Vince Mendoza
Vince Mendoza (born November 17, 1961)[1] is an American composer, music arranger and conductor, and six-time Grammy Award winner. He debuted as a solo artist in 1989, and is known for his work conducting the Metropole Orkest and WDR Big Band Köln, as well as arranging music for musicians such as Joni Mitchell, Michael Brecker and Björk.
Vince Mendoza | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | November 17, 1961 Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, symphonic music, world music |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, arranger, conductor |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Blue Note, ACT, Transparent, Geffen, BMG – Modern Recordings |
| Website | www |
Early life
Mendoza was born in Norwalk, Connecticut in 1961,[2][3] He began studying music on the piano and classical guitar at an early age, before changing his focus to playing the trumpet and composing in high school, due to his love of jazz and soul music.[2][1] Mendoza wrote music for his high school jazz ensemble, later continuing studies in music at Ohio State University.[2] Intending to become a film composer, Mendoza moved to Los Angeles in 1983, where he completed a master's degree in composition at USC Thornton School of Music.[2][4]
Career
In Los Angeles, Mendoza began to make connections in the music industry, arranging music for television and recordings, and for artists such as Peter Erskine, Charlie Haden and Rickie Lee Jones.[1] He was signed to Blue Note Records, with whom he released Start Here (1990) and Instructions Inside (1991).[5] In 1992 he released Jazzpaña with American producer Arif Mardin in 1991, garnering his first Grammy Nomination for the song "Buleria".[6][7] In 1994, Mendoza released a big band album called Sketches, collaborating with the WDR Big Band.[5] In 1999, Mendoza composed the music and conducted the London Symphony Orchestra to on his album Epiphany.[3] In the late 1990s, Mendoza began his work with the Dutch Metropole Orkest as the principal guest conductor.[1]
His compositions can be heard on recordings by Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Sean Jones, Michael Brecker, John Abercrombie and Charlie Haden. Mendoza provided arrangements for Björk’s Vespertine (2001) and Lars Van Trier’s score to Dancer in the Dark (2000). His arrangements are also heard on recordings by Gregory Porter, Chaka Khan, Elvis Costello, Robbie Williams, Robert Glasper, Bobby McFerrin, Sting, as well as Herbie Hancock and Al Jarreau. He has produced six Grammy Award-winning albums, Travelogue, Both Sides Now with Joni Mitchell, Some Skunk Funk, Brown Street, El Viento and 54. From 2005 to 2013 he was chief conductor of the Dutch Metropole Orkest.[8]
Mendoza works as an adjunct professor of jazz composition at USC Thornton School of Music.[9]
Discography
As leader
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Jazz [10] | ||
| Vince Mendoza | — | |
| Start Here |
| — |
| Instructions Inside |
| — |
| Jazzpaña (as The Mendoza/Mardin Project) | — | |
| Sketches |
| — |
| Caribbean Night (with WDR Big Band Köln) |
| — |
| Epiphany (with the London Symphony Orchestra) |
| — |
| Blauklang |
| — |
| El Viento: The Garcia Lorca Project (with the Metropole Orkest) |
| — |
| Fast City: A Tribute to Joe Zawinul (with the Metropole Orkest) |
| — |
| The Phoenix (with Danish Radio Big Band) |
| — |
| Nights on Earth |
| 35 |
| Homecoming (with WDR Big Band) |
| — |
| Freedom Over Everything (with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra)[11] |
| — |
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Homecoming" (with Terell Stafford, Temple University Studio Orchestra and Dick Oatts) | 2019 | Non-album singles |
| "Freedom Over Everything" (with Black Thought)[11] | 2021 |
As arranger and conductor
With the Metropole Orkest
- Bart van Lier – Twilight (Koch Jazz, 1998)
- Elvis Costello – Live with the Metropole Orkest – My Flame Burns Blue (DG, 2006)
- Trijntje Oosterhuis – The Look Of Love: Burt Bacharach Songbook (Blue Note, 2006)
- Trijntje Oosterhuis – Who'll Speak for Love: Burt Bacharach Songbook II (Blue Note, 2007)
- Trijntje Oosterhuis – Best of Burt Bacharach Live (Blue Note/EMI, 2009) – compilation
- Jim Beard – Revolutions (Sunnyside, 2009)
- Metropole Orkest - 54 (EmArcy, 2010)
- Chris Minh Doky / Larry Goldings / Peter Erskine – Scenes from a Dream (Red Dot, 2010)
- Al Jarreau – Al Jarreau and the Metropole Orkest Live (Concord, 2012)
- Metropole Orkest - Perfect Vision: The Esquivel Sound (Basta, 2013)
- Raul Midón – If You Really Want (Artistry Music, 2018)
- Cory Wong – Live in Amsterdam (Cory Wong, 2020)
With WDR Big Band Cologne
- Randy Brecker w/Michael Brecker – Some Skunk Funk (Telarc, 2005)
- Joe Zawinul – Brown Street (WDR/Intuition, 2006)
- Chano Domínguez – Soleando (Jazzline, 2015)
- Antonio Sánchez - Channels of Energy (Camjazz, 2018)
- Fred Hersch - Begin Again (Palmetto, 2019)
- Luciana Souza - Storytellers (Sunnyside, 2020)
With Björk
- Selmasongs (One Little Indian, 2000)
- Vespertine (One Little Indian, 2001)
With Peter Erskine
- Transition (Passport Jazz, 1986/Denon, 1987)
- Motion Poet (Denon, 1988)
With Joni Mitchell
- Both Sides Now (Reprise, 2000)
- Travelogue (Nonesuch, 2002)
With others
- Al Di Meola – World Sinfonia (Tomato, 1991)
- Yellowjackets – Greenhouse (MCA, 1991)
- Jimmy Haslip – Arc (GRP, 1993)
- Kyle Eastwood – From Here to There (Columbia, 1998)
- Stefano di Battista – 'Round About Roma (Blue Note, 2002)
- Yuri Honing - Symphonic (Challenge, 2006)
- Melody Gardot – My One and Only Thrill (Verve, 2009)
- Mary Chapin Carpenter - Songs from the Movie (Zoë, 2014)
- Nils Landgren with Janis Siegel, Bochumer Symphoniker, Some Other Time: A Tribute to Leonard Bernstein (ACT, 2016)
- Lang Lang - New York Rhapsody (Sony Classical, 2016)
- Gregory Porter – Nat King Cole & Me (Blue Note, 2017)
- Melody Gardot - Sunset in the Blue (Decca, 2020)
As instrumentalist
- Rickie Lee Jones, Flying Cowboys (Geffen, 1989)
- John Abercrombie, Animato (ECM, 1990)
- Peter Erskine, Big Theatre (Ah Um, 1996)
Awards
Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominated Work | Category | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Both Sides, Now" (2000 re-recording) (Joni Mitchell) | Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals | Won | [7] |
| 2004 | "Woodstock" (Joni Mitchell) | Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals | Won | |
| 2007 | Some Skunk Funk | Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album | Won | |
| 2008 | "In a Silent Way" | Best Instrumental Arrangement | Won | |
| 2011 | "Carlos" | Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella | Won | |
| 2022 | To The Edge of Belonging (Edit Version) | Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals | Won |
Latin Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominated Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Regência: Vince Mendoza (with Ivan Lins and the Metropole Orchestra) | Best MPB Album | Won |
References
- ^ a b c d "Biography: Vince Mendoza". AMG. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
- ^ a b c d Lee, Nancy Ann (2019-04-25). "Vince Mendoza". Jazz Times. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ a b Vella, Joseph (2017-12-06). "Interview: Vince Mendoza (Jazz Composer Extraordinaire)". HuffPost. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ "Vince Mendoza". USC THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC. 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ a b Olson, Paul (2007-09-10). "Vince Mendoza: Color, Counterpoint And Open Ears". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ a b c d e f Olson, Paul (2007-09-10). "Vince Mendoza: Color, Counterpoint And Open Ears". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ a b "Vincent Mendoza Artist www.grammy.com". Recording Academy. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
- ^ Metropole Orchestra: Conductors. Retrieved: 18 June 2011
- ^ "Vince Mendoza Adjunct Professor". USC THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC. 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ "Chart History Vince Mendoza". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
- ^ a b "Vince Mendoza Releases Single "Freedom Over Everything" With Derrick Hodge". Bass Magazine. 2021-05-10. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
External links
- Official Website