Born: November 16, 1988 Primary Instrument: Piano
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, 23 year-old Joe Alterman has been playing the piano since the age of five. He moved to New York City in the fall of 2007 to study music at New York University. He graduated in May of 2012 but is now back to complete his Masters' degree. While there, he has studied with greats including Don Friedman, Jean Michel-Pilc, Ralph Lalama, Joe Lovano and John Scofield, among others. He has performed at venues around the world including the Blue Note Jazz Club in Milan, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and Preservation Hall in New Orleans; he has led groups at venues in New York City including the Blue Note Jazz Club, the Iridium Jazz Club, and Cornelia Street Café, among others. He also recently performed at the “Marian McPartland Piano Jazz All-Star Celebration” at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, as well as at Jack Kleinsinger Presents “Highlights in Jazz” 2012, as a part of the “Next Generation All-Stars,” where he performed alongside tenor saxophone great Houston Person. He and his trio recently performed at the Blue Note Jazz Club opening for the great Les McCann.
“Joe has a great sense of what is most meaningful in the history and tradition of our music, and a real solid musical vision of where he wants to take it.” —Houston Person, legendary tenor saxophonist
“The young Alterman's heart is undeniably in the right place, and so is his playing.” —Todd Barkan, veteran record producer & artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola
“Joe Alterman has tremendous taste and a passionate respect for swing and space. His touch on the keyboard is reminiscent of pianists from earlier years who listened carefully, felt expressively and actually cared about what the listener heard. Joe is a remarkable swinger and poet.” —Marc Myers, JazzWax.com
“Talk about the joy of jazz!...It's a pleasure to hear this music...You've got it!” — Nat Hentoff, critic, journalist, record producer, NEA Jazz Master
Alterman as “A pianistic wunderkind whose style recalls the elegantly swinging trappings of artists like Erroll Garner and Red Garland…eschewing the well-mined vein of hard bob favored amongst today’s younger players in favor of a more rounded vintage technique. Alterman brandishes a lyrical pianistic touch and an intuitive sense of swing that are a uniquely wonderful joy to hear. Alterman’s remarkable gifts are enough to reassure anyone that the future of jazz is in good hands.” - Hot House Jazz Magazine
“Sondheim's song urges us all to “learn how to bounce,” which I know is a commendable skill - but young Joe Alterman already knows how. Welcome!” —Michael Steinman, JazzLives.wordpress.com
“Although there are stretches where his use of dynamics and space recalls Ahmad Jamal, Alterman sounds like himself...[He] displays a lot of originality in his playing, even on the more familiar standards, and his ideas are full of life, spirit and little surprises.” —Scott Yanow, jazz journalist, author, and historian
“A prodigiously talented musician with plenty of jazz “chops” but doesn't overwhelm, just plays the music. I look forward to hearing great things from this guy.” —Don Emanuel, Coljazz.webs.com
“Joe Alterman is fresh face in the piano trio continuum—a young artist with respect for both the tradition and swing in the marrow of his bones...Piano Tracks, Volume 1 is a superb debut, announcing the arrival of Joe Alterman as a rising jazz star.” —Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
