Vinx
Renaissance Man
There’s good reason to call the visionary artist, Vinx, a Renaissance man. The phrase refers to a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas and there’s no question he qualifies. Judge for yourself: As a musician he’s been praised by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Sting and countless other renowned fellow artists, critics and music fans; as an athlete he made the world’s second longest leap in the triple jump and qualified for the 1980 Moscow Olympics; as a teacher he is a member of the faculty of Berklee College of Music in Boston; as a State Department Cultural Attaché he steered his efforts towards HIV awareness in Mozambique; he founded a critically acclaimed songwriting/creativity workshop series called Songwriter Soul Kitchen; and with his partner, Jennifer Lambert, co-founded Dreamsicle Arts & Entertainment Group which provides management services for musicians, authors, artists, and film makers; he is also an actor, a children’s book author and a painter who has had his own gallery shows.
The common thread running through this impressive list of endeavors is Vinx’s dedication to his inner truth. When asked what he taught at Berklee, he answered “authentic self.” You can hear that authentic self ringing loud and clear when he performs. It’s not easy to categorize Vinx’s music because he draws on so many influences that reflect his own unique interests and life experience. His rich baritone voice is as facile crooning standards as it is when he applies it to jazz improvisations and world music. His extraordinary drumming touches the soul whether he performs solo or in a larger band setting and his songwriting reveals emotions that are at once both universal and quite specifically his own point of view. You’ll hear it in his newest release, “Love Never Comes Too Late.”
A truly creative free-spirit, Vinx has traveled the world with his artistry and worked collaboratively with the biggest names in the entertainment business. He landed his first recording session with Ernie Watts on his Grammy awarded “Musician” project. Following Tom Jones’ recording of Vinx’s ballad “Touch My Heart,” Vinx toured extensively with Rickie Lee Jones, The Bus Boys, Teena Marie, Toni Childs and Robben Ford. His commercial agency work included appearances in both Sprite and Levi’s 501 Blues ads. He played to capacity audiences at the Montreux Jazz Festival, performing after Miles Davis and before Wayne Shorter. Back in the states, Herbie Hancock invited Vinx to perform on his Showtime Coast to Coast TV Special, where Vinx played with Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Hornsby, Lou Reed, B.B. King, Herbie Hancock, Kenny G. and Woody Harrelson. In 1990 Sting and Miles Copeland signed Vinx to Pangaea/I.R.S. Records. Following Vinx’s performance on Sting’s “Soul Cages” CD, Vinx recorded his first release, “Rooms In My Fatha’s House.” The album featured guest performances from Sheryl Crow, Sting, Herbie Hancock, Taj Mahal, Branford Marsalis, Roscoe Lee Brown and Mother’s Finest. Vinx toured for 13 months with Sting’s “Soul Cages” tour as the solo opening act and the percussionist/background vocalist. The tour ended with a Carnegie Hall taping of MTV Unplugged with Sting. Vinx’s “While The City Sleeps” was used in the opening dance sequence of the prime time TV show In Living Color.
Get to know Vinx and his visionary, humorous and highly intelligent nature in our 30-minute conversation with music by clicking on the player above. Visit Vinx’s website here.
