Jazz Insights: Joe C Esposito

One the premier reed players in New England represents Rhode Island. Joe C. Esposito was born in Westerly, grew-up in Warwick and now lives in Cranston. His smooth tenor saxophone style shows off his education — he’s a graduate of Boston’s Berklee College.

Joe is a proud freelance reedman, who also provides private lessons in several schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In the evenings he performs with many of the great local and visiting musicians at clubs, restaurants and private parties. Joe often performs at Twin Rivers with the Steve Anthony Band or The 5th Element (Newport) and at the Patio on Ocean Cliff, by the water on Newport’s famous Ocean Drive.

Joe’s accomplishments include gigs with the late Aretha Franklin, Henry Mancini, Herb Pomeroy, Joan Rivers and Don Rickles. He has also played in programs with Bob Newhart, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Bernadette Peters, Bobby Shew, Harold Jones and Kathy Lee Gifford. And Joe is quick to boast of his local work with Mike Renzi, Dick Lupino and a wide selection of top New England musicians.