Jay Hoggard
Vibraphonist, Composer Jay Hoggard’s music has touched the hearts and souls of listeners around the world for more than 30 years. Jay Hoggard has long ranked with the greatest vibraphone innovators.
Hoggard masterfully draws on traditional and contemporary musical vocabulary to develop new directions for the vibraphone, seamlessly blending jazz and gospel roots with African marimba rhythms. His performance repertoire represents the three B’s of the jazz tradition (Blues, Bop, Ballads) with original innovations. The release of six of Jay’s recordings on the JHVM label, THE RIGHT PLACE, SONGS OF SPIRITUAL LOVE, SWING ‘EM GATES, SOULAR POWER, SOLO FROM TWO SIDES,and CHRISTMAS VIBES ALL THRU THE YEAR gives listeners an opportunity to experience some of the many sides of this very significant, vital musician. These recordings document the vibraphonist's musical language during the first years of the 21st century.
Born in Washington, D.C., Jay Hoggard was raised in Mt. Vernon, NY in a religious family. At age 15, Jay began playing the vibraphone. "One night I had a dream that I was playing the vibes. I asked my father to rent me a set, and from the first moment, I knew that this was what I was supposed to do." Jay majored in the World Music program at Wesleyan University and toured Europe and played at Carnegie Hall during his freshman year. In his junior year, he traveled to Tanzania to study East African marimba music. After graduation in 1976, Jay returned to New York City where he was proclaimed "the most dazzling new vibraphonist in jazz" by Robert Palmer in the New York Times in 1977. Jay has toured the globe to rave reviews, performing throughout the United States, Africa, Europe, South America, the Caribbean and Asia. He led a quintet on an extensive tour sponsored by the US government to North Africa, the Middle East and India.
Jay Hoggard is an Adjunct Professor of Music at Wesleyan University, where he has been the director of the Wesleyan Jazz Orchestra and has taught and mentored hundreds of students for 25 years.
Hello world!
by Jay Hoggard
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