Guitarist Jose Gobbo joins saxophonist Don Aliquo, bassist Bailey Johnstone and drummer Miles Damaso.
Jose Gobbo is a Brazilian jazz guitarist. He moved to Iowa City in 2011 to pursue his master's degree in Jazz Performance, and soon took a leadership role in the city`s musical scene. His debut album as a leader was released in 2013, titled “Zé“, featuring Brazilian legendary multi-instrumentalist Roberto Sion. Other activities during that time include: performances at the Iowa City Jazz Festival; International clarinet convention with Dr. Maurita Marx; John Rapson's recording of “The Night Sky and Turquoise Sea”.
Moving to Illinois in 2014, Jose kept a busy performance schedule while pursuing his doctoral degree, completed in 2020. He appears regularly with the Brad Wheeler Quartet and the Chip Stephens Organ Trio, which opened a Steely Dan concert and recorded the album "Transgressions" in 2019. In 2020 Jose co-founded The House Trio with Ben Taylor and Nikola Djokic, which performed 52 consecutive weekly live streams on their YouTube Channel, and recorded the album "Live From Home", featuring 10 of Jose's original compositions. Jose also performs with his UIUC mentors Chip McNeill, Tito Carrillo, Larry Gray, Jim Pugh and Ron Bridgewater.
In 2018, Jose was a finalist at Chicago's Luminarts Jazz Competition, winning popular vote, and was a semi-finalist at Milwaukee's Wilson Center Guitar Competition. He worked as producer and performer in two Brazilian Tours with Jim Pisano and Damani Phillips. He was selected amongst applicants from all fields of the arts as Artist in Residency at Allerton Park in 2022, where he developed and recorded 6 solo guitar pieces to be released as the Allerton Suite. In 2022 alone Jose performed in major cities such as New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville and Cincinnati.
Jose's teaching experience includes two years as a Teaching Assistant in the Jazz Department at The University of Iowa, and two years at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also worked for two years in the Latin American Studies Department at UIUC. He has been featured as a guest artist at Belmont University, Millikin University, Western Illinois University, University of Iowa, State University of Campinas (Brazil), and Federal University of Uberlandia (Brazil). Jose taught at Lincoln College, in Lincoln, IL, University of Illinois Springfield, and currently teaches at the Eastern Illinois University and the Arthur School District.
Saxophonist Don Aliquo’s playing has been described as “smooth as silk...with an unfailing feel for breath and phrasing" while extremely supple in the addressing of his axe but always zeroed in on what he's describing”. “Growth” his newest release, explores new territory with intriguing compositions and ample solo space for Aliquo’s inspired improvisations. The eight originals are both complex and open, which shows him expanding his boundaries not only as an instrumentalist and improviser, but also as a composer. The music is an electrifying modern outing with one foot in the future and one in the tradition.
Aliquo has released six solo projects and has worked collaboratively or performed as a sideman on many others. His previous solo cd “Sun and Shield” features veteran jazz masters Rufus Reid, Jim McNeely, and the dynamic Obed Calvaire. Notable collaborations include a duo recording with eclectic pianist Michael Jefry Stevens and quartet recordings with Roger Humphries and the late Beegie Adair. He also has recorded with his mentor, notable Pittsburgh tenor stalwart, Don Aliquo Sr. on the MCG label. Don has performed in concerts and recordings with many world-class artists including Gary Burton, Greg Osby, Rufus Reid, Roger Humphries, Harold Danko, Adam Nussbaum, Donald Brown, Pete Christlieb, Scott Robinson, and Bobby Shew. Don is Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies at Middle Tennessee State University. He is a Selmer and Vandoren artist.
