Altus Artists: Vinny Golia

Vinny Golia is a composer who fuses the rich heritage of Jazz, contemporary classical, and world music into his own unique compositions. As a woodwind performer, Golia has presented his music to concert audiences in Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan 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 for the Arts, The Lila Wallace Commissioning Program, The California Arts Council, Funds for U.S. Artists and the American Composers Forum. In 1982 he created the ongoing 32 piece Vinny Golia Large Ensemble to perform his compositions for chamber group and jazz orchestra.

As a 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 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.

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, improvisation, Jazz History, CD & record manufacturing and self-production throughout the United States, Europe and Canada. He currently teaches at California Institute of the Arts & Art Center College of Design. In 1998 Golia was appointed Regent's Lecturer at the University of California at San Diego.

In 2002, Vinny Golia traveled to France where he composed and performed the music for Travis Preston's production of King Lear. He also released 2 new CDs: "Feeding Frenzy" - music for woodwinds and String Quartet as well as another CD - "Music for Electronics and Woodwinds". The latter features duets with electronics performed by Mark Trayle. Both CDs are on the Nine Winds label and both prominently feature the bass flute.

Vinny has been a featured performer with Anthony Braxton, 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, and the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band amongst many others. In 2003 his performances will take him to Europe with performances in Zurich, Amsterdam (performing with flutist Anne LaBerge) and Paris, as well as summer performances in Spain and Portugal with his jazz-like quartet with Bobby Bradford, Ken Filiano, and Alex Cline.

Visit Vinny Golia on the web at www.NINEWINDS.com. To contact Mr. Golia directly please email him at NINEWINDS@aol.com for touring and concert schedule as well as his availability as a clinician.