Vinson Valega
Encyclopedia
Vinson Valega is a jazz musician and composer
who resides in New York City
. He was born in Silver Spring, MD, on March 12, 1965. He was raised outside of Washington, DC in Olney, MD.
Vinson is also involved in environmental issues and progressive
activism. Inspired by the concept of Consilience
that was first developed by the socio-biologist
, Edward O. Wilson, he is stimulating a "dialogue BEYOND music" at his non-profit, artist-run production company, "Consilience Productions". He has been married since 1998 to artist, Sharon Louden
.
Vinson grew up in a musical family near Washington, D.C., studying classical piano from age seven until switching to the drums when he was 12. He played drums for three years in the All-County Jazz Ensemble during high school and subsequently held the drum chair in the University of Pennsylvania
Big Band during college. After graduating from UPENN with a B.A. in Economics
, Vinson moved to New York City in the early 90's to study music at the Mannes College of Music
in Manhattan, where he studied with Marvin Smith
(of The Tonight Show Band
), Vernel Fournier
, and Norm Freeman (of the New York Philharmonic
).
Vinson has performed in many clubs in the New York Metropolitan area, including the Blue Note, Smoke, The Jazz Gallery, 55 Bar, Birdland, Smalls, Cornelia Street Cafe, Cleopatra's Needle, and Trumpets of Montclair, NJ. An avid composer, Vinson also teaches privately and served on the staff of the Stanford Jazz Workshop
in California from 1999-2001. He has toured throughout North America and Europe with his groups and others, and he appears on Matthew Fries' CD, Song For Today (TCB) and the Ganz Brother's release, First Steps (Extravaganza). Vinson also has four CDs out as a leader, Biophilia, Awake, Consilience, and Live@147.
In addition, Vinson has also worked with or played alongside with many of the great musicians in jazz, such as Grover Washington, Jr.
, Dakota Staton
, Clarke Terry, James Williams, Donald Brown, Harold Mabern, Jr., Jamil Nasser, Ron McClure, Bob Mintzer
, Russell Malone, Peter Bernstein, Mark Turner, Terell Stafford
, Eric Alexander, Jim Rotundi, David Hazeltine
, Joel Frahm, Dena DeRose
, Vincent Herring
, and Candido Camero
, among others.
Vinson Valega releases:
Online essay: Get Involved!
Music agency: Just Jazz
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
who resides in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was born in Silver Spring, MD, on March 12, 1965. He was raised outside of Washington, DC in Olney, MD.
Vinson is also involved in environmental issues and progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
activism. Inspired by the concept of Consilience
Consilience
Consilience, or the unity of knowledge , has its roots in the ancient Greek concept of an intrinsic orderliness that governs our cosmos, inherently comprehensible by logical process, a vision at odds with mystical views in many cultures that surrounded the Hellenes...
that was first developed by the socio-biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
, Edward O. Wilson, he is stimulating a "dialogue BEYOND music" at his non-profit, artist-run production company, "Consilience Productions". He has been married since 1998 to artist, Sharon Louden
Sharon Louden
Sharon Louden is an American Artist b. 1964.Louden is known for her whimsical use of the line. Her paintings, drawings, animations, sculpture and installations are often centered around lines or linear abstractions and their implied or actual movement. Through her work she creates what she calls...
.
Biography
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
Big Band during college. After graduating from UPENN with a B.A. in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, Vinson moved to New York City in the early 90's to study music at the Mannes College of Music
Mannes College of Music
Mannes College The New School for Music is The New School university's music conservatory. While the university's main campus is located in Greenwich Village, New York City, Mannes maintains its main academic building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan....
in Manhattan, where he studied with Marvin Smith
Marvin Smith
Smith, an alumnus of Berklee, has recorded 200 albums with various artists, as well as two solo albums.In addition, he also has toured with Sting, Dave Holland, Sonny Rollins and Willie Nelson. He is a former member of The New York Jazz Quartet, and is in a band with Kevin Eubanks, fellow Berklee...
(of The Tonight Show Band
The Tonight Show Band
The Tonight Show Band is the band which plays on the American television variety show, The Tonight Show. From 1962 to the 1990s, during the years the show was known as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, the band was a 17-piece Big Band, and was an important outlet for jazz on American...
), Vernel Fournier
Vernel fournier
Vernel Anthony Fournier and, from 1975, known as Amir Rushdan, was a jazz drummer probably best known for his work with Ahmad Jamal from 1956 to 1962....
, and Norm Freeman (of the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
).
Vinson has performed in many clubs in the New York Metropolitan area, including the Blue Note, Smoke, The Jazz Gallery, 55 Bar, Birdland, Smalls, Cornelia Street Cafe, Cleopatra's Needle, and Trumpets of Montclair, NJ. An avid composer, Vinson also teaches privately and served on the staff of the Stanford Jazz Workshop
Stanford Jazz Workshop
Stanford Jazz Workshop was founded in 1972 by saxophonist and educator Jim Nadel to create an environment conducive to learning, experiencing and appreciating jazz...
in California from 1999-2001. He has toured throughout North America and Europe with his groups and others, and he appears on Matthew Fries' CD, Song For Today (TCB) and the Ganz Brother's release, First Steps (Extravaganza). Vinson also has four CDs out as a leader, Biophilia, Awake, Consilience, and Live@147.
In addition, Vinson has also worked with or played alongside with many of the great musicians in jazz, such as Grover Washington, Jr.
Grover Washington, Jr.
Grover Washington, Jr. was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with George Benson, John Klemmer, David Sanborn, Bob James, Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre.He wrote some of his material and...
, Dakota Staton
Dakota Staton
Dakota Staton , also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period, was an American jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the 1957 No...
, Clarke Terry, James Williams, Donald Brown, Harold Mabern, Jr., Jamil Nasser, Ron McClure, Bob Mintzer
Bob Mintzer
Bob Mintzer is a jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader based in Los Angeles, California. Mintzer is a member of the jazz rock band the Yellowjackets.-With The Yellowjackets:*Greenhouse, 1991;*Live Wires, 1992;...
, Russell Malone, Peter Bernstein, Mark Turner, Terell Stafford
Terell Stafford
Terell Stafford is a professional jazz trumpet player and current Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University.Terell Stafford born in Miami, Florida and raised in both Chicago, Illinois and Silver Spring, Maryland. He went on to get a degree in music education from University of Maryland in 1988...
, Eric Alexander, Jim Rotundi, David Hazeltine
David Hazeltine
David Hazeltine is an American jazz pianist.Today a major pianist in the New York and Japan scenes, David Hazeltine has been playing gigs since he was thirteen. He did not seriously consider going into music until right before college. Once he entered into the jazz world he was encouraged by Chet...
, Joel Frahm, Dena DeRose
Dena DeRose
Dena DeRose is an American jazz pianist, singer and educator. Although she began her career just as a pianist, medical problems with her hand forced her to become a vocalist as well. She has released seven solo albums.-Early life:...
, Vincent Herring
Vincent Herring
Vincent Herring is an American jazz hard bop and post-bop saxophonist and flautist.-Biography:Herring's formal musical education began at age 11, when he started playing saxophone in school bands and studying privately at Dean Frederick's School Of Music in Vallejo, California...
, and Candido Camero
Candido Camero
Candido de Guerra Camero, also known simply as Candido is a Cuban percussionist who backed many Afro-Cuban jazz and straightforward jazz acts since the 1950s...
, among others.
Song Samples
All compositions by Vinson ValegaExternal links
Official Vinson Valega website: Consilience ProductionsVinson Valega releases:
Online essay: Get Involved!
Music agency: Just Jazz