Gary Valente

Gary Valente (born June 26, 1953) is a jazz trombonist.

Valente was born on June 26, 1953, in Worcester, Massachusetts.^[1] He started playing the trombone as a young child, encouraged by his father, who played the same instrument.^[1] In the 1970s he studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, with Jaki Byard, and recorded with the conservatory's Jazz Repertory Orchestra.^[1]

Valente became a prominent figure in contemporary big band jazz, as a member of bands led by Carla Bley, Lester Bowie, Chico O'Farrill, and George Russell.^[1] He has also played in a diverse range of smaller groups, including those led by Don Byron, Cab Calloway, Charlie Haden, Joe Lovano, and Andy Sheppard.^[1]

As a leader, he had a small band with tenor saxophonist Bob Hanlon in the late 1980s and co-founded Slideride with other trombonists in 1994.^[1] At the end of the 1990s he led a quintet that featured Lew Soloff.^[1]

With Carla Bley

• Social Studies (Watt, 1981)
• Live! (Watt, 1982)
• I Hate to Sing (Watt, 1984)
• Heavy Heart (Watt, 1984)
• Fleur Carnivore (Watt, 1989)
• The Very Big Carla Bley Band (Watt, 1991)
• Big Band Theory (Watt, 1993)
• The Carla Bley Big Band Goes to Church (Watt, 1996)
• 4x4 (Watt, 2000)
• Looking for America (Watt, 2003)
• Appearing Nightly (Watt, 2008)

With Lester Bowie

• The Odyssey of Funk & Popular Music (Atlantic, 1998)
• When the Spirit Returns (Warner/Birdology, 2000)

With George Gruntz

• Global Excellence (TCB, 2001)
• Tiger by the Tail (TCB, 2006)
• Pourquoi Pas? Why Not? (TCB, 2008)

With Joe Lovano

• Worlds (Label Bleu, 1990)
• Viva Caruso (Blue Note, 2002)

With Nick Mason

• Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports (Harvest, 1981)
• Unattended Luggage (Parlophone, 2018)

With Arturo O'Farrill

• Song for Chico (Zoho, 2008)
• Final Night at Birdland (Zoho, 2013)

With Chico O'Farrill

• Heart of a Legend (Milestone, 1999)
• Carambola (Milestone, 2000)

With Ed Schuller

• Life Cycle (GM, 1982)
• The Eleventh Hour (Tutu, 1992)
• To Know Where One Is (Power Bros 1994)
• The Force (Tutu, 1996)

With Andy Sheppard

• Soft on the Inside (Antilles, 1990)
• Rhythm Method (Blue Note, 1993)
• Delivery Suite (Blue Note, 1994)

With others

• Ray Anderson, Craig Harris and George Lewis, Slideride (hat ART, 1995)
• Charlie Haden, The Ballad of the Fallen (ECM, 1983)
• Defunkt, Live in Europe (2002)
• George Russell, New York Big Band (Soul Note, 1982)
• George Schuller, Lookin' Up from Down Below (GM, 1989)
• Joseph Daley, The Seven Deadly Sins (Jaro, 2010)
• Karen Mantler, Karen Mantler's Pet Project (Virgin 2000)
• Orange Then Blue, Music for Jazz Orchestra (GM, 1987)
• Robert Wyatt, Different Every Time (Domino, 2014)
• Sara Lee, Make It Beautiful (Righteous Babe, 2000)
• Steve Weisberg, I Can't Stand Another Night Alone (XtraWATT, 1986)
• Tony Dagradi, Oasis (Gramavision, 1980)