About Me
Quote
“Learning to play music is akin to learning a language. With hard work and dedication, the aspiring musician can master the various dialects that represent a host of musical styles, thus allowing him/her to thrive in any musical situation.”
Biography
Graduate Program Director of Jazz Performance, Instrumental at the Frost School of Music, Dante Luciani is one of the most unique and versatile jazz trombonists on the scene today. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he conducted the award-winning Concert Jazz Band from 2001-2012. Among the band’s honors are Downbeat’s prestigious award for “Best College Big Band” in 2006, 2007, and 2010. The group was also nominated for a Grammy award for a collaboration with arranger/composer Maria Schneider.
Professor Luciani has also been a featured artist with the Naples Jazz Philharmonic and he is currently the trombonist with Ira Sullivan's Inter-Outer Continental Quintet. He has performed and recorded as lead trombonist/soloist with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, the Maynard Ferguson Big Bop Nouveau Band, the Arturo Sandoval, Woody Herman's Thundering Herd, Dizzy Gillespie, Slide Hampton, Michael Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Nat Adderly, James Moody, Micky Roker, Shirley Scott, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Elvis Costello, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra Sr., Frank Sinatra Jr., Gloria Estefan, the South Florida Jazz Orchestra and many others.
As a trombone soloist, Dante frequently tours Eastern Europe with Janusz Szprot and his Young at Heart band and has also performed regularly in Istanbul, Turkey at the Nardis Jazz Club. He was twice featured as a soloist for the " Salsa Meets Jazz" series at the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club in Miami, Florida.
Recent Latin GRAMMY-winning recordings include sessions for Ed Calle’s Mamblue big band, as well as Arturo Sandoval's CD entitled Rhumba Palace. Others projects include P Diddy's Bad Boyz, solo work for vocalist Paula Doyler's project Over and Over, Trumpet Summit with the South Florida Jazz Orchestra, as well as work with the Frank Derrick big band, the Stephen Guerra big band, and, most recently, the 14 Jazz Orchestra under the direction of arranger Dan Bonsanti.
In addition, Professor Dante is a regular clinician/performer at the Pulawy Summer Jazz Workshop in Pulawy, Poland, and the Zywiec Trombone Festival in Zywiec, Poland.Honors & Acknowledgements
Professional Experience
Career Highlights
- Featured artist with the Naples Jazz Philharmonic
- Trombonist with Ira Sullivan's Inter-Outer Continental Quintet
- Performed and recorded as lead trombonist/soloist with the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, the Maynard Ferguson Big Bop Nouveau Band, the Arturo Sandoval, Woody Herman's Thundering Herd, Dizzy Gillespie, Slide Hampton, Michael Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Nat Adderly, James Moody, Micky Roker, Shirley Scott, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Elvis Costello, Paul Anka, Frank Sinatra Sr., Frank Sinatra Jr., Gloria Estefan, the South Florida Jazz Orchestra and many others.
- Frequently tours Eastern Europe as trombone soloist with Janusz Szprot and his Young at Heart band
- Performa regularly in Istanbul, Turkey at the Nardis Jazz Club
- Twice featured as a soloist for the " Salsa Meets Jazz" series at the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club in Miami, Florida
Honors, Awards & Competitions
- Downbeat’s prestigious award for “Best College Big Band” for work with Concert Jazz Band in 2006, 2007 and 2010
- Group Grammy award nomination for a collaboration with arranger/composer Maria Schneider
- Several Latin Grammy Award winning recordings with Ed Calle and Arturo Sandoval
Recordings
- Ed Calle’s Mamblue big band
- Arturo Sandoval's CD, Rhumba Palace
- P Diddy's Bad Boyz
- Solo work for vocalist Paula Doyler's Over and Over
- Trumpet Summit with the South Florida Jazz Orchestra
- Work with the Frank Derrick big band, the Stephen Guerra big band
- Collaboration withthe 14 Jazz Orchestra under the direction of arranger Dan Bonsanti.
