Sax and the City

Donato's career has been equally durable. He plays approximately 200 performances a year, including the Tuscany gigs, additional concerts, weddings, and bar mitzvahs. He has two albums to his credit, 2000's Joe Donato for Friends and 2001's Joe Donato and the Brian Murphy Trio Live at the Tuscany. And while he claims to have never had a day job, last year he began conducting band classes and teaching jazz appreciation and jazz and pop music history courses at the University of Miami, Miami-Dade Community College, and Florida International University.

Still Donato admits Miami hasn't always had the most fertile jazz environment. "There's very little jazz happening in South Florida," he concedes. "But I'm thankful for what we do have, live and on the radio. Most of all I'm grateful for the fine artists that reside here."

Jonathan Postal

Jazz is in Joe Donato's blood; he teaches it, performs it, and his house has become a shrine to it

Details

performs at 8:00 p.m. Thursdays. Admission is free. Call 305-445-0022.

Tuscany Café, 3484 Main Hwy, Coconut Grove.

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More About

• Joe Donato
• Kathleen Donato
• Brian Murphy
• Faye Dunaway
• Hollywood

As for fame and fortune, Donato imparts a lesson others have undoubtedly discovered the hard way. "You know how to make a million in jazz?" he asks. "Invest five million."