VINCENT GARDNER
Genres: Hard Bop, Bop • United States

Vincent Gardner, winner of the 2014 DOWNBEAT “Rising Star” Critic’s Poll  for Trombone (and 2014 DOWNBEAT “Rising Star” Critic’s Poll Nominee for Male Vocalist ) is a musician and composer born in Chicago, Illinois. As a bandleader, Gardner has released four albums under the SteepleChase record label. He performs with his own groups frequently, in addition to being the lead trombonist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (which also features Wynton Marsalis). Gardner also performs often with his brother, trumpeter Derrick Gardner and his ensemble, The Jazz Prophets.   Being born into a musical family in which both his father, Burgess Gardner, a trumpeter who has played with many groups including Ray Charles, Count Basie, and Horace Silver, and his mother, a pianist and choir director, are both music educators, Gardner was surrounded by music at an early age. The family moved to East Lansing, Michigan when Gardner was read more...