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Vin Venezia

Guitarist Vincent Venezia is a talent on today’s contemporary music scene. He began playing guitar at age eight, studying with various instructors from his hometown of Cliffside Park, New Jersey.

Accomplished in several styles of music, he is a veteran of Broadway and European tours and works steadily in the tri-state area as a leader, sideman and composer since graduating William Paterson College with a degree in Jazz Studies and Performance.

Vincent was instructed by the best performers of our time: jazz guitarists Bob DeVos, Harry Leahey and classical guitarist Leonid Bolotin.

The National Endowment for the Arts awarded Vincent two consecutive fellowships to study with modern jazz star Mike Stern.

Some of the greats he has performed with include: Kermit Driscoll, Lincoln Goines, Harvie S, Richie Morales, Cameron Brown, Steve Marcus, Steve Johns, Lew Soloff, Steve LaSpina, Gerry Niewood and Doug Weiss.

Vincent writes compositions for jazz ensemble and solo guitar with influence drawn from Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and Miles Davis.

His broad knowledge within the jazz tradition yields a musical voice with exciting results. He looks forward to performing music in more challenging creative situations.

Awards

National Endowment for the Arts

Wendell Harrison, Rudy Royston, Grant Green & Vin Venezia

by Joe Dimino
March 3, 2024

From guitarist Vin Venezia, we begin the 844th Episode of Neon Jazz with music from his 2024 album The Venetian. We then get into his primary influence with Wes Montgomery. From there, we explore an impressive array of new jazz from the likes of Molly Miller, Cliff Beach and Lori Bell. We also hear new music from the esteemed Lisa Hilton and Wendell Harrison. We finish off the hour with Grant Green and music from his 1961 Blue Note release, ...

Album Review

Vin Venezia: The Venetian

Read "The Venetian" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
September 8, 2023

Vin Venezia won't blow your mind or even knock your socks off--that's simply not his style. The New Jersey-based guitarist will, however, lure you into his orbit with the sort of smooth and mellow sounds and precisely articulated phrases often associated such masters as Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and others who blazed a trail for contemporary jazz guitarists. Venezia traces their footsteps, but does so in his own way, which is one reason why his sophomore album, The ...

Vin Venezia is an excellent guitarist based in New Jersey who has attractive sounds and a fluent technique on electric and acoustic guitars, the baritone guitar, the nylon string guitar, and the guitar synthesizer. He started playing guitar when he was eight, earned a degree in Jazz Studies and Performance from William Paterson College, and studied along the way with Bob DeVos, Harry Leahey and Mike Stern. Venezia’s versatility has come in handy on a wide variety of musical jobs and it is displayed winningly on his appealing and swinging CD Fifth And Adams. The guitarist contributed all ten originals for this set which features him in several different settings (ranging from solo to a pair of quintets) with pianist David Budway, tenor-saxophonist Bob Magnusson, bassists Harvie S. and Kermit Driscoll, drummer Richie Morales, and percussionist Manolo Badrena with Mike Stern having a guest appearance. The opener, “Watch Your Step,” is a relative of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” and has fine tenor, guitar and piano solos. The minor blues “The Longliner” is taken at a relaxed tempo, preceding the ballad “Fifth And Adams,” a duet by Venezia on baritone guitar and bassist Driscoll. “Song For Deb” is a moody piece that has Venezia featured on guitar synthesizer with a quartet. It climaxes with him jamming over an appealing closing vamp. The ballad “Ella” has Venezia’s nylon string guitar in the spotlight including for a long unaccompanied introduction. The style shifts to bebop for a guitar duet with Stern (“Oddogg”) and the swinging “Blues For Remus.” The atmospheric “Didn’t Want To” is an introspective performance with Venezia heard on solo baritone guitar. The brief “Coronation” has Venezia taking a free improvisation on guitar synth in a duet with percussionist Badrena, leading to the closer, “Two Squirrels,” a modern jazz jam with Venezia hinting at Pat Metheny. Throughout Fifth And Adams, Vin Venezia is heard in top form, never wasting a note or letting the momentum slow down. It is a superior outing for the guitarist, one that is easily recommended.

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