Joshua Catania
An emerging artist in the Milwaukee music community, 18-year-old phenom pianist Joshua Catania presents an evocative batch of character pieces on his first album, Open To Now. Catania has been playing the piano and writing music for over a decade, collaborating with Milwaukee and Chicago musicians as a sideman in recent years. This new release marks the first project under his own name.
Catania has developed an intriguing, individualistic style of improvising, composing, and playing the piano. He has embarked on a musical journey guided by his thirst for sincerity and self-discovery. Teaming up with some of the most imaginative musicians in the region, young Catania has set out to capture and explore the inspiration that exists in his daily life. The result is stunning. In his work on Open To Now, Catania has drawn influence from the elusive self-expression of Carla Bley, the nuanced melodicism of Johann Sebastian Bach, and the full-hearted improvisation of Bud Powell, Andrew Hill, and Paul Bley. Catania’s compositions and improvisations pay homage to these important artists and their commitment to the delicate beauty of the moment.
Catania is joined by Chicago guitarist Dave Miller, Madison bassist John Christensen, and Milwaukee drummer Devin Drobka in a dynamic convergence of musical minds. The music is as much about composition as it is about the collective improvisation of these four musicians juxtaposed with the space of silence. The improviser and listener truly live together in this musical world of Catania’s creation.
Despite his age, Catania has been involved in the Milwaukee music scene for several years, learning and performing with some of the most highly-regarded musicians in town including Brian Lynch, Russ Johnson, and George Fludas. In addition to his endeavors in Milwaukee, Catania has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and Litchfield Jazz Festival. His music has also brought him to Argentina and Uruguay, where he performed with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra on their South American tour. These past two years, Catania has received honors for Jazz Piano and Composition from the National YoungArts Foundation. Catania will be attending the University of Michigan this coming fall.
Open To Now is a stirring musical statement on what it means to be awake in this world, and a remarkable debut from an artist whose career is certain to hit exceptional heights.
An emerging artist in the Milwaukee music community, 18-year-old phenom pianist Joshua Catania presents an evocative batch of character pieces on his first album, Open To Now. Catania has been playing the piano and writing music for over a decade, collaborating with Milwaukee and Chicago musicians as a sideman in recent years. This new release marks the first project under his own name.
Catania has developed an intriguing, individualistic style of improvising, composing, and playing the piano. He has embarked on a musical journey guided by his thirst for sincerity and self-discovery. Teaming up with some of the most imaginative musicians in the region, young Catania has set out to capture and explore the inspiration that exists in his daily life. The result is stunning. In his work on Open To Now, Catania has drawn influence from the elusive self-expression of Carla Bley, the nuanced melodicism of Johann Sebastian Bach, and the full-hearted improvisation of Bud Powell, Andrew Hill, and Paul Bley. Catania’s compositions and improvisations pay homage to these important artists and their commitment to the delicate beauty of the moment.
Catania is joined by Chicago guitarist Dave Miller, Madison bassist John Christensen, and Milwaukee drummer Devin Drobka in a dynamic convergence of musical minds. The music is as much about composition as it is about the collective improvisation of these four musicians juxtaposed with the space of silence. The improviser and listener truly live together in this musical world of Catania’s creation.
Despite his age, Catania has been involved in the Milwaukee music scene for several years, learning and performing with some of the most highly-regarded musicians in town including Brian Lynch, Russ Johnson, and George Fludas. In addition to his endeavors in Milwaukee, Catania has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and Litchfield Jazz Festival. His music has also brought him to Argentina and Uruguay, where he performed with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra on their South American tour. These past two years, Catania has received honors for Jazz Piano and Composition from the National YoungArts Foundation. Catania will be attending the University of Michigan this coming fall.
Open To Now is a stirring musical statement on what it means to be awake in this world, and a remarkable debut from an artist whose career is certain to hit exceptional heights.