Title/Position: Lecturer, Jazz Trombone
Profile:
What would you say are the outstanding highlights of your professional life?
Playing with the Woody Herman band
Playing with Maynard Ferguson’s band
Working and playing with Slide Hampton
Touring with Frank Sinatra
Performing with my sextet while traveling throughout Europe
What is your teaching philosophy? What do you expect of your students?
My teaching philosophy is geared towards giving my students a “real life” or practical approach to learning jazz. I treat each student as an individual, ascertaining his or her strengths and weaknesses. My lesson plan is then formulated to help the student to improve in specific areas that need attention.
What advice would you give aspiring young musicians?
I would advise them to keep their musical palette open for new experiences. Have a firm knowledge of the history of jazz, and keep exploring new versions of this great art form. Never stop learning!
Career Highlights:
Frost School of Music Professor Dante Luciani’s most recent accomplishments include
Downbeat Magazine 2010 award for “Large Jazz Ensemble, Graduate College Winner”
Downbeat Magazine 2007 award for “College Big Band, Winner”
Downbeat Magazine 2006 award for “Outstanding Performance, College Big Band”
Recent recordings include
Arturo Sandoval’s CD entitled Rhumba Palace
Paula Doyler’s CD entitled Over and Over
South Florida Jazz Orchestra debut CD
Frank Derrick Big Band
Prof. Luciani is a regular clinician/performer at the
Pulawy (Poland) Summer Jazz Workshop
Naples Jazz Festival
Istanbul Jazz Festival
and has performed as lead trombonist/soloist with the
Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band
Maynard Ferguson Big Bop Nouveau Band
Arturo Sandoval Big Band
Woody Herman’s Big Band
Elvis Costello
Paul Anka
Frank Sinatra Jr.
Gloria Estefan
South Florida Jazz Orchestra
As a trombone soloist, Dante toured Eastern Europe with his Jazz Quintet and also performed in Istanbul, Turkey at the Nardis Jazz Club for the Istanbul Jazz Festival. He was twice featured as a soloist for the “Salsa Meets Jazz” series at the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club.
He is also a member of Ira Sullivan’s Inter-outer Continental Quintet and was featured as an “All Star” on the Jazz Cruise in 2005.
Dante Luciani (Asst. Professor, Studio Music and Jazz) is coordinator of the Jazz Brass Department and is the Director of the Concert Jazz Band at the Frost School of Music.
Short Biography:
Dante Luciani is a lecturer in jazz trombone in the Department of Studio Music and Jazz at the University of Miami Frost School of Music where is coordinator of the Jazz Brass program, and conducts the award-winning Frost Concert Jazz Band (CJB). Dante Luciani earned B.M. and M.M. degrees from the University of Miami. Formerly the lead trombonist and soloist with the Woody Herman and Maynard Ferguson Orchestras, Luciani has performed with various artists, including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ben Vereen, Burt Bacharach, Natalie Cole, Anthony Newley, Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, and Paquito D’Rivera. Under his leadership, the Frost Concert Jazz Band won the Downbeat Magazine 2010 award for “Large Jazz Ensemble, Graduate College Winner.” As a trombone soloist, Dante toured Eastern Europe with his Jazz Quintet and also performed in Istanbul, Turkey at the Nardis Jazz Club for the Istanbul Jazz Festival. He was twice featured as a soloist for the “Salsa Meets Jazz” series at the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club and and in 2005 was featured as an All-Star on The Jazz Cruise.
