Vincent Herring

Vincent Herring is a saxophone virtuoso with a uniquely intense and vigorous musical voice. He is considered one of the premier saxophonists of his generation.

Vincent first toured Europe and the United States with Lionel Hampton’s big band in the early 1980’s. As he developed his musicianship working with Nat Adderley, a partnership blossomed that continued for nine years. Along the way he worked and/or recorded with Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Hayes, Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver Quintet, Jack DeJohnette’s Special Edition, Larry Coryell, Steve Turre, The Mingus Big Band, Kenny Barron, Nancy Wilson, Dr. Billy Taylor, Carla Bley, and John Hicks.

Vincent has appeared as guest soloist with many artists and ensembles including Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center and John Faddis with the Carnegie Hall Big Band. While amassing these impressive credentials, Vincent continued to develop his own voice and style. Inspired by a collage of diverse musical influences, Vincent is also involved in Jazz education and is currently on the faculty of William Patterson University. He conducts master classes and jazz workshops at conservatories and universities around the world.

Jacob Chung: The Sage

by Jack Bowers
March 22, 2025

On The Sage, his second album as leader, Canadian-bred saxophonist Jacob Chung lends credence to a speculative yet widely held belief that contempory jazz continues to grow and prosper north of the American border. Chung is no mere hobbyist, nor are his veteran helpmates --one of whom, alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, has been a force on the New York jazz scene for more than four decades, recording at least twenty albums under his name and appearing as a sideman on ...

Album Review

The Heavy Hitters: That's What's Up!

Read "That's What's Up!" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
January 21, 2025

Mike LeDonne and Eric Alexander head up a band called Heavy Hitters, which features a stellar cast of jny: New York's jazz elite, including trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, bassist Alexander Claffy and drummer Kenny Washington. They have released That's What's Up!, a live recording from Frankie's Jazz Club in jny: Vancouver, British Columbia in December 2023 that captures the authenticity, spontaneity, and emotive power of a band firing on all cylinders. The set list is an artful ...

Album Review

Heavy Hitters: That's What's Up!

Read "That's What's Up!" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
January 3, 2025

Heavy Hitters is a superb New York-based sextet co-led by pianist Mike LeDonne and tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. Individually and as a team, the Hitters keep their eyes squarely on the ball, swing for the fences and, more often than not, slam the spheroid solidly out of the park. And on this typically upbeat session they do it in front of an appreciative audience at Frankie's Club in Victoria, British Columbia. A freewheeling groove permeates the concert, ...

Liner Notes

Cedar Walton One Flight Down

by Thomas Conrad
September 1, 2024

They are thinning out: the ranks of pianists who can trace their lineage directly back to primary sources like J.J. Johnson, the early Jazz Messengers of Art Blakey, and the Jazztet of Art Farmer and Benny Golson. In the last few years, we have lost Tommy Flanagan, Mal Waldron, Roland Hanna, Dodo Marmarosa, Russ Freeman, Frank Hewitt, and, most recently, John Hicks. Producer Bob Porter once said of Cedar Walton, “By the time he came to make his ...

Radio & Podcasts

Something Else!, Trios, And More

by Bob Osborne
June 27, 2024

Featuring new releases from Something Else with Vincent Herring, Ellie Lee, The Jazzanians, Borderlands Trio (Stephan Crump Kris Davis & Eric McPherson), David Murray, Eternal Triangle, François de Larrard & Mathieu Bec, Jake Hertzog, Kevin Figes, Modern Black Music Ensemble, The Flame (Robert Mitchell, Neil Charles, Mark Sanders), Tom Skinner, and Verb. Playlist Intro Theme 00:00 Something Else! Featuring Vincent Herring “Filthy McNasty" from Soul Jazz (Smoke Sessions Records) 00:52 Ellie Lee “Escape" from Escape (Sori-E Naite Music ...

Album Review

Jill McCarron Trio: Gin

by Jack Bowers
April 8, 2024

Gin, pianist Jill McCarron says of the title of her second recording as leader of the Jill McCarron Trio, refers to the card game of that name, and not to the alcoholic beverage. She balances the joy of winning with the luck of the draw in her entrancing three-part suite. While McCarron leads an admirable threesome (Paul Gill, bass; Andy Watson, drums), this is a trio album with an asterisk, as saxophonist Vincent Herring sits in on four numbers (including ...

Album Review

Mike LeDonne: Wonderful!

Read "Wonderful!" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
March 27, 2024

Organist Mike LeDonne's latest recording, Wonderful!, is a labor of love on several levels. Of course, there is love of the music and love of accomplishing something that had not been done before--teaming a gospel choir with jazz quartet. Above all else, there is love for LeDonne's wife, Margaret, and daughter Mary who is disabled but, as LeDonne says, is nonetheless “truly wonderful." LeDonne wrote the album's title song for Mary, wherein he compares her to “a ...

Performance / Tour

Announcing Smoke Jazz Club’s April Line-up Featuring A Special Jim Rotondi Tribute Concert, The Return Of Legendary Artists George Cables, Vincent Herring, And More

Source: AMT Public Relations
March 5, 2025

Hailed as the “#1 Jazz Club in New York City (SecretNYC),” SMOKE Jazz Club presents today’s leading artists in April aka Jazz Appreciation Month. The lauded tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III begins the month with a five-night run (Apr 2-6) at the helm of his stellar quartet. SMOKE is thrilled to host a special tribute concert series honoring trumpeter Jim Rotondi featuring the One For All ensemble with special guest Jon Faddis (Apr 16-20). Longtime audience favorites return to the ...
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Performance / Tour

Smoke Jazz Club Announces June Line-Up With NEA Jazz Master George Coleman, Vocal Great Mary Stallings, A New Project From Vincent Herring, An Album Release By Orrin Evans All-Star Quintet, And More

Source: AMT Public Relations
May 4, 2023

George Coleman Quintet (Jun 1-4); Orrin Evans All-Star Quintet record release (Jun 8-11); Vincent Herring and Something Else! (Jun 15-18); Mary Stallings (Jun 22-25); and more… Rated the #1 Jazz Club in New York City (Secret NYC), Smoke Jazz Club kicks off the start of summer with some of today’s living legends. NEA Jazz Master George Coleman returns with his special quintet (Jun 1-4), soulful saxophonist Vincent Herring gets inspired by the classic Blue Note album Something Else! (Jun 15-18), ...
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Performance / Tour

Something Else! Vincent Herring Septet Honors Cannonball Adderley At Birdland from September 6-10, 2022

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
August 12, 2022

Something Else!, will launch at Birdland on September 6-10, 2022 with two sets a night at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater. The shows will feature Vincent Herring, alto saxophone, James Carter, tenor sax, Jeremy Pelt, trumpet, Russell Malone, guitar, David Kikoski, piano, Essiet Essiet, bass and Johnathan Blake, drums. Something Else! is the only Blue Note album by Cannonball Adderley recorded and released in 1958 and became an iconic masterpiece presenting funky, soulful and bluesy Jazz which was the ...
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Festival

Three Spectacular Days Of Cultural Bridges At The New York Japanese Jazz Festival At Smoke Jazz Club From June 25-27, 2019 In NYC!

Source: Nu Jazz Publicity
May 17, 2019

The inaugural New York Japanese Jazz Festival will be launching June 25-27, 2019, as part of a three-day series heralding the undiscovered talents from the island on the other side of the world. Featuring a “who’s who” of American Jazz Greats, with a treasure trove of Jazz music’s future stars there will be something for everyone during this multi-day event that features three groups per night. The New York Japanese Jazz Festival will take place for three nights at SMOKE ...
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Recording

Elio Villafranca's "Cinque" Features Wynton Marsalis, Lewis Nash, Vincent Herring, Steve Turre, Greg Tardy & Freddie Hendrix

Source: Scott Thompson Public Relations
May 11, 2018

Cinque is a five movement suite inspired by the story of Joseph Cinque, who in 1839 led a successful revolt aboard the slave ship La Amistad, days after being sold and transported to a sugar plantation in Cuba. Elio Villafranca's most ambitious project today, showcases the cultural diversity of the five Caribbean islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, The Dominican Republic, and Jamaica; while simultaneously highlighting the Congolese musical heritage woven into the fabric of each of these diverse nations, ...
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Contest

Enter the "Vincent Herring - The Uptown Shuffle" Giveaway at All About Jazz!

Source: All About Jazz
March 2, 2014

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Smoke Sessions Records “Vincent Herring - The Uptown Shuffle“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on April 1st. Click here to enter the contest (Becoming a fan of Vincent Herring at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.) Good luck! Your Friends at Smoke Sessions Records About The Uptown Shuffle Playing alto saxophone that Cannonball, Stitt and Woods would love, not ...
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Performance / Tour

Vincent Herring at the Royal Room - February 29

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
February 29, 2012

NYC Saxophonist Vincent Herring

with: Bill Anschell—piano Chuck Deardorf—bass Matt Jorgensen—drums

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29 THE ROYAL ROOM 5000 Rainier Avenue South Seattle

Sets at 7:00 & 8:30pm Buy tickets through Stranger Tickets

Seattle Jazz Scene continues their foray into producing jazz concerts by welcoming New York alto saxophonist Vincent Herring to Seattle on Wednesday, February 29, for two sets at The Royal Room in Columbia City. ...
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Performance / Tour

Vincent Herring at the Royal Room - February 29

Source: Seattle Jazz Scene
February 3, 2012

Seattle Jazz Scene presents: NYC Saxophonist Vincent Herring with: Bill Anschell—piano Chuck Deardorf—bass Matt Jorgensen—drums WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29 THE ROYAL ROOM 5000 Rainier Avenue South Seattle Sets at 7:00 & 8:30pm Seattle Jazz Scene continues their foray into producing jazz concerts by welcoming New York alto saxophonist Vincent Herring to Seattle on Wednesday, February 29, for two sets at The Royal Room in Columbia City. Vincent has developed ...
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Performance / Tour

Remembering The Miles Davis Classic "Kind Of Blue" Jimmy Cobb’s So What Band Featuring Jeremy Pelt, Vincent Herring Javon Jackson, Larry Willis & Buster Williams

Source: Michael Ricci
January 28, 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011 at 8:00PM in the Science Center Theater on the Campus of Montgomery County Community College (Blue Bell, PA) Blue Bell, PA—A highlight of the Lively Arts Series Transitions will be a performance of “Kind of Blue: Remembering the Miles Davis classic featuring Jimmy Cobb's So What Band. They will be presented in concert, Friday, February 11, 2011 at 8:00PM in the Science Center Theater on the Campus of Montgomery County Community College, Route 202 and Morris ...
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Recording

Vincent Herring, "Morning Star" (CD Review)

Source: Between the Grooves with Philip Booth
October 19, 2010

I recently reviewed alto saxophonist Vincent Herring's Morning Star for Jazz Times. Click here to go directly to the review, which appeared in the magazine's September issue, or read the full text below. Vincent Herring & Earth Jazz, Morning Star (Challenge) Shades of the Headhunters, Weather Report, the Crusaders and, not surprisingly, Cannonball Adderley's electric-jazz releases color the sound of Vincent Herring's Earth Jazz Agents (here, minus the “Agents"), the gifted alto saxophonist's working funk and fusion quartet. Yes, it ...
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