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Paul Vornhagen

About Me

Winner of five Detroit Music Awards, performing in the Ann Arbor, Detroit, Chicago, Toledo and San Francisco areas.

Started my musical journey in Ann Arbor MI (1972) on flute followed by clarinet and saxophones. I attended City College Of San Francisco in their music program for 1 year in 1978. Returned to Ann Arbor in 1980 to perform with the Latin jazz group CHANGES and later the R & B group DOMINO, winner of 3 Detroit Music Awards. Formed my own quartet and played throughout Ann Arbor/Detroit/Toledo/Chicago area recording my first jazz album in 1991, VARIATIONS (Strawberry Records). Followed by Schoolkids Records releases, MERCY (1995) and PARISIAN PROTOCOL (1998) Then PKO Records releases: HEART , KINDRED SPIRITS, IN OUR OWN WAY and TRUST YOUR HEART. In 2005, I formed the latin jazz combo, TUMBAO BRAVO which has gone on to win three Detroit Music Awards and recorded 5 albums on the PKO Records label: MONTUNO SALAD, AMIGOS-FROM OUR HANDS, UN SYSTEMA PARA TODO, CASA VERSAILLES AND EL NIDO-THE NEST. On February 3, 2025, I will release PAUL VORNHAGEN QUARTET-LIVE AT THE BLUE LLAMA (Global Pulse Records).

Favorite Musicians / Bands

Paul Vornhagen

Tumbao Bravo

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because of its creative nature--the improviser becomes a spontaneous composer of musical phrases that fit into the harmonic structure. How cool is that? Jam on brother. I was first exposed to jazz when I started playing the flute and wanted to find instrumental music so I went to jazz and found Herbie Mann, Yusef Lateef, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, and others. I was hooked from the start. I met Yusef Lateef at a book signing in Ann Arbor. He was one of my earliest influences. Also Freddie Hubbard who joined a jam session I was playing at. Wynton Marsalis also who sat in with my quartet after his concert in Ann Arbor The best show I ever attended was Stan Getz at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor. The first jazz record I bought was Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. My advice to new listeners is to listen carefully to how melodically the jazz improvisers play. How smooth and effortless it sounds. It is never too late to start playing a musical instrument. Follow your dreams and face your fears.

My House Concert Story

I am a full jazz musician and composer performing 70 different concerts and club dates per year

Favorite Places to See Jazz

Ann Arbor Summer Festival

Blue LLama Jazz Club

Clara's On The River

Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe

Fishbone's Greektown

Lansing Jazzfest

London Chop House Detroit

Lucille's Jazz Lounge

Rancho Tranquilico

Silvio's Trattoria

Top Of The Park At The Ann Arbor Summer Festival

Urban Beat

Engage

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