Transcontinental Music lies at the heart of Joe De Gregorio’s Trilogy. It is an ambitious recording project realized across two continents in a single year (2025). The Trilogy consists of three distinct yet connected albums. Together, they bring renowned jazz artists from different nations and generations. As a result, the project highlights Joe De Gregorio’s vision as a pianist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader working between tradition and innovation.
Concept & Vision in a Transcontinental Music Project
At its core, the Trilogy explores the evolution of jazz through three clear perspectives: heritage, cross-genre dialogue, and song interpretation. Each album stands on its own. However, each also contributes to a broader story of jazz as a living, global art form. Seen through the lens of Transcontinental Music, the project reflects movement, exchange, and cultural dialogue.
Trilogy’s first Album – For Blues’ Sake
Feat. Ron Carter & Peter Erskine
Recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio, For Blues’ Sake is a double album dedicated to the blues as the foundation of jazz.
Volume I presents 13 original jazz études. These pieces offer personal variations on the blues form. At the same time, they expand its harmonic, rhythmic, and expressive range while honoring its roots.
Volume II, meanwhile, features refined interpretations of classic jazz standards based on the blues. Therefore, it connects tradition with a modern sensibility.
The album features two living jazz legends: Ron Carter on bass and Peter Erskine on drums. Their presence strengthens the album’s link to jazz history. Moreover, it deepens the intergenerational dialogue at the heart of the project.
Trilogy’s second Album – Crossover
Feat. Peter Erskine & The LA String Players
Crossover broadens the Trilogy’s scope by exploring the meeting point between jazz and other musical languages. It features Peter Erskine, bassist and composer Ike Sturm, and The LA String Players. Together, they perform original compositions and reimagined standards, including a well-known pop evergreen.
Musically, the album blends funk, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and classical influences. As a result, melody becomes the unifying force. This approach reshapes contemporary jazz through rich textures and stylistic balance. Ultimately, the album stands as a clear example of Transcontinental Music, where global influences meet jazz tradition.
Trilogy’s third Album – Crooner’s Journey
Feat. Joe De Gregorio’s Parisian Quartet
Recorded in Paris, Crooner’s Journey pays tribute to the art of song through a jazz perspective. The album features leading figures from the French jazz scene, including Louis Moutin on drums and Géraldine Laurent on alto saxophone.
The repertoire includes jazz standards and international classics, as well as pop evergreens. All pieces are newly arranged in a jazz style. In addition, Joe De Gregorio performs vocally in five languages. As a result, the album feels intimate, elegant, and deeply expressive. It reflects his identity as a cosmopolitan storyteller who connects cultures through sound. Transcontinental Music Publications
A Unified Artistic Vision in Transcontinental Music
Together, the three albums form a clear artistic arc:
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For Blues’ Sake explores jazz roots and tradition
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Crossover embraces stylistic expansion and modern dialogue
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Crooner’s Journey celebrates song, language, and emotion
Taken as a whole, Joe De Gregorio’s Trilogy stands as a testament to Transcontinental Music. It presents jazz as a global language that respects its past while engaging with the present and future.