Date Posted: Jul 22, 2016

Mario is celebrating 50 years in music and his 76th birthday this year. We have dedicated the 2016 Litchfield Jazz Festival to him. Pavone began playing bass in the early sixties and got his first big break in 1964 with pianist Paul Bley. He became increasingly active in NY jazz for several decades.

During NY’s loft scene, Pavone made music with trumpeter Bill Dixon (with whom he has often performed in the decades since), Archie Shepp and many more. He started his own label, named Alarca, in the 1970s and led three dates for it over the next decade. In the late ’70s, he found an collection of collaborating and innovative musicians based out of Connecticut, including Ray Anderson, percussionist Pheeroan akLaff, drummer Gerry Hemingway, pianist Anthony Davis, bassist Mark Helias, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and many more.
Mario co-founded the New Haven-based Creative Music Improvisers Forum (CMIF), which produced concerts and recordings that gave musicians more control over their own music. In addition to his ongoing activities as a bandleader, Pavone’s artwork and photography have graced the covers of dozens of recordings. His prodigious recording catalogue includes most recently the critically acclaimed Arc Trio and Street Songs. He is a recipient of a 2012 Chamber Music America New Works Grant. He has served as a board member for Litchfield Performing Arts for a dozen years, and performed on the Litchfield Jazz Festival on many occasions. He has served on the faculty of Litchfield Jazz Camp since 1998.Mario was chosen to perform as a mentor in this year’s Jazz Festival by LJC faculty member, Andrew Hadro. They will grace the mainstage along with Tony Malaby on Saturday, August 6th at 12 noon. Please purchase your tickets below – tickets range between $37.00 – $302.00