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Vinny Golia

As a composer Vinny Golia fuses the rich heritage of Jazz, contemporary classical and world music into his own unique compositions. Also a bandleader, Golia has presented his music to concert audiences in Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the United States in ensembles varying dramatically in size and instrumentation. Mr. Golia has won numerous awards as a composer, including grants from The National Endowment of the Arts, The Lila Wallace Commissioning Program, The California Arts Council, Meet the Composer,Clausen Foundation of the Arts, Funds for U.S. Artists and the American Composers Forum. In 1982 he created the on-going 50 piece Vinny Golia Large Ensemble to perform his compositions for chamber orchestra and jazz ensembles.

A multi-woodwind performer, Vinny’s recordings have been consistently picked by critics and readers of music journals for their yearly “ten best” lists. In 1990 he was the winner of the Jazz Times TDWR award for Bass Saxophone. In 1998 he ranked 1st in the Cadence Magazine Writers & Readers Poll and has continually placed in the Downbeat Critic’s Poll for Baritone & Soprano Saxophone. In 1999 Vinny won the LA Weekly’s Award for “Best Jazz Musician”. Jazziz Magazine has also named him as one of the 100 people who have influenced the course of Jazz in our Century. In 2006 The Jazz Journalists Association honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. 2013 Vinny won the Downbeat Critic’s Poll in the “New Star” category for Baritone Saxophone.

Golia has also contributed original compositions and scores to Ballet and Modern Dance works, video, theatrical productions, and film. As an educator Vinny has lectured on music & painting composition, improvisation, Jazz History, The History of Music in Film, CD & record manufacturing and self-production throughout the United States, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand and Canada. He currently teaches at California Institute of the Arts. In 1998 Golia was appointed Regent’s Lecturer at the University of California at San Diego. In 2009 Vinny Golia was appointed the first holder of the Michel Colombier Performer Composer Chair at Cal Arts.

Vinny has been a featured performer with Anthony Braxton, Henry Grimes, John Carter, Bobby Bradford, Joelle Leandre, Leo Smith, Horace Tapscott, John Zorn, Tim Berne, Bertram Turetzky, George Lewis, Barre Phillips, The Rova Saxophone Quartet, Patti Smith, Harry “the Hipster” Gibson, Eugene Chadburne, Kevin Ayers, Peter Kowald, John Bergamo, George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, Misha Mengelberg, Han Bennick, Lydia Lunch, Harry Sparrney and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra amongst many others.


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Radio & Podcasts

Vinny Golia, James Brandon Lewis & Eric Plaks

Read "Vinny Golia, James Brandon Lewis & Eric Plaks" reviewed by Maurice Hogue


The full title to veteran California free jazz saxophonist and icon Vinny Golia's latest recording is very long (Even to This Day... Music for Orchestra and Soloists Movement Two: Syncretism: For The Draw but it pales in comparison to the length of the recording: 13.5 hours plus. Golia began he project before Covid. It features solo, duo, trio and quartet pieces of improvisation with a decidedly electronic bent. Amazing really!! Other new recordings opened this week are the latest from ...

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Album Review

Ivo Perelman: Reed Rapture in Brooklyn

Read "Reed Rapture in Brooklyn" reviewed by Jeff Schwartz


Is this album fundamentally unreviewable? Are there jazz fans who do not immediately know if they need an 11-hour collection of 103 improvised duets between Ivo Perelman and a dozen saxophonists and clarinetists? It is at least describable. Perelman is faithful to his tenor, while his partners bring examples of nearly every type of saxophone, from soprillo to contrabass, as well as most of the clarinet family. Although all tracks are free improvisations, the default mode is ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Perelman Meets Golia And More

Read "Perelman Meets Golia And More" reviewed by Bob Osborne


On this show further explorations from Ivo Perelman this time with Vinny Golia on the impressive Reed Rapture In Brooklyn boxed set. Perelman is also in partnership with Joe Morris for a new release. In addition there are selections from Golia's back catalogue as well as new music from Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding, Holly Burke, Bill Runge & Linda Lee Thomas and Daniel Iván Bruno. Playlist Show Intro 00:00 Ivo Perelman & Vinny Golia “Seven" from Reed ...

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Album Review

Danny Kamins / Vinny Golia / Garrett Wingfield: The Ojai Sessions

Read "The Ojai Sessions" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Long before Bob Dorough sang about it in Schoolhouse Rock, and before the hip hop group De La Soul took up the anthem, three has always been a magic number. To the Buddhists it is the three jewels, for the Christians the Holy Trinity, the three core principles of Islam, and on and on. Maybe that is what makes the three saxophones of The Ojai Sessions a magic release. This 2018 session from California features the spontaneous creations ...

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Album Review

Ivo Perelman: Reed Rapture in Brooklyn

Read "Reed Rapture in Brooklyn" reviewed by Mark Corroto


"Let's play two," the famous line by the Cubs Hall-of-Fame baseball player Ernie Banks in 1969, uttered when the temperature in Chicago had reached 105 degrees (40.5 celsius) and his teammates were exhausted, might find its analogy with this massive undertaking from saxophonist Ivo Perelman. At eleven hours in length though, the two games Banks cited are not single games, but more like two double-headers here. Like the baseball infielder, Perelman has limitless energy and a never-ending appetite for creativity, ...

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Liner Notes

Reed Rapture In Brooklyn: A Box Set Of Woodwind Duets With Ivo Perelman

Read "Reed Rapture In Brooklyn: A Box Set Of Woodwind Duets With Ivo Perelman" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian


One of the 20th century's musical geniuses, saxophonist Charlie Parker said “Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you that music has boundaries. But, man, there's no boundary line to art." This statement on unbridled creativity applies perfectly to saxophonist Ivo Perelman's oeuvre. Perelman, however, is not just a saxophonist. Although the tenor is one of his favorite tools of expression, he is an ...

Radio & Podcasts

Gard Nilssen, Sam Rivers, Dark Tree & Clean Feed

Read "Gard Nilssen, Sam Rivers, Dark Tree & Clean Feed" reviewed by Maurice Hogue


The '70s in Los Angeles was a very fertile period for free and avant-garde jazz. Dark Tree Records has been re-releasing some of that music and four of their albums are featured in this edition of OMJ. You'll hear music from Dark Tree albums by Horace Tapscott, Roberto Miranda, John Carter/Bobby Bradford and Vinny Golia. The latter's excellent release with Bernard Santacruz and Cristiano Calcagnile is actually a 2017 recording, but Golia was a key member of the L.A. free ...

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186

Interview

Interview with Composer/Multi-Woodwind Player Vinny Golia

Interview with Composer/Multi-Woodwind Player Vinny Golia

Source: SoCal Creative Music

So here is the first installment of my interview series of Southern California musicians who focus on 'Creative Music', or music that utilizes compositional elements and improvisational elements. I plan to interview as many musicians as I can, from longtime Angelenos, to up and coming players, as well as some recent transplants to Los Angeles, so I may get their perspective on LA compared to some of the other 'Creative Music' hotbeds. (Look for upcoming interviews with: Susie Allen, William ...

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Performance / Tour

Night of Radical Guitar: Janet Feder and Miroslav Tadic with Vinny Golia

Night of Radical Guitar: Janet Feder and Miroslav Tadic with Vinny Golia

Source: SoCal Creative Music


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Performance / Tour

Vinny Golia @ Asto Museum Feb. 27th, 8PM

Vinny Golia @ Asto Museum Feb. 27th, 8PM

Source: SoCal Creative Music

Los Angeles, musical legend, woodwind player/composer, Vinny Golia plays with his electric sextet this Saturday night @ The Asto Museum. The band features some of Los Angeles', best up and coming musicians. Not to be missed. Ensemble also includes:Gavin Templeton-Alto Sax Dan Rosenboom-Trumpet Alex Noice-GuitarJon Armstrong-Bass Andrew Lessman-DrumsFebruary, 27th, 8PMAsto Museum of Art 4505 Huntington Dr. South, Los Angeles, CA 90032 tel.323 343 8607 www.astomoa.org

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Festival

Jazz This Week: David Sanborn, Cedar Walton, Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, Frank Catalano, Bruce Menefield, KMOX Jazz and Wine Festival, and More

Jazz This Week: David Sanborn, Cedar Walton, Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, Frank Catalano, Bruce Menefield, KMOX Jazz and Wine Festival, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

It's potentially a very busy week for fans of jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with plenty of noteworthy performances happening over the next few days. Let's look at some of the highlights:This evening, veteran pianist Cedar Walton begins a four-night run with his trio at Jazz at the Bistro. Arriving on the scene in the late 1950s, Walton has worked with heavyweight musicians such as Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Abbey Lincoln, J.J. ...

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Performance / Tour

New Music Circle 2008-09 Season to Include Concerts by Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, Morton Subotnick

New Music Circle 2008-09 Season to Include Concerts by Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, Morton Subotnick

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Concerts by the 27-piece Vinny Golia Large Ensemble and electronic music legend Morton Subotnick (pictured) will be among the highlights of New Music Circle's 2008-09 season, the fiftieth anniversary year for the venerable presenting organization.Golia, who composes and improvises on multiple woodwind instruments, will kick off the NMC season with a performance on Saturday, September 27 at the Webster University Community Music School, 534 Garden Ave. NMC says they've “assembled a 27-piece group of top local and national ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

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To Live and Breathe…

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Cryptogramophone
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