Article Contributed by DL Media
Published on 2026-03-17
Joe Lovano enters a bold new chapter with Paramount Quartet, a striking and adventurous new recording featuring guitarist Julian Lage, bassist Asante Santi Debriano and drummer Will Calhoun. The album arrives May 29, 2026 via ECM Records.
“There’s a lot of magic that just kind of unfolds as we play. And the more we play, the more magical it becomes,” says Lovano.
The “Paramount” in the quartet’s name signals both a statement of intent and a sense of forward motion. “I feel like at this point I’m on the rise,” Lovano shares. “We’ve arrived at this unique place with this quartet—it’s very special. It’s a new thing. Recording this with Manfred [Eicher] in the studio, I was really thrilled with the way the group continuously developed. And those cats, they play with a real global awareness.”
The quartet’s origins trace back to a 2023 fundraiser for Puerto Rican hurricane relief, where Lovano first connected with bassist Asante Santi Debriano and drummer Will Calhoun. The chemistry was immediate. “Sometimes you meet, and it’s like you’ve known each other your whole life,” Lovano recalls. “That happened with Will, Asante and I.” Bringing guitarist Julian Lage into the fold was a natural evolution, rooted in a musical relationship dating back to Lage’s time at Berklee College of Music in the mid-2000s.
That deep connection is evident throughout Paramount Quartet, a dynamic and richly textured program that moves fluidly between introspective ballads and expansive improvisational explorations. The album opens with Charlie Haden’s “First Song,” delivered with a meditative, soulful touch that sets the tone for the journey ahead. Lovano’s own compositions span a wide emotional and stylistic range—from the rubato unisons of “Amsterdam” to the groove-driven pulse of “Fanfare for Unity,” the intricate, extended form of “The Great Outdoors,” and the relaxed mid-tempo flow of “Congregation.”
The ensemble demonstrates remarkable sensitivity across shifting dynamics, dialing back to chamber-like subtlety on “The Call” while igniting moments of intensity on more expansive pieces. Lovano further deepens the sonic palette by moving between tenor saxophone, tarogato and soprano sax, shaping each piece with carefully chosen timbres.
“Will Calhoun has a way of playing that is so expansive and beautiful in so many directions,” Lovano says. “And the same with Asante. His roots—his Panamanian roots—and his history playing with Archie Shepp and Randy Weston… we’ve known each other since the 80s. And then Julian is among the most gifted players in the music.”
This release marks Julian Lage’s first appearance on ECM, and his interplay with the quartet is a central force throughout the album. His responsive phrasing, harmonic depth and subtle comping choices create a seamless dialogue with Lovano’s melodic lines, reflecting a musical relationship that stretches back decades. Lovano first encountered Lage as a teenager, when the guitarist attended one of his performances with McCoy Tyner at Yoshi’s in California.
The quartet also revisits Wayne Shorter’s “Lady Day,” offering a graceful and deeply expressive interpretation inspired by Shorter’s Soothsayer. Originally arranged for big band by Michael Gibbs during Lovano’s residency in Orvieto, Italy, the piece takes on new life in this intimate quartet setting. “The theme alone is haunting,” Lovano notes. “There’s so much possibility in the harmonies… and this group is always initiating things from within the moment.”
Paramount Quartet was recorded in February 2025 at La Buissonne Studios in Southern France and produced by ECM founder Manfred Eicher, capturing a band in full creative flight—balancing precision, spontaneity and a shared musical vision that continues to evolve with every performance.
