Vinson Valega

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 and is a product of suburbia, where he was raised outside of Washington, DC.

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 artist-run website "Consilience Productions".

Biography

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Vinson has performed in many clubs in the New York Metropolitan area, including the Blue Note, Smoke, Sweet Rhythm, 55 Bar, Birdland, Smalls, Detour, 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 three CDs out as a leader, "Live@147", "Consilience", and "Awake".

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, and Vincent Herring, and Candido Camero, among others.

Quotes

*"Valega's ”d-ruminations” are colorful and deliberate as every part of his kit is skillfully used." AllAboutJazz.com (2004)Fact|date=January 2008

*"Valega finds quirky ways of laying down the groove, coloring it with subtle polyrhythms and syncopation." Cadence Magazine (2004)

*"Valega’s drumming continually evolves, steady rhythmically but given to frequent tonal shifts which create new environments which his bandmates respond to with snap reflexes." Philadelphia City Paper online (2005)

*"The reality of jazz in the 21st century is that there are many talented players, but not enough long term collaborations between musicians sharing common musical values and a similar vision. The Vinson Valega Trio seeks to defy this trend, using its five years as a working group to carefully construct a book of original and standard songs that reflects their extensive experience together while keeping in tune with each member’s inventive style." The Villager, New York City (2005)

*"The album ("Consilience") is filled with energized rhythms, smooth melodic structures and understated harmonies; many of which are not only surprising, but are also thought-provoking. There are mind-blowing solos as well as well-rounded augmentations of some of the finest composers and innovators in music. Jazzreview.com (2005)

ong Samples

All compositions by Vinson Valega

External links

Official Vinson Valega website: [http://www.cslproductions.com Consilience Productions]
Vinson Valega releases: [http://www.cslproductions.com/music/releases-awake.shtml "Awake"]
* [http://www.cslproductions.com/music/releases-consilience.shtml "Consilience"]
* [http://www.cslproductions.com/music/releases-147.shtml "Live@147"]
* [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=1745 AllAboutJazz.com]
Online essay: [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=23378 Get Involved!]
Music agency: [http://www.justjazznyc.com "Just Jazz"]
* [http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/greenpages/detail.cfm?key=19392 Co-Op America member]