Joe Baione
Friday, Aug. 1
6-8 p.m.
KNBT Banana Island
About Joe Baione
The relative rarity of vibraphonists in the history of jazz remains one of the musical genre's true mysteries. Despite the natural beauty of the instrument's sound and the historical importance and celebrated popularity of its most famous players – Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson – comparatively few artists have chosen to make the vibraphone their primary means of expression. Fortunately, Joe Baione has and on Oh Yeah!!! - his second outing as a leader and impressive successor to his distinguished debut The Superhero – he shows that the vibes and the mallets with which he plays them are in very good hands.
A native of the state of Delaware, Baione grew up in a jazz drenched musical environment. Following in his father's foot steps, Joe studied both music education and jazz performance, graduating from the University of Maryland in 1995. Since then he has gone on to become a passionate and creative band teacher by day and an energetic and innovative band leader and performer at night. Baione is also President of Delaware Charitable Music, Inc. and serves as producer of the annual Jazz, Blues & BBQ in the Park, a festival he co-founded with the mission of bringing live jazz and blues to the young people of his community.
Baione's performance resume continues to grow. He has performed at the prestigious Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in Montego Bay, Temecula Valley Jazz Festival and has performed at such festivals as The Cape May Jazz Festival, The Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival, and The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. Performance venues include, The Jazz Bakery, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in NYC's Lincoln Center, The Kimmel Center and Zanzibar Blue in Philadelphia and Sydney's Blues and Jazz Restaurant, just to name a few. In the past two years Baione has opened for Michael Bolton, Monty Alexander, Joey DeFrancesco and in April Joe will open for the legendary Dave Brubeck.
Baione has won several awards including "Teacher of the Year" in 2003, "Emerging Jazz Artist" in 2005 by Philadelphia Weekly and "Rising Star of Tomorrow" by Jazz at Lincoln Center.
