Born: July 5, 1982 Primary Instrument: Sax, soprano
Joe Albano, a native of Boston, MA, now residing in NYC, began his instrumental studies at 14 with local hometown hero, Saxophonist Ray DeNice. Quickly gravitating to the saxophone, and ignoring all logic and reason, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Sept of 2000. He graduated in 2005 and holds a B.A. in Professional Music. His performance studies were with such luminaries as Saxophonists George Garzone and Joe Lovano, Clarinetist Harry Skoler, Pianist Joanne Brackeen, Trombonist Hal Crook and Vibraphonist Dave Samuels. Joe has also studied composition with Mark Muzzerol, Bob Pilkington, Greg Hopkins, and Ken Pullig.
Over the years, Joe has developed an extremely eclectic and vastly unique improvisational/compositional style that spans not only the Jazz and Creative music realms, but also carries tinges of Rock, Heavy Metal, Classical European Art Music and Modern Art Music. His style combines extreme technical virtuosity with guttural, raw emotional content.
Joe has a wide variety of professional experience with performances in a wide variety of groups, styles, and hotel room accommodations. He has traveled and played music in 60 different countries including the US, Mexico and Canada and also on every continent except Antarctica (but he HAS played at the North Pole!)
Open the Gate and Flood the Valley, Joe's debut album with his band, “Joe and the Meanderthals,” Is availiable now!
A saxophonist by trade, Joe has acquired a vast arsenal of woodwind instruments over the years. He is equally proficient on clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon, and EWI as he is on his saxes; a very rare feat indeed!
Open The Gate And Flood The Valley (self produced, 2009)
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-Gary Sugal Sopranino sax
-Yamaha Custom EX soprano sax
-Cannonball Big Bell Stone Series Mad Meg Alto sax
-Conn New Wonder (c.1921) C Melody sax
-Buffet S-1 Tenor sax
-Cannonball Big Bell Global Series Tenor sax
-1935 King Zephyr Baritone sax
-Amati Full Bohem Bb soprano clarinet -Noblet Alto and Bass clarinets
-Armstrong Piccolo
-c.1929 William S. Haynes C flute
-Artley/Haynes Alto flute
-Cabart Oboe w/Vandoren reeds
-Schreiber Bassoon w/Schrieber bocals and Albion Gold reeds
-AKAI EWI 4000s w/VOX VT30 amplifier
Joe plays (and would absolutely LOVE to endorse) Selmer, Vandoren, RIA, and Pormarico mouthpieces, Vandoren and Rico reeds, and Selmer, Vandoren, and Rovner Ligatures.
