Victor Mendoza: On His Life Spent Creating Music and His Passion for Teaching

Victor Mendoza: On His Life Spent Creating Music and His Passion for Teaching

Profiles in Percussion:
A Conversation with Victor Mendoza

Anders Astrand sits down with legendary Latin Jazz vibraphonist, educator, composer and producer Victor Mendoza for a conversation about growing up in Mexico, following his passion for playing music, gaining influence from art and what inspires him today. Victor talks about his fascination with learning and imparting his knowledge in teaching his students.

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Victor Mendoza Performs "Blue Picasso," featuring Paquito D´Rivera

“Blue Picasso” by Victor Mendoza
©MendozaMusic, BMI

Victor Mendoza (vibraphone), Paquito D’Rivera (soprano saxophone), Yoel Paez (drums), Sebastian Laverde (congas), Ivan Melon Lewis (piano), Abelito Sanabria (bass), Israel Sandoval (guitar), Voro Garcia (trumpet), Javier Vercher (tenor saxophone), Carlos Martin (trombone), Sergio Martínez (percussion)

Produced by Sebastian Laverde
Recorded and Mixed at Jazztone Studios
Video Assistants: Lili Del Sol & Ricardo Osorno

VICTOR MENDOZA

Vibraphonist and composer Victor Mendoza, a Mexico native, is a leading international artist in the Latin jazz and world percussion spheres. In addition to leading his own groups and performing as a solist, Mendoza has performed with a long list of music greats, including Paquito D'Rivera, Danilo Pérez, Claudio Roditi, Antonio Sanchez and Lee Konitz, among others. He has performed and taught around the world and earned recognitions and awards from multiple organizations, including Latin Beat, Modern Drummer, Jazziz, and the Smithsonian. Jazziz magazine described Mendoza as "the genre's leading vibraphone practitioner" and "one of today's most resourceful composers."

• Performances and/or recordings with the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, Paquito D'Rivera, Bob Moses, Terence Trent D'Arby, Slide Hampton, Claudio Roditi, Giovanni Hidalgo, and George Garzone

• Releases as a leader include If Only You Knew and This Is Why

• Guest appearances with the World Festival Orchestra under the direction of Paquito D’Rivera, the Milan Svoboda Orchestra in Prague, and as soloist with the Carlos Chávez Symphony Orchestra in Mexico City

• Solo appearances with the 85-piece Banda del Puerto in Valencia, Spain, under the direction of award-winning conductor Isidro Coll Ballesteros, as well as the Granada Symphony in Spain

• Numerous broadcast appearances including Victor Mendoza in Concert and All American Jazz on PBS television, and Kaleidoscope on BBC radio

• Named one of the Outstanding Latin Jazz Artists of the Year by Latin Beat magazine

• "Black Bean Blues" named one of the best Latin jazz recordings of the year by Modern Drummer magazine

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