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Paul Vornhagen

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

About Me

Started my musical education in Ann Arbor MI on flute then Saxophone. Attended City College Of San Franciso in music program for 1 year. 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 1999, VARIATIONS (Strawberry Records)

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.