Joseph Lepore was born in New York in 1967. He began his formal training in Italy at age twelve, after moving to Europe with his family. At fifteen he started playing the doublebass and in 1992 he graduated from the Conservatory of Salerno,with high honors.
In 1995 he moved to Rome, where he soon became a popular bassist on the jazz scene. He also worked for some Pop Italian artists and on some TV Shows in Italy. For some time he was also part of a Blues Band based in Rome (Blue Messengers) with 2 CD releases of mostly original tunes. In 1996 he attended a special workshop with Italian bassist Furio Di Castri. Apart from that he is mostly self taught. Joseph's main influences on the bass range widely, from that of Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Jimmy Garrison, Scott La Faro, Charles Mingus, Charlie Haden, to Dave Holland. In 2006 he is in the jazz program at CCNY studying for a while with J. Patitucci.
He also played with some prominent jazz musicians over the years, for example: Bob Dorough, Antonio Farao', Roberto Gatto, Joy Garrison, George Garzone, Steve Grossman, Tom Kirkpatrick, David Liebman, Mike Maineri, Bob Mover, Romano Mussolini, Jimmy Owens, Enrico Pieranunzi, Tony Scott, Gary Smulian, Elliot Zigmund, and others.
He has participated in numerous jazz festivals, for example: Gexto Jazz Festival 98 (Spain), Jazz a Liegi 98 (Belgium),
and in Italy: Umbria Jazz Festival 98, Jazz & Image 95-99, Ancona Jazz 95, Marajazz 98, Urbino Jazz 97, Teano Jazz 96, etc.
In September 1997 he competed in the Europ Jazz Contest 97. This is an important competition that is held annually in Brussels. Out of 60 groups, coming mostly from all over Europe, the quartet he was part of claimed first prize as best musical group. Over the years in Italy, he also worked as a professor of the doublebass in various schools in both Salerno and Rome.
In November of 1999, Joseph returned to New York City. Since December of 1999 he has been a member of
Trio 65, the house band at Rockefeller Center Rainbow Room in New York, performing six nights a week with pianist Ehud Asherie and drummer Tommaso Cappellato.
In NewYork he has played with: J.D.Allen, Clifford Barbaro, Isaac Ben Ayala, David Berkman, Peter Bernstein, Adam Birnbaum, Otis Brown, Chris Byars, Renato Chicco, Tim Collins, Billy Drummond, Duane Eubanks, Joe Farnswoth, Joel Frahm, Rick Germanson, Dave Gibson, Aaron Goldberg, Ned Goold, Noah Haidu, Tardo Hammer, Rufus Harley, Frank Hewitt, Victor Jones, Michael Kanan, Billie Kay, Ralph La Lama, Brad Leali, Eric Lewis, Jimmy Lovelace, Joe Magnarelli, Pete Malinverni, Ronnie Matthews, Bill McHenry, Eric McPherson, Dado Moroni, John Mosca, Lance Murphy, Cynthia Scott, James Spaulding, Grant Stewart, Richie Vitale, Nasheet Waits, Ben Waltzer, Harry Withaker, Michael Wilner, Michael Weiss, Lenny White, Jeff Williams, Richard Wyands, Leroy Williams, Sam Yahel and others.
In 2004 he tours with singer Cynthia Scott in W. Africa as part of the Jazz Ambassadors program sponsored by the State Department and Kennedy Center.
In 2007 tours with the Charlie Porter Quartet in West Africa as part of the American Music Abroad program sponsored by the State Department and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Currently teaches at the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music.
Other work completed by Joseph in the winter of 1999 includes a guest performance as the jazz bassist in Anthony Minghella The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Discography
Flashing Lights, Rosario Giuliani Quartet
Philology (Italy) 1998, Rosario Giuliani (saxophone), Joseph Lepore (doublebass), Pietro Lussu (piano), Lorenzo Tucci (drums).
Tension, Rosario Giuliani Quartet
Schema Records (Italy) 1998, Rosario Giuliani (saxophone), Joseph Lepore (Doublebass), Pietro Lussu (Piano & Fender Rhodes), Lorenzo Tucci ( Drums), Fabrizio Bosso (Trumpet).
Connotazione Blue, Rosario Giuliani Quartet
Philology (Italy) 2000, Rosario Giuliani (Saxophone), J.Lepore (doublebass), P.Lussu (piano), L.Tucci (Drums).
Passion, Claudio Colasazza
YVP Music (Germany) 1998, Claudio Colasazza (Piano), Joseph Lepore (doublebass), Rosario Giuliani (Saxophone),Pietro Iodice (Drums), Joy Garrison (Vocals), Daniela Velli (Vocals), Fabrizio Aiello (Percussions).
So Much, Sergio Esposito
YVP Music (Germany) 1994, Sergio Esposito (Piano), Joseph Lepore (Doublebass), Bob Fix (Soprano Saxophone),
Pietro Condorelli (Guitar), Vittorio Riva (Drums), and others.
Guajon, Fausto Ferraiuolo
IRD (Italy) 1999, Fausto Ferraiuolo (Piano), Joseph Lepore (Doublebass),Daniele Scannapieco (saxophone), Pietro Iodice (Drums), and others.
Vol.1 Music By Billy Strayhorn, Trio 65
NuJazzCity (USA) 2001, Ehud Asherie (Piano), Joseph Lepore (Doublebass), Tommaso Cappellato (Drums).
At the Rainbow Room, Claire Gobin
Gobin Records (UK) 2000, C. Gobin (Violin) with E.Asherie, J.Lepore, T. Cappellato.
Talkinà Jazz, Nicola Mingo
Red Records (Italy) 2001, Nicola Mingo (Guitar), Antonio Faraoî (Piano), Joseph Lepore (Doublebass), Luca Bulgarelli (Doublebass), Amedeo Ariano (Drums).
What I Was Before, Joy Garrison
YVP Music (Germany) 2003, Joy Garrison (Vocals), Joseph Lepore (Doublebass), Claudio Colasazza (Piano), Dario Deidda (Doublebass), AmedeoAriano (Drums), Rosario Giuliani (Alto Saxophone).
Steppin' Out, Steve Cromity
Cromcake Records (usa) 2004, Steve Cromity (Vocals), Eric Wyatt (Saxophones), Rodney Kendricks (Piano), Joseph Lepore (Doublebass), Emanuel Harrold (Drums).
Dodo 3, Toru Dodo
JazzCity (Japan) 2006, Toru Dodo (Piano), Joseph Lepore (Bass), Rodney Green (Drums).
Need For Peace, Fabio Morgera
Splash Records (Italy) 2007, Fabio Morgera (Tr., Fl., Voc.), J.Jackson (Trb.), Joe Ashlar (P., Keyb.), Joseph Lepore (Db.), Greg August (Db.), Bruce Cox (Dr.), Krystle Warren (Voc.), Miles Griffith (Voc.), Antonio Barbagallo (Voc.).
13 Floors, Roberto Tarenzi
Music Center (Italy) 2007, Roberto Tarenzi (Piano), Joseph Lepore (Bass), Paolo Benedettini (Bass), Luca Santaniello (Drums).
