Joe Diamo is among Colorado's premiere jazz musicians, and an artist who strives to give meaning to his work.

"Music, in its purest form, is the translation of the novel intuitive experience of reality through the immediacy of the sounding vessel," Diamo says. "It is the continual revelation of the whole universe expressing itself fully in the flow of the trans conceptual moment. It is the living expression of the logos whose essence is spontaneity and divine intelligence/love. The musician's mission is to be a pure vessel for the influx of of the divine revelation in each moment."

Joe further states: "I want to unite consciousness and music, spiritual development and musical involvement."

Even as a child, he knew he wanted to be a musician. "The drums were calling me," he says today. "I studied with my uncle for five years ... I practiced all the time ... my favorite thing was to cloister myself in my room, turn the lights down low, put on a pair of shades and play to Cannonball."

He attended Western Connectitcut State College as a percussion major, and the Berklee College of Music, where he studied jazz. "On my breaks I'd go study with Ed Blackwell," Joe recalls. "I loved him!"

"Music and spirituality have gone hand-in-hand with me. From a discipleship with a Hindu master, to Zen, the Sufis, Shamanism, and eventually to the profound Vajrayana, all were invaluable experiences in my development."

Joe has performed with such jazz notables as Maynard Ferguson and Doc Severinson, and with the legendary flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya. He teaches privately, has led numerous ensembles, and is a past member of Boulder Taiko HIBIKI and the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra.

He studied with Ed Blackwell, Andrew Cyrille, Pete Esposito, and many others.