Acclaimed jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano, whose musical energy has been compared to John Coltrane, will discuss the legal issues he has faced as a working artist when he speaks at the Center for Intellectual Property Law & Information Technology’s (CIPLIT) annual Visiting Artist Lecture. The lunchtime program will be held from 11:50 a.m. until 1 p.m. April 8 at the DePaul University College of Law, 25 E. Jackson Blvd., Room 805. The cost of the event, which includes lunch, is $25 and reservations are required.

The youngest saxophonist ever voted onto the highly competitive Downbeat Critics Poll, Catalano, 30, began his foray into music at the tender age of 12. It was then that he purchased his first saxophone with money he earned from mowing lawns. By the time he turned 19, the Chicago native was signed with Delmark Records and recorded his first solo album, "Cut it Out," which featured trumpeter Ira Sullivan.

Described by critics as one of the leading saxophone players of his time, Catalano made his major label launch in 2008 when he recorded the album "Bang!" on Savoy Jazz, which is a division of Columbia Music Entertainment. "Bang!" debuted at No. 12 on Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums Chart. His previous album, "Mighty Burner," had held a place on the charts for 20 straight weeks. Combined, the chart positioning of the two albums established Catalano as one of the top-selling saxophonists in the United States.

A graduate of DePaul’s School of Music with a degree in musical composition, Catalano has worked with music greats such as Charles Earland, Tony Bennett, Von Freeman and Randy Becker. He has toured with Santana, and has contributed his "missile-speed" finger style to projects by Jennifer Lopez, John Legend and Destiny’s Child.

Catalano will share what he has experienced from a business and legal perspective as he has journeyed through the music industry. He also will participate in a panel discussion that will address such issues as the attorney-artist relationship and legal issues faced by working artists. Panelists will include attorney Gregg Gansmann, and DePaul College of Law professors Ben Alba and Margit Livingston.

Consistently ranked among the best intellectual property programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report, CIPLIT was established by the College of Law in 1997. It offers more than 30 courses and four certifications in IP law. Each year, CIPLIT explores critical intellectual property issues raised in the fine arts arena as part of its Visiting Artist program. Catalano’s discussion marks the fourth offering in the series.

For more information about the program or to reserve a seat, contact Vadim Shifrin, assistant director of CIPLIT, at 312/362-8415 or vshifrin@depaul.edu. For more information about CIPLIT, visit www.law.depaul.edu/ciplit.