Vincent Chandler
Composer. Trombone.
Vincent Chandler is a native Detroiter and protégé of one of the strongest eras of the Detroit jazz scene. He has studied and/or performed with local heroes including Donald Walden, Kenn Cox, Harold McKinney, Teddy Harris, Marcus Belgrave, Matt Michaels, Francisco Mora, Eddie Nuccilli, Wendell Harrison, Spencer Barefield, Ronald Kischuk, James Carter, Marion Hayden, Regina Carter and Rodney Whitaker.
Vincent has a reputation for being a uniquely expressive trombone soloist, a versatile sideman, innovative composer and arranger, a crowd-pleasing scat singer, an experienced bandleader of various group sizes and a natural teacher of beginner to advanced students.
He is a featured soloist on Roy Hargrove’s only big band recording, “Requiem,” and he’s also played on James Carter’s “Emergence” and “At the Crossroads” as well as “Work to Do” by Rodney Whitaker and Carl Allen.
In 2014, he released his first recording as a bandleader, “Vincent Chandler Embraceable,” which featured Robert Hurst on bass.
He has also performed internationally with jazz legends such as Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, Oliver Lake, Bobby Watson, Geri Allen, Roy Hargrove, Ravi Coltrane, JD Allen, Marcus Strickland, Wycliff Gordon, Walter Smith III, Robert Hurst, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Russell Malone, Randy Brecker, Ambrose Akinmusire and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra featuring Wynton Marsalis.
Vincent earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts in Music and a Master of Music in improvisation from the University of Michigan. He was a graduate student instructor and eventually a lecturer of jazz studies at the University of Michigan. He was also an instructor of jazz trombone and jazz octets at Michigan State University, and was an instructor Director of Jazz Studies at Claflin University. He also taught at South Carolina State University.