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Aldo Romano

Aldo Romano was born in France in 1941, the son of Italian immigrants. His first instrument was the guitar, but he decided to switch to drums in 1961. Essentially self-taught, he nonetheless benefited from the advice of Michel Babault and Jacques Thollot. He admired Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Ed Blackwell, and Billy Higgins. Alto sax player Jackie McLean took notice of him and they played together on one of the McLean’s Parisian sojourns. He met Jean-François Jenny-Clark around the same time and the two became inseparable for a long period. Both were hired by Bernard Vitet who formed, in 1964 with François Tusques one of the first European free jazz groups.

For several years starting from this period, Sunny Murray was one of his most direct influences. He met Don Cherry as well as Gato Barbieri with whom he played regularly. Along with those two, and with Enrico Rava and Steve Lacy, he took part in the recording New Feelings, under the direction of Giorgio Gaslini. He worked at the same time with a number of musicians belonging to the same musical movement, notably Barney Wilen, Michel Portal, and Lacy, as well as with less avant-garde players like Eddy Louiss, Jean-Luc Ponty, Phil Woods, or Charles Tolliver. He met Joachim Kühn and worked regularly with him for several years, recording with him in 1967 Transfiguration and Impressions Of New York during a trip to the United States when Joachim and Rolf Kühn’s quartet played at the Newport Festival. Like Kühn and Wilen, he quickly became interested in the possibilities of combining a free-jazz aesthetic with the motoric rhythms of rock. That perspective gave birth to several albums on which Romano played an essential role: Dear Prof Leary by Barney Wilen (1968) is the best example. In l969, a particularly fertile year, he recorded with Kühn (Sounds Of Feelings), Portal, and Lacy. He met Keith Jarrett, with whom he would work for a time. With Henri Texier, flutist Chris Hayward, and guitarist Georges Locatelli, Romano formed Total Issue, an interesting take on fusion music in which Romano unveiled a new facet of his talent�"in addition to drumming, he sang.

While pursuing the Total Issue experiment, which really got started at the beginning of 1970 and led to a record, he also played in Ponty’s group, where he met Philip Catherine (1971). Total Issue finally disbanded in the absence of commercial success. Romano then devoted himself essentially to being a sideman for various French and American musicians, often in the company of Jenny-Clark. He toured with Keith Jarrett in 1969/1970 and remained friends with him. In 1974, he met Charlie Mariano and keyboard specialist Jasper Van’t Hoff. With them he formed Pork Pie, along with Philip Catherine and Henri Texier, who was soon replaced by Jenny-Clark. In 1977, he got back together with Enrico Rava, who hired him and Jenny-Clark for the quartet that he formed with Roswell Rudd.

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Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Aldo Romano's birthday today!

Aldo Romano was born in France in 1941, the son of Italian immigrants. His first instrument was the guitar, but he decided to switch to drums in 1961. Essentially self-taught, he nonetheless benefited from the advice of Michel Babault and Jacques Thollot. He admired Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Ed Blackwell, and Billy Higgins. Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean took notice of him and they played together on one of ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Aldo Romano's birthday today!

Aldo Romano was born in France in 1941, the son of Italian immigrants. His first instrument was the guitar, but he decided to switch to drums in 1961. Essentially self-taught, he nonetheless benefited from the advice of Michel Babault and Jacques Thollot. He admired Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Ed Blackwell, and Billy Higgins. Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean took notice of him and they played together on one of ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Aldo Romano's birthday today!

Aldo Romano was born in France in 1941, the son of Italian immigrants. His first instrument was the guitar, but he decided to switch to drums in 1961. Essentially self-taught, he nonetheless benefited from the advice of Michel Babault and Jacques Thollot. He admired Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Ed Blackwell, and Billy Higgins. Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean took notice of him and they played together on one of ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Aldo Romano's birthday today!

Aldo Romano was born in France in 1941, the son of Italian immigrants. His first instrument was the guitar, but he decided to switch to drums in 1961. Essentially self-taught, he nonetheless benefited from the advice of Michel Babault and Jacques Thollot. He admired Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Ed Blackwell, and Billy Higgins. Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean took notice of him and they played together on one of ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci


Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci


Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci


1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci


3

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci


Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Jazz Musician of the Day: Aldo Romano

Source: Michael Ricci


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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Corners

Dreyfus Jazz
2014

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Inner Smile

Dreyfus Jazz
2011

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Origine

Dreyfus Jazz
2010

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Just Jazz

Dreyfus Jazz
2008

buy

État de fait

Dreyfus Records
2008

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État De Fait

Dreyfus Jazz
2007

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