​​Iacovone

Composer, musician,
​ teaching-artist

About Rocco

Rocco John

Rocco John Iacovone  Musician/Composer
In addition to composing, Rocco plays Alto and Soprano Saxophones and Piano. He holds a BA and Master’s degree in Composition from Hunter College, where he studied under the direct disciples of Nadia Boulanger, renowned classical composition teacher. Rocco also studied privately with Lee Konitz, and played with Sam Rivers at Studio Rivbea. This early training  in divergent genres no doubt influenced his style of blurring the line between “in” and “out.”

Rocco has several albums under his name. Four-duo cd’s were recorded with his Keyboard partner, Murray Nash. Unfortunately, Nash left us way too early. Together they founded Rare Form.  The CD's are: Live at the Fairview, Please be Seated, Conversation in Three, and Lose Yer Blues.

In New York, Rocco has recorded many albums to date, all featuring his original compositions. Unseen Rain Records has released the majority of Rocco’s original compositions. He also records with a umber of other bands on the label.

 In 2013, he founded the Improvisational Composers Ensemble (ICE), an octette, to showcase original compositions which feature improvisation as a major compositional element. He recorded an album of his longer pieces for large ensemble with ICE, called PEACE AND LOVE a tribute to Will Connell, another musician who left us too soon. That album is also released on the Unseen Rain record label.

The Rocco John Group as been awarded multiple residency and Artistic grants by Chamber Music America. They present residencies and workshops regularly, and it is an important part of their work.

Currently, Rocco is involved with multiple music projects. His latest collaboration, The Rocco John Quartet  explores standards with a lens on creative interpretation.  He has prresented residency on Improvisation and composition in Messina, Italy with Blaise Siwula, and recently returned there to present an evening of his original works at The Filarmonica laudamo with The Rocco John Sicilian Quartet.