Winchester-Dondero Cultural Center April 26-27
Vic’s Las Vegas, May 2-3
This week on “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” the spotlight shines on legendary guitarist, arranger, and composer Joe Lano—one of the true masters of the Las Vegas jazz scene.
Joe joins Ira ahead of his upcoming performances at the Jazz Society’s 50th Anniversary Jazz Celebration (April 26-27 at the Winchester-Dondero Cultural Center) and at Vic’s Las Vegas (May 2-3), to share the remarkable story of his life in music.
From his early days growing up in Philadelphia—playing guitar in clubs by the age of 12—to the glittering stages of Las Vegas, Joe recounts a career filled with iconic moments. He talks about his move from L.A. to Vegas, joining the elite showroom orchestras, and playing alongside legends like Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne, and Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé. (Fun fact: Lena never sang a song the same way twice—and was a total sci-fi geek.)
Joe also shares the behind-the-scenes of Vegas in its golden age: how he landed gigs straight away, the role of the Musicians Union, getting the nod from Sands bandleader Antonio Morelli, and performing with entertainment royalty like Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. He even dives into the drama that followed when he began working full-time in town.
And of course, he opens up about his lifelong love for jazz, his connection to the Las Vegas Jazz Society, the ego-fueled world of professional musicians, and what it was like working seven nights a week for two years straight.
Don’t miss this intimate, insightful, and often hilarious conversation with one of Las Vegas jazz’s most respected voices.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Joe discovered his passion for music at a young age. He began playing the guitar when he was just 10 years old and quickly showed immense talent and dedication to his craft. He began working with bands in Philadelphia before he turned 13 years old.
With his group, “The Joe Lano Trio,” Joe showcases his abilities as both a soloist and arranger. The music is both old school and modern at the same time and features interesting arrangements of familiar and more obscure standard tunes. The group’s repertoire features not just great solos but also reharmonizations of these classic standards that are eminently listenable and swinging.
One of the more enjoyable aspects of Joe’s writing that has become a band trademark are the challenging guitar/bass ensemble passages that are featured in several of the tunes. Also featured are several beautiful ballad arrangements in which Joe displays his unique interpretations of these timeless compositions.
Joe is accompanied by two longtime trio members and in-demand players in their own right: Jess Gopen on drums and Jeff Davis on bass. Together, they interpret Joe’s arrangements in an intuitive and swinging way. Jess, a graduate of Berklee College of Music, has played with Freddie Hubbard, Dave Valentine, Michael McDonald and Ronnie Foster, among many others.
Jeff is a longtime Vegas bassist and graduate of the University of Nevada Las Vegas Jazz Studies program and has performed with Pete Christlieb, Richie Cole, George Garzone, Brandon Fields, as well as numerous other big-name acts and shows.