Vandell Andrew
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Vandell Andrew

Coppell, Texas, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2008 | SELF

Coppell, Texas, United States | SELF
Established on Jan, 2008
Solo Jazz R&B

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"Not even Hurricane Katrina could stop saxophonist Vandell Andrew from pursuing his dreams with new EP"

Saxophonist Vandell Andrew nearly saw his dreams swept aside by the lethal force of Hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans native was on the verge of receiving instruction from jazz icon Edward “Kidd" Jordan before tragedy struck the region. Andrew ended up having to move to Dallas, Texas, where he honed his chops in the local jazz circuit. Andrew's gift for playing the sax, once derailed by Mother Nature, is in full bloom on his new eponymous debut EP.

Despite being limited to four cuts, the EP is a stunner. “Walk My Way" opens with the sounds of wildlife and tropical percussion, giving the track a summertime vibe that is further comforted by warm acoustic guitars and the soft strokes of Andrew's saxophone. There is soul in this man's playing, far from the antiseptic performances that often tarnish smooth jazz recordings. To Andrew, it is through his saxophone that he can communicate his thoughts and feelings. “I want to speak positive messages through my music," he revealed. “Music is my inspiration for everyday life."

It was through his mother that Andrew discovered the important role music would have in his life. “My mother was a musician. She had always wanted me to play music, but I was really into sports," Andrew explained. “When I was 13-years-old, my mom enrolled me in a jazz summer camp in New Orleans. I joined the marching and jazz band at St. Augustine High School, and within the four years of attending this school, I found a stronger love for jazz. We played music by Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane. By the time I graduated high school, I knew that I wanted pursue music as a career."

Only 23, Andrew's bold self-confidence and technical prowess are in impressive display on the EP. In “Affliction," the gentle touch of Andrew's sax is fueled by torrid passion, plumbing the emotional depths opened by the dramatic shades of the piano. For Andrew, this is only the beginning. “I want to build a strong brand," Andrew said. “My goal is to have a recognizable sound in the jazz industry." - Robert Sutton


"Years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans native Vandell Andrew becomes rising sax star in Texas"

Years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans native Vandell Andrew becomes rising sax star in Texas

(Dallas, Texas) Written by Robert Sutton. Saxophonist Vandell Andrew nearly found himself under the tutelage of legendary jazz artist Edward "Kidd" Jordan until Mother Nature interfered. The lethal attack of Hurricane Katrina on Andrew's native New Orleans blew those plans into the ground, forcing him to relocate.

But something happened in Andrew's adopted home of Dallas, Texas. His skills as a saxophone player, caked with promise but still unpolished, began to sharpen and find its own voice; five years later, at the age of 23, Andrew has become a rising star.

Andrew's self-titled debut EP is the fulfillment of the potential he has hinted at since he was a young teen. Although only consisting of three tracks, the EP has the emotional depth of a full-length, not to mention the sonic clarity of a major-label effort.

The performances reveal an artist who is mature beyond his years. The soulful introspection and sultry romanticism of Andrew's sax on "Affliction" produce layers of feeling and cinematic atmosphere. When the shuffling rhythm kicks into gear, Andrew's saxophone soars along for the ride, resulting in a cathartic ending to an intense build-up. In the opening track, "Walk My Way," Andrew mesmerizes listeners with the velvety caress of his saxophone, taking ‘smooth jazz' to its most literal definition.

Q: You're only 23, but it sounds like you've been doing this for quite a while.

A: My mother was a musician. She had always wanted me to play music, but I was really into sports. When I was 13-years-old, my mom enrolled me in a jazz summer camp in New Orleans. I joined the marching and jazz band at St. Augustine High School and within the four years of attending this school, I found a stronger love for jazz. We played music by Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane. By the time I graduated high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue music as a career.

Q: When did you go professional?

A: I was 18 years old.

Q: A number of changes can happen in a person's life between those years. How do you feel about music now?

A: I used to listen to music for entertainment. Now it's way more than just entertainment. Music is my inspiration for everyday life.

Q: What are your goals as a musician in terms of your art?

A: I want to pay homage to those who came before me. I want to speak positive messages through my music.

Q: What are your goals as a musician in terms of it being a business?

A: I want to build a strong brand. My goal is to have a recognizable sound in the jazz industry. I want my product to have the same power as the "Jordan" or "Nike" brand. - Robert Sutton


"Vandell Andrew “Vandell Andrew”"

Vandell Andrew’s self-titled debut EP contains just three tracks, but those combined ten minutes speak volumes about the rising sax player. If listeners dig a little deeper, they’ll discover a unique story behind his music. Andrew grew up in New Orleans and started playing trumpet at age 13, soon switching to saxophone at the behest of a teacher. Eventually, Andrew enrolled at Southern University and began studying music under the legendary, improvisation-focused educator and performer Edward “Kidd” Jordan. But Andrew’s opportunity to learn from the master was cut short by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, forcing him to move to Dallas, Texas at age 18. After five years of acclimating himself to Dallas’ music scene, he’s now a rising sax star at the exhilarating age of 23, finding himself in the company of jazz and R&B greats like Kirk Whalum and Tom Braxton. This self-titled EP is his first release, and it’s easy to hear how a decade of playing and a life growing up around musicians have coalesced into the mature, confident sound heard here.

Immediately, Andrew’s fearlessness is evident. There’s a certain amount of youthful swagger, blended with his regimented marching-band chops and years of study that pervades his approach. While the overall sound of the EP is mellow, modern cool that often borders on smooth or cocktail, jazz, there’s simply no denying Andrew’s singular voice. Even on the rhythmically mild-mannered opener “Walk My Way,” where breezy acoustic guitars meet swirling synthesizer warbles and neighborly drumming, the sax is noticeably restless. Andrew is a pure, clean player, a trait that often stands in contrast to the whims of musicians with his level of creativity. Improvisers so gifted frequently follow their spirit instead of fussing with sonic quality, but Andrews is able to strike a balance. His big, clear blowing only serves to amplify the impact of his melodic creativity, as evidenced by the playful intro of “At Midnight.” On this emotive tune, Andrew lends drama even to a couple offhanded buildup notes before getting into some conversational, sultry playing that makes an awful lot of entertainment out of 4 minutes.

None of the songs veer very far from the well-traveled, linear track laid by smooth bass grooves, restrained drumming, and broad rhythmic backdrops provided by synthesizers. The final track, “Affliction” is full of bold piano and evocative playing by Andrew, propelled by a beat that is almost purposefully benign. While it’s true that too much rhythmic diversion would dampen the impact of Andrew’s resonant notes, it would have been nice, just for a few of the EP’s five hundred and fifty-nine seconds, to hear what the guy can do when turned completely loose. The crisp, clean air of the smooth jazz set is a fine and fruitful place to be, but Andrew possesses a load of talent begging to be unleashed, and this EP doesn’t give us a very good view of its scope. This release is, hopefully, merely a teaser of what the world will eventually hear from Vandell Andrew.

Review by Bryan Rodgers
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5) - Bryan Rodgers


"Not even Hurricane Katrina could stop saxophonist Vandell Andrew from pursuing his dreams with new EP"


Vandell Andrew
Saxophonist Vandell Andrew nearly saw his dreams swept aside by the lethal force of Hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans native was on the verge of receiving instruction from jazz icon Edward “Kidd" Jordan before tragedy struck the region. Andrew ended up having to move to Dallas, Texas, where he honed his chops in the local jazz circuit. Andrew's gift for playing the sax, once derailed by Mother Nature, is in full bloom on his new eponymous debut EP.

Despite being limited to four cuts, the EP is a stunner. “Walk My Way" opens with the sounds of wildlife and tropical percussion, giving the track a summertime vibe that is further comforted by warm acoustic guitars and the soft strokes of Andrew's saxophone. There is soul in this man's playing, far from the antiseptic performances that often tarnish smooth jazz recordings. To Andrew, it is through his saxophone that he can communicate his thoughts and feelings. “I want to speak positive messages through my music," he revealed. “Music is my inspiration for everyday life."

It was through his mother that Andrew discovered the important role music would have in his life. “My mother was a musician. She had always wanted me to play music, but I was really into sports," Andrew explained. “When I was 13-years-old, my mom enrolled me in a jazz summer camp in New Orleans. I joined the marching and jazz band at St. Augustine High School, and within the four years of attending this school, I found a stronger love for jazz. We played music by Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane. By the time I graduated high school, I knew that I wanted pursue music as a career."

Only 23, Andrew's bold self-confidence and technical prowess are in impressive display on the EP. In “Affliction," the gentle touch of Andrew's sax is fueled by torrid passion, plumbing the emotional depths opened by the dramatic shades of the piano. For Andrew, this is only the beginning. “I want to build a strong brand," Andrew said. “My goal is to have a recognizable sound in the jazz industry." - Robert Sutton


Discography

Years Later

Anniversary (Single)

Turn It Up EP

Photos

Bio

Hailing from the "Birthplace of Jazz", Vandell Andrew's path to greatness and his purpose in music would not be too hard to find. While studying music at the age of 13 at a local jazz summer camp in the Treme' area of New Orleans, it was there that he learned to play the trumpet. After an entire summer of playing the trumpet at the camp, he was approached by one of his teachers that challenged him by stating his embouchure would work better with the saxophone. Being that this influential teacher was the coolest saxophonist in the world in the eyes of this young, budding jazz musician, Vandell took this challenge as a compliment that his teacher would even consider training him on his new instrument.

    Soon after cultivating his craft on the alto saxophone, he joined the world renowned St. Augustine "Marching 100" Marching Band. This experience afforded Vandell the opportunities of performing in events and parades all over the world as a member of the prestigious marching band, which would ultimately convince him that performing and playing music was what he wanted to do for a living after graduating from high school.   

    Shortly after graduation, he enrolled in classes at Southern University at New Orleans, and studied with the legendary Edward "Kidd" Jordan. After a month of studying with Kidd, the catastrophic devastation of hurricane Katrina took the city of New Orleans by storm. At the age of 18, and after enduring the life-altering changes brought on by Katrina, Vandell realized that he wanted to seriously pursue a career in music and began to write original compositions. In just a few short years, this decision has led to him sharing the stage with a vast array of artists, from multiple genres of music, and at venues across Texas, Oklahoma, New Orleans, New York City, and London. He has also opened and shared the stage with several internationally acclaimed artists and musicians, including Grammy award winning jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum and the legendary smooth jazz saxophonist Tom Braxton.

    In June of 2011, Vandell released his debut album entitled "Years Later". This album is a collection of original musical compositions that has been written since he relocated to Texas following the aftermath of hurricane Katrina in his hometown of New Orleans. The "Years Later" album, to date, has been getting rave reviews from smooth jazz fans, music lovers and critics across the world. With the success of "Years Later" Vandell decided to release an uptempo 5 song EP called "Turn It Up". Since it's release, the leading single "Let's Ride" has reached #1 on the Billboard Charts and has also been nominated for a 2014 Soul Train Award for "Best Contemporary Jazz Performance".


LIVE VIDEO! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ8h3KLuNkQ


Venues Played

City Tavern- Dallas,TX
Orozko Lounge- Reno,NV
Map Studio Cafe- London,UK
Vortex Jazz Club- London,UK
Charlie Wrights- London,UK
Opening Bell- Dallas,TX
Scott Theatre- Fort Worth,TX
La Vie Fusion Bistro- Houston,TX
Vin Dolce- Edmond,OK
Ridglea Jazz Cafe- Fort Worth,TX
Arnetic 2826-Dallas,TX
Absinthe Lounge- Dallas,TX



Band Members