deal of inventiveness.....a very fine set indeed...highly recommended" Lawrence Brazier, Jazznow

"The Joe LoCascio Trio also reminds us quite a lot of Keith Jarrett/ Gary Peacock/ Jack DeJohnette in the sense that the arrangements are interwoven and collaborative. LoCascio unravels some rather otherworldly progressions that drape the composition with an extra layer of mystery and intrigue". Keith Zimmerman , Yellow Dog Jazz

"An artist who merits being included among the best of his contemporary piano playing peers. Recommended. - Dave Nathan, allmusicguide.com