Vince Mendoza
Vince Mendoza is an American music arranger, conductor, and composer.
Mendoza was born in Connecticut and studied guitar as a child, influenced by classical music, soul and jazz. He then took up the trumpet, which he continued to play at Ohio State University, where he participated in the Jazz Ensemble and the Concert Band. He graduated in 1983 with a degree in music composition. He did his graduate studies in composition at the University of Southern California.
He was signed to Blue Note Records, with whom he released Start Here and Instructions Inside. His compositions have been featured by Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Michael Brecker and Charlie Haden. Mendoza has frequently provided arrangements for their work, as well as for Randy Brecker and Peter Erskine.
He has produced and arranged for singers as diverse as Robbie Williams, Björk, Elvis Costello, and six Grammy Award-winning albums, Travelogue, Both Sides Now with Joni Mitchell, Some Skunk Funk, Brown Street, El Viento and 54. From 2005 to 2013 he was chief conductor of the Dutch Metropole Orchestra.Discography
As leader
- Vince Mendoza
- Start Here
- Instructions Inside
- Jazzpaña as The Mendoza/Mardin Project
- Sketches
- Caribbean Night with WDR Big Band
- Epiphany with London Symphony Orchestra
- Blauklang
- El Viento: The Garcia Lorca Project
- 54
- Fast City: A Tribute to Joe Zawinul
- The Phoenix
- Nights on Earth
- Perfect Vision: The Esquivel Sound
- Homecoming with WDR Big Band
As arranger and conductor
With the Metropole Orchestra
With WDR Big Band Cologne
- Randy Brecker w/Michael Brecker – Some Skunk Funk
- Joe Zawinul – Brown Street
- Chano Domínguez – Soleando
With others
