Art of the Messenger Carlos Vega

• 1 Art of the Messenger 07:44
• 2 Bird's Word 07:22
• 3 Ode to the Patient Observer 05:13
• 4 Across the Ocean 06:55
• 5 Don't Forget to Ask 05:54
• 6 Something to Say 05:59
• 7 Oh 05:23
• 8 The Owl 05:50
• 9 Who Cooks for You 08:19
• 10 Heed the Call 09:41
• 11 Serenata for Bela 06:42
• Total Runtime 01:15:02

Info for Art of the Messenger

Chicago-based tenor saxophonist Carlos Vega taps into the energy of the hard bop movement of the late 50s, with this quintet session that channels the vision of Art Blakey's iconic Jazz Messengers. Filtering Blakey's forward thrusting style through his Puerto Rican heritage and extensive time spent with latin and salsa bands in his native Miami, Vega's concept reveals itself on the driving opening cut, Art of the Messenger. Propelled by the powerful rhythms of drummer Xavier Breaker, bassist Josh Ramos and pianist Stu Mindeman anchor the quintet throughout the session, with trumpeter Victor Garcia joining Vega on this formidable front line. Subsequently, Vega turns this hard bop powerhouse on its collective ear with "Bird's Word," a rousing latin jazz homage to Charlie Parker. Vega's take on the hard bop lineage incorporates stops in Chicago and Miami, allowing his mentors to clearly speak through his work. His take on the lexicon through these eleven originals is in no way nostalgic, but expressively looking forward through the lens of personal history.

"Even though a step or more removed from its predecessor's admitted supremacy, Art of the Messenger affords a pleasurable stroll down memory lane with several bright and engaging layovers along the way. Vega's heart is in the right place, a locale that Blakey surely would have endorsed." (ack Bowers, AllAboutJazz)

"The Latin jazzbo makes a case for music being the international language by springing from his salsa roots into a tribute to Art Blakey and his hard bopping Jazz Messenger days. Showing his chops by doing a tribute through all original material, these messengers here are real crusaders that play the whole jazz and nothing but the jazz. ..." (Midwest Record, Chris Spector)

Carlos Vega, tenor saxophone
Victor Garcia, trumpet, flugelhorn
Stu Mindeman, piano
Josh Ramos, bass
Xavier Breaker, drums

Carlos Vega
Saxophonist and composer Carlos Vega was born and raised in Miami, Florida. As a young musician in Miami, Carlos Vega pursed his passion of studying jazz in college during the day while also immersed in playing Latin and Salsa six nights a week with some of Miami's most innovative and authentic Latin bands. These early eclectic musical experiences helped to form the foundation for Vega's dynamic and unique approach to composition as well as jazz improvisation.

Throughout his career, Carlos Vega has had the great fortune of touring extensively in the United States, Europe, South America and Africa. He has also performed with a variety of high profile artists including Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, Arturo Sandoval, Ira Sullivan, Tito Puente, Tito Puente Jr., Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble (CALJE) and trumpet legend Doc Severinsen, to name a few.

In 2005, he traveled to pursue a graduate music degree at the University of Illinois and quickly became part of the very exciting and dynamic Chicago Latin & Jazz scenes, playing with some of Chicago's finest musicians in some of the most famous venues and events. He had such positive musical experiences in Chicago that he decided to record his first release as a leader accompanied by four of Chicago's finest jazz musicians - Victor Garcia on Trumpet, Stu Mindeman on Piano, Josh Ramos on Bass and Xavier Breaker on Drums. This release showcases a set of exciting and very musical versions of all originals tunes composed by Carlos.

Vega is currently Associate Professor of Saxophone and the director of the Latin Jazz Ensemble at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida.

This album contains no booklet.