Lovano grew up in Cleveland, and learnt jazz from his father, saxophonist Tony “Big T” Lovano. He attended Berklee College of Music, before playing with Lonnie Smith and Jack McDuff. In the 1980s he worked with John Scofield, as well as in a trio with Paul Motian and Bill Frisell. In 1991, Lovano began a run of albums on Blue Note that would last 25 years, and saw him hone his own unique brand of playing – free, but within traditional chord-led improvisation. He often records with his wife, singer Judi Silvano, and is equally at home playing with an ensemble, big band and orchestra, as he is in solo, duo, or trio formations.