Roots, Jazz, and American Music
Sfcm
Stage Surprise: SFCM Student Jams with Jazz Greats
October 8, 2021
Randy Vincent
- Roots, Jazz, and American Music
- Jazz Guitar
Contact
Departments
Courses Taught
Applied Lessons
Ensembles
BeBop and Beyond
Q&A
What is your hometown?
Santa Rosa, CA
What was the defining moment when you decided to pursue music as a career?
When I heard George Benson in 1970.
What was a turning point in your career?
Playing the Monterey Jazz Festival with Dizzy Gillespie.
If you weren't a musician or teacher, what do you think you would be doing now?
A park ranger.
If you could play only three composers for the rest of your life, who would they be?
Mendelssohn, Ravel, and Jim Hall.
Who are three students you have had the privilege of teaching?
Julian Lage, Liberty Ellman, and Dave NcNab.
What are your academic publications?
Three Note Voicings and Beyond
Line Games
Guitarist's Introduction to Jazz
What recordings can we hear you on?
“Ambos Mundos” with Bobby Hutcherson and James Spaulding
“Bebop and Beyond Plays Dizzy Gillespie” with Dizzy Gillespie
“Bebop and Beyond Plays Thelonious Monk” with Joe Henderson, Howard Johnson, George Cables, and Donald Bailey
“Spider Dreams” Turtle Island String Quartet
“Sea of Dreams” Vern Thompson with Billy Childs, Akira Tana and Tony Dumas
Since moving to the Bay Area in 1980, Vincent has divided his time between teaching and performing. Along with the teaching he has conducted clinics throughout the U.S. and in Spain where he taught at Taller de Musicos in Madrid while he was touring with Joe Henderson.
He has performed with many musicians including Dizzy Gillespie, Ira Sullivan, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Jack Sheldon, Donald Byrd, Louis Bellson, Terry Gibbs, Bill Watrous, Herb Pomeroy, Ernie Watts, Mel Martin, Benny Barth and a great number of Bay Area musicians. Currently he is playing in groups such as Bennett Friedman Quartet, Sonoma State Faculty Band, Dave Eshelman Jazz Garden Big Band, and the Randy Vincent/Chris Amberger Duo. He was also involved in a group called Evidence which was devoted to playing the music of Thelonious Monk.