JOE LOCKE - VIBRAPHONIST - radio vinilemania web-radio Latin - Jazz



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VIBRAPHONIST, COMPOSER

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Joe Locke is regarded by many to be the most gifted vibraphonist of his generation. In addition to his strengths as an instrumentalist, recent recordings and live performances by The Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group, The Joe Locke Quartet, Rev.elation - The Music of Milt Jackson and his group "4 Walls of Freedom", offer evidence of his ever-growing stature as a band leader, composer and conceptualist.
The critical community continually cites Joe Locke for his artistic work. "There seems little doubt that Locke, with his ability to play cool and funky, heady and relaxed, is set to become the pre-eminent vibraphonist in jazz." (The Times, London). He has been voted the #1 vibist in DownBeat Magazine's Critic's Poll (TDWR) and Brazil's International Jazz Poll, was honored with the "Mallet Player of the Year" Award by the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) in 2006, and has received two Golden Ear "Concert of the Year" Awards — in 2005 with the Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group for their concert at the Ballard Jazz Festival, released on CD as "Live in Seattle" on the Origin Label, and 2007 for his performance at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival.
Joe Locke has released more than 25 recordings as a band leader, and appeared on almost 100 albums as a guest artist.
The past years have been increasingly busy for Locke. Besides his work with The Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group, The Joe Locke Quartet and his Duo project with fellow vibes and marimba artist Christos Rafalides, he most recently formed a brand new musical collaboration, "Joe Locke - Force of Four". The group — featuring Robert Rodriguez, Johnathan Blake and Ricardo Rodriguez — will be recording their first album in spring 2008 on the Origin label for a summer 2008 release, followed by international concert engagements.
Another one of Locke's more recent recording "Rev.elation" with Milt Jackson's last Band remained on top of the Jazz Week album charts for an unprecedented 8 week run in 2005.
While maintaining a busy touring schedule, Locke also found time to work with students. A concert in Rochester, NY with the School of the Arts jazz ensemble (through The Commission Project) proved to be a memorable and rewarding experience. "I worked with the students for several weeks leading up to the concert, and real friendships were forged in that time. The name of the event was Pass it On! - the implication of the title being that I was passing on my knowledge and experience to a new generation of musicians. But it was such a mutual exchange... I learned as much from them as they did from me. The experience put me back in touch with one of the reasons I fell in love with music in the first place, namely, the sense of community that comes from creating something with others."

VIDEOS

JOE LOCKE / GEOFFREY KEEZER GROUP - TULIPA

JOE LOCKE / GEOFFREY KEEZER GROUP - VAN GOGH BY NUMBERS

JOE LOCKE - FORCE OF FOUR (2008)

Joe Locke (vibes)
Robert Rodriguez (piano)
Johnathan Blake (drums)
Ricardo Rodriguez (bass)
Wayne Escoffery (tenor sax): #6 & 8
Thomas Marriott (trumpet): #4