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Vinson Valega

Vinson Valega 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 came to New York City in the early 90's to study music at the New School in Manhattan, where he studied with Marvin "Smitty" Smith (of The Tonight Show Band) 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, "Live@147, Consilience, Awake, and Biophilia.

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, Terrel Stafford, Eric Alexander, Jim Rotundi, David Hazeltine, Joel Frahm, Dena DeRose, and Vincent Herring, among others.

Gear

Slingerland drums; 21" Paste jazz ride; 20" Istanbul "Mel Lewis" crash ride; 14" Zildjian A hi-hats from the '70s.

Vinson Valega: Biophilia

Read "Biophilia" reviewed by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
May 14, 2010

Vinson Valega is a devoted environmental and progressive activist who seems engaged with his craft on an aesthetic level but also, it seems, in a profoundly logical, moral way. The drummer's compositions sound significant, as if every note were saying something, down to the slightest tap of the drumstick. This is not to say his records are wholly serious products: Valega demonstrates that quirk and laughter have their place alongside order and gravitas. The strength of Biophilia ...

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Liner Notes

Vinson Valega: Biophilia

by Vinson Valega
February 26, 2010

Biophilia We are in love with life and can't get enough of it! Life forms fascinate us and nature beckons with its mind-blowing “Wow!" factor as we experience first-hand its every possible shape, size, color, smell, and feel. We contribute money to preserve it and we even watch it on TV. This elemental human phenomenon was described eloquently in a 1984 book by the great socio-biologist, E.O. Wilson, entitled “Biophilia," where he details our “innate tendency to focus on life ...

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Take Five With...

Take Five With Vinson Valega

by AAJ Staff
February 25, 2010

Meet Vinson Valega: 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 came to New York City in the early 90's to study ...

204

Album Review

Vinson Valega: Awake

by Mark F. Turner
May 27, 2007

The underlying message inside Vinson Valega's Awake summons a quiet call to social and political awareness, just as past artists have done like saxophonist Sonny Rollins' Freedom Suite (Riverside, 1958). But for the activist and the pacifist alike, the message in this new release is clear and to the point--with music that is conscientious, alive, and immersive. A few things have changed since Valega's last recording Consilience (Consilience Productions, 2003). As the previous release featured the drummer ...

649

Opinion

Get Involved!

by Vinson Valega
October 18, 2006

'Tis the season... the election season, of course. That's right... it's almost that time again where we enter the polling booth to either affirm what a swell job our elected officials have been doing, or we pull the lever to “kick-the-bums-out!" In either case, our choice employs our representatives for the next term, where they get to decide how to divvy up the money and figure out how best to use the people's tool, also known as our government. This ...

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Album Review

The Vinson Valega Trio: Consilience

Read "Consilience" reviewed by Mark F. Turner

by Mark F. Turner
February 20, 2004

Contrary to popular belief, it's not always size that matters. This is definitely true of the jazz trio. The combination of connection, interaction, and execution can produce magic in the hands of just three focused musicians just as well as a large ensemble. Jazz great Bill Evans sums the goal of the jazz trio as follows: “Especially, I want my work, and the trios if possible, to sing."

Consilience features the Vinson Valega Trio: drummer Vinson Valega, saxophonist/flutist Anton Denner, ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vinson Valega

Source:
March 12, 2012

All About Jazz is celebrating Vinson Valega's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vinson Valega

Source:
March 12, 2011

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vinson Valega

Source: Michael Ricci
March 12, 2010

Performance / Tour

The Vinson Valega Group Performs at Smalls Jazz Club in NYC in Celebration of Their New Release Biophilia on February 26th, 2010

Source: Two for the Show Media
February 24, 2010

Drummer/Composer Vinson Valega will be performing with his Group at Smalls in NYC on February 26th, 2010 in celebration of his new CD release titled “Biophilia" (Consilience Productions) - Set Time: 7:30 to 9:15.

The Vinson Valega Group

Vinson Valega - Drums

Anton Denner - Alto Sax

Chris Bacas - Tenor Sax

Mike Fahn - Trombone

Matthew Fries - Piano

Gary Wang - Bass

The Vinson Valega Group

Smalls - 183 West 10th Street @ 7th Ave. New York City ...
read more

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Vinson Valega

Source: Michael Ricci
March 12, 2009

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Education

IAJE Panel: "Jazz in My Space" with Brian Lynch, Lonnie Plaxico, Vinson Valega, Jaleel Shaw, Michael Goldberg and Michael Ricci

Source: All About Jazz
January 11, 2007

IAJE Panel Reminder

Musicians are encouraged to attend the “Jazz in My Space" discussion panel on Friday January 12 at 6 PM in the Sheraton Hotel Times Square's NY Ballroom West.

About the Panel:

Jazz in My Space: Online Community-Building: New media experts will join with artists in a discussion of the ways musicians are embracing new media paradigms and online social networks such as MySpace, MOG, Last.fm, Pandora, YouTube, Wikipedia, All About Jazz, which bring fans together, create greater ...
read more

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Recording

Vinson Valega Group Releases "Awake" on Consilience Productions

Source: All About Jazz
October 9, 2006

It's Not Just Great Jazz, It's A Working Democracy

New York, NY--Consilience Productions announces the release of Awake, a new CD by the Vinson Valega Group. The recording highlights ten original compositions and continues the tradition of jazz activism, stressing the music as a vehicle to stimulate civic involvement. The project, in all of its aspects, reflects Valega's strong belief that the principles of jazz and democracy are linked. As he states in his liner-notes essay, “When We Fall Asleep, ...
read more

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Recording

New CD Release from The Vinson Valega Trio: "Consilience"

Source: All About Jazz
April 16, 2004

Consilience Productions is proud to announce the CD release, Consilience, by The Vinson Valega Trio. Recorded in New York City in August 2002, this trio consists of Anton Denner on saxophones and flute, Gary Wang on bass, and Vinson Valega on drums.

Playing together for over four years now, this recording documents a unique, chordless trio that suffuses a soulful approach with an airy aesthetic. Because this is a working trio, the music created on this recording reflects the loose, ...
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"Valega is still one of the most swinging drummers around, with snappy trap-work, and an ear for compositions that carry a sense of cool freedom, bringing to mind the 1960s modal sounds in a contemporary setting." —Mark F. Turner, AllAboutJazz, 5/27/07

"Valega's website indicates deeper intentions of progressive activism and open communication on political topics, though the swinging music is in no way didactic." —Philadelphia Daily News, 6/7/07 "

Valega is a spectacular drummer, delivering just what each track needs without over-powering or taking center stage at the expense of musicality

Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Extensive teaching experience in a lesson environment, including three years on the staff of the Stanford Jazz Workshop, Palo Alto, California (1999-2001). Rates vary.