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Meet Andrew Vogt, Freelance Jazz Musician and Local Band Teacher
by Kara Thompson
When he was a kindergartener, one of his favorite albums to select for family dinner music was the
Breakfast at Tiffany's
soundtrack, featuring music and composition by Henry Mancini. This music, particularly the saxophone parts, inspired him to want to make music a predominant part of his life. Now, Andrew Vogt is a professional freelance saxophonist performing gigs in Fort Collins every week as well as band director at three local schools.
"I always loved music, since I was a little kid. My dad had a good record collection, which I still dig into. My two brothers and I took turns picking dinner music. One album Dad had was Henry Mancini's Breakfast at Tiffany's. It was my favorite. It had great saxophone, and I was hooked when I heard that," he said. "They played jazz and took us to opera. We were exposed to good music early on."
Vogt splits his time during the day as band director at
Saint Joseph Catholic School
in Fort Collins,
Saint John the Evangelist Catholic School
in Loveland, and
Immanuel Lutheran School
in Loveland. He appreciates the the opportunity to be involved in music education and introducing children to instruments.
"I thought about being a college professor…for about 15 minutes. I quickly got over that. I like working with kids. They have a lot of enthusiasm and fun. I like to try to get them excited about music. They are open to putting themselves out there and trying new things," he said.
His teaching schedule, which is typically Monday through Thursday during the day, allows him to have time to perform and compose. As a freelance jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, he plays with a variety of bands several nights a week in Fort Collins, along the Front Range, and in resort towns. On occasion, he travels out of state to play with certain bands, and he's had recent gigs in San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Michigan. Though jazz is his primary musical genre, he also plays funk, rhythm and blues, dixieland, polka-jazz, and blues.
Vogt leads several bands — the funk jazz band ZARO, in which he plays saxophone; and the polka jazz trio, The Twirling Zucchini Trio, in which he plays clarinet. Another group, The Andrew Vogt Gypsy Street Trio, will be a part of the
Beet Street
program Streetmosphere this summer in Old Town; this program offers free, outdoor performances of all types throughout the summer. He also plays regularly with the Subterranean Jazz Quartet, which performs Thursdays at
Ace Gillett's
in Fort Collins. Other bands that he plays with on a regular basis include Drew and Julie's Martini Lounge, The Grippe, The Poudre Irregulars, Swing Essence, and The Jonny Mogambo Band.
I've been described by some other musicians as being a chameleon. I play a lot of different styles. – Andrew Vogt
Vogt credits his ability to work with others as an essential part of being a successful freelance musician. He learned this lesson early, when in his first year of college at the University of Kansas, a professor gave him advice that he's always remembered.
"My sax professor told me that being a musician involves more than playing. You have to get along with people. That stuck with me. If you're not easy to work with, approachable and pleasant, it's going to get in the way," he said.
This is a lesson that he carries into the classroom and tries to teach his own students.
"I try to instill with my band students that we are in this together. For something to work, we have to get along and support each other. How well we play is only a part of it," he said.
Andrew Vogt's CD, Cats Afoot, was released in 2010. Artwork provided by Mr. Vogt.
In addition, Vogt has produced and composed two solo albums,
Action Plan
(2006) and
Cats Afoot
(2010), under his record company,
Drew's Blues Records
. He has also played on albums for several other groups and musicians and has a new CD coming out later this year with The Twirling Zucchini Trio.
Doing compositions and arrangements is part of being a musician for me. It's natural for a jazz musician to compose because we're already inclined to improvise. It's in the blood of that kind of creative musician. – Andrew Vogt
Vogt, born in Michigan, considers Lincoln, Neb., as his hometown because he spent most of his childhood there. After attending the University of Kansas for one year, he transferred to the University of Nebraska, where he earned his Music Education degree with an emphasis in performance. After college, he played saxophone with various bands on Carnival Cruise Lines. After his travels to various exotic locations, he developed a mysterious illness and had to leave his job with Carnival. Because of this, he moved to Fort Collins in 2000 to be nearer to his parents so that he could recover.
Shortly thereafter, he began sitting in with a band at the Crown Pub and started making connections throughout the Fort Collins musician community. He also taught private music lessons, and he then was the substitute band director at Saint Joseph's for a year before being hired permanently.
Though unforeseen circumstances brought him to Fort Collins, Vogt soon discovered that he loved the town and the mountains.
"After I recovered, I realized I really liked Colorado. I discovered skiing and I love the mountains," he said.
Among his favorite free-time activities are spending time with his wife and cats, hiking, skiing, biking, drawing and sampling the local micro-brews.
The passion of Fort Collins residents for music is another part of the community that Vogt appreciates, particularly because it allows his to be a successful freelance musician.
"On certain nights of the week, you could have five venues with live jazz. From May to September here in Colorado, it's a good time to be an active freelance musician," he said. "I'm thankful to be able to be involved in music professionally. It's a blessing. There are so many wonderful musicians in Colorado; it's an inspiring place to be."
• CD Review, 2011
the versatile reed player delivers a satisfying, smile-inducing recording...
-By Tom Ineck
Jazz eclectic Andrew Vogt continues to draw on his many and diverse influences for his latest release, the cleverly-titled "Cats Afoot." Recruiting the finest players in the vicinity of Fort Collins, Colo., and deploying them in sextet, quartet and duo settings, the versatile reed player delivers a satisfying, smile-inducing recording of mostly original compositions.
The opener is Jeff Lynne's "On the Run," an old ELO tune updated with an upbeat jazz shuffle featuring the twin tenors of Vogt and Rich Chiaraluce, a friend, mentor and frequent collaborator. This infectious tune will have you snapping your fingers in time to the bright and swinging rhythm. Guitarist Bill Kopper also contributes a lithe, imaginative solo.
"With Trace of Night" is a funky, rocking number with a vicious backbeat. Vogt, on alto sax, fronts a tight quartet also consisting of guitarist Kopper, bassist Drew Morell and drummer Mark Raynes. In his angular, squealing alto forays, Vogt turns this one every which way but loose. With Vogt on tenor, the quartet drives through the swinging, rhythmically complex tune, "The Derailer." Kopper and Morell deliver outstanding solos, and Raynes weave polyrhythmic patterns around Vogt's sax lines.
Kopper shines on fuzz-toned lead guitar and overdubbed wah-wah rhythm guitar on the snaking, ominous "Groomzilla." Of course, Vogt also finds plenty of opportunities to insert incisive tenor fills. "Pour Deux" pairs Vogt and Chiaraluce on clarinets for a joyful exercise in skilled interplay. Kopper adds an equally joyful solo on nylon-string guitar and Mark Sloniker follows with a brilliant piano solo.
Vogt pays homage to one of his major influences with "Phil Woodshed," an uptempo, straight-ahead bopper with the twin alto saxes of Vogt and Chiaraluce in exciting call-and-response exchanges. Gabriel Faure's impressionistic ballad "Pavane" provides the perfect setting for Sloniker and Vogt, who first states the gorgeous melody on clarinet before taking it into the jazz realm with variations on the theme.
The sextet returns with the breezy, swaying "Say This Way," the longest tune at just over nine minutes. Vogt runs the range of his horn with ease in his extended solo statement. It also features solid solos by Sloniker and bassist Eric Applegate. The two tenors are paired again on the swing classic "Jeep is Jumpin'," a Johnny Hodges composition from the Ellington songbook. Indeed, everyone is jumpin' on this uptempo sextet performance.
Vogt picks up the baritone saxophone for "Light in Shade," a wonderful, stately piece that amounts to the composer's own venture into classical impressionism. Sloniker's playing expands beautifully on the melody and harmonic variations in this exquisite duo performance.
The CD's title is a little double-entendre wordplay, reinforced by the cover and sleeve photos of some very active felines. As Vogt notes, "The cats in the band were great and hardly anyone shedded!"
• CD Review, December/10
a 70-minute jazz odyssey, featuring some of Northern Colorado's most renowned and talented musicians.
-By Devin Morse
Jazz cats take notice: Cats Afoot, the new 11-song release from local reed-man Andrew Vogt, jives with dazzling arrangements and tactful improvisation. From song to song, Vogt captains three different groups: a duo, a quartet, and a sextet through a 70-minute jazz odyssey, featuring some of Northern Colorado's most renowned and talented musicians.
Although each piece is generally arranged with the saxophone or clarinet as the centerpiece, one need not fear the Kenny G elevator schwag of yesteryear.
Styles range from free-form to traditional and funk-fusion. Although most arrangements are originals, the album does include an Ellington standard, as well as a major re-working of the Electric Light Orchestra tune "On The Run."
Overall, there is more than enough variation to allow Vogt's cats to escape the ever-popular "wine and cheese" jazz stigma.
The tune "Pour Deux" exemplifies both Vogt's mastery of the clarinet and his ability to engineer complex arrangements. The head is a sort of call and response between two lead clarinets, backed by the talented improvisational sensibilities of the remaining sextet members.
"Light in Shade," a slower duet between Vogt and local pianist Mark Sloniker, showcases each masters' ability to create mood and graceful drama through a carefully chosen conservation of notes.
If a taste for jazz is acquired, Cats Afoot has enough flavor and complexity to leave even the choosiest feline licking its chops.
• Friday, July 30th, 2010
ANDREW VOGT CD RELEASE PARTY AT JAY'S BISTRO! 137 W Oak Street in Old Town Ft. Collins 830-1130 PM The new CD, "Cats Afoot" is out and we are celebrating it's release!
"Cats Afoot" clocks in at almost 70 minutes of music and pounces on the listeners' ears with feline agility! Multi-reed man, Andrew Vogt, leads a pride of Colorado cats through a purr-fect set of intruiging originals, a major reworking of an ELO tune, Gabriel Faure impressionism, and a Duke Ellington classic. The fabulous felines that join Andrew are... keyboard king Mark Sloniker, guitar master Bill Kopper, drum wizard Mark Raynes, richy Rich Chiaraluce on woodwinds and the masters of time Erik Applegate and Drew Morell. Andrew will join the Mark Sloniker Trio this Friday and perform many of the pieces on the new disc so come on and check out the cats at Jay's Bistro!
• Concert Review, July/09
ZARO brings funky good time to Jazz in June
-By Tom Ineck
LINCOLN, Neb.—A fair-weather capacity crowd of several thousand were in for a raucous and funky good time when the Fort Collins, Colo., quartet ZARO took the outdoor stage for the second of five 2009 Jazz in June concerts.
The June 9 performance was exuberant and high-volume, in both senses of the word, as the well-rehearsed band reeled off nearly 20 tunes in two 60-minute sets at a decibel level that took some getting used to, especially for those of us sitting up front. Once the ears had adjusted, however, it was pure listening pleasure.
For front man and Lincoln native Andrew Vogt, a versatile reed virtuoso, it seemed a pure pleasure to be playing for a hometown crowd, and he took every opportunity to show his appreciation, giving a shout-out to fellow alumni of Lincoln East High School and Pyrtle Elementary School and ending the concert with a “God bless Nebraska.”
Spurred on by Vogt, the rest of the foursome—guitarist Zac Rothenbuehler, bassist Roger Barnhart, drummer Oscar Dezoto—responded with equal enthusiasm. They floated on top of the rhythmic drive created by Vogt’s David Sanbornish alto sax on the Pat Martino composition “Mac Tough.” Vogt’s own “Action Plan” was followed by a funky, witty take on “Fables of Faubus,” the Charles Mingus attack on Arkansas segregationist Gov. Orval Faubus. With Vogt on tenor sax, the tune began in mid-tempo, accelerated and returned before opening up to solos by Vogt and Rothenbuehler.
• East grad returns to perform for school's 40th anniversary, May/08
-BY JEFF KORBELIK, Lincoln Journal Star
You know the idiom "marching to a different drummer." Well, it describes Lincoln East High School graduate Andrew Vogt "to a T," according to Del Whitman.
Like the time Vogt stopped in Lincoln to visit his former high school band teacher and decided to go for a ride.
He did it on a unicycle.
"He kind of does his own
thing," Whitman said, laughing.
Vogt always has — especially with his saxophone, said the Lincoln East teacher.
"He was kind of a cool cat, a real jazz type," Whitman said, remembering the high school-age Vogt. "He had a funny, quirky sense of humor. He made people laugh.
"But more than anything, when people heard him play his sax, their eyes got real big."
Vogt, 35, is back in Lincoln this weekend at the behest of his alma mater. His band ZARO will play
Saturday night in East's auditorium for the school's 40th anniversary celebration. The free concert is open to the public.
"It's terribly exciting, and it's going to be great fun," said Vogt, who graduated from East in 1989. "It's really cool for me to bring back my main group right now and play at the place where I played my first solo as a kid. If the same audience is there, that'll really be surreal."
Whitman was right about his former student's sense of humor. Vogt is a freelance musician and educator based out of Fort Collins, Colo. He began playing saxophone in elementary school in Lincoln and quickly developed a passion for it. Whitman called him a "band rat" because Vogt was one of those students who constantly hung out in the band room. "He was always playing, playing, playing; 'Whitman said. So much so, he became quite good. Whitman remembers how Vogt once captivated an audience at a competition in Bellevue, walking the stage while playing a solo. "He took over the whole stage with his presence," Whitman said. "But he wasn't boastful or arrogant. He had a totally humbling presence in his playing. It kind of captured you."
Vogt graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Afterward, he went in search of a gig and a different place to play. He found it in the Caribbean, spending three years on Carnival cruise ships.
"Musically, it was a good experience," he said. "I also met all sorts of people. There's lots of different nationalities on cruise ships, on average about 70."
He settled in Fort Collins after his cruise ship run, opting for the Rocky Mountains over a big city because he had family there.
"It's really been working out for me out here," he said. "I love the skiing, and there's so many different places to play. It's an amazing, gorgeous location. I'm playing in heaven, you know"
Vogt specializes in high-energy jazz, but also performs in a variety of funk, soul and R&B bands. In 2006, he released his first solo effort, "Action Plan," on his own label. He plans to record another disc this fall.
The East performance will be his first in Lincoln since college. He's been back to Omaha, including a concert last year at the Joslyn Art Museum.
"I know this is long overdue," he said. "It'll be great to see some friends and stuff."
No word if he's packing the unicycle.
What: ZARO, featuring Andrew Vogt
Where: Lincoln East High School
auditorium, 1000 S. 70th St.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: Freewill donation
• KRFC live @ lunch, July/08
-Chris Galis
Andrew Vogt, widely praised jazz saxophonist, will be endowing the KRFC studios with his formidable jazz eurythmics. Vogt has spent the better part of his life performing thousands of times from nationwide jazz competitions to gigs on cruise ships - this guy has been around. I'm sure he's got something to say about it. Also a professional flute and clarinet player, Vogt is one of the most diverse musicians around Fort Collins. Locally, he often performs with local favorites such as Mark Sloniker and the Montgomery Jazz Group.
• Rocky Mountain Chronicle, PARENTAL GUIDANCE TO BOHEMIAN NIGHTS
- -Elliot Johnson
ANDREW VOGT GROUP-- "A regular jazz nighter at fine-dining establishments across the region, saxophonist Andrew Vogt has more in store for listeners than a mere soundtrack to a medium-rare steak. Vogt and his band can swing effortlessly through many styles engagingly, including jazz, bebop, funk and reggae."
• Tomfoolery
Colorado trip yields good food and music at Jay's, Sept/08
-By Tom Ineck
FORT COLLINS, Colo.—While planning to attend a weekend family reunion in Loveland, Colo., in late June, I decided to make the most of my Rocky Mountain travels by adding a few days in a cabin high on the banks of the Poudre River outside Fort Collins and a few days in Denver visiting in-laws.
Berman Music Foundation friend and former Lincoln, Neb., resident Andrew Vogt has called Fort Collins home for seven years, so it seemed appropriate—while in his neck of the woods—to get in touch with Andrew, who also is a wonderful multi-reed player who keeps busy performing gigs throughout the area, when he isn’t teaching in Loveland.
We were in luck. Andrew was free for a Wednesday evening dinner before he headed over to a snazzy little club called Jay’s Bistro and Jazz Lounge to sit in with pianist Mark Sloniker, who fronts a trio there four nights a week. It was just a couple of blocks from our dinner spot, the popular Coopersmith’s brewpub in the city’s quaint Old Town section.
• East grad returns to perform for school's 40th anniversary, May/08
-BY JEFF KORBELIK, Lincoln Journal Star
You know the idiom "marching to a different drummer." Well, it describes Lincoln East High School graduate Andrew Vogt "to a T," according to Del Whitman.
Like the time Vogt stopped in Lincoln to visit his former high school band teacher and decided to go for a ride.
He did it on a unicycle.
"He kind of does his own
thing," Whitman said, laughing.
Vogt always has — especially with his saxophone, said the Lincoln East teacher.
"He was kind of a cool cat, a real jazz type," Whitman said, remembering the high school-age Vogt. "He had a funny, quirky sense of humor. He made people laugh.
"But more than anything, when people heard him play his sax, their eyes got real big."
Vogt, 35, is back in Lincoln this weekend at the behest of his alma mater. His band ZARO will play
Saturday night in East's auditorium for the school's 40th anniversary celebration. The free concert is open to the public.
"It's terribly exciting, and it's going to be great fun," said Vogt, who graduated from East in 1989. "It's really cool for me to bring back my main group right now and play at the place where I played my first solo as a kid. If the same audience is there, that'll really be surreal."
Whitman was right about his former student's sense of humor. Vogt is a freelance musician and educator based out of Fort Collins, Colo. He began playing saxophone in elementary school in Lincoln and quickly developed a passion for it. Whitman called him a "band rat" because Vogt was one of those students who constantly hung out in the band room. "He was always playing, playing, playing; 'Whitman said. So much so, he became quite good. Whitman remembers how Vogt once captivated an audience at a competition in Bellevue, walking the stage while playing a solo. "He took over the whole stage with his presence," Whitman said. "But he wasn't boastful or arrogant. He had a totally humbling presence in his playing. It kind of captured you."
Vogt graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Afterward, he went in search of a gig and a different place to play. He found it in the Caribbean, spending three years on Carnival cruise ships.
"Musically, it was a good experience," he said. "I also met all sorts of people. There's lots of different nationalities on cruise ships, on average about 70."
He settled in Fort Collins after his cruise ship run, opting for the Rocky Mountains over a big city because he had family there.
"It's really been working out for me out here," he said. "I love the skiing, and there's so many different places to play. It's an amazing, gorgeous location. I'm playing in heaven, you know"
Vogt specializes in high-energy jazz, but also performs in a variety of funk, soul and R&B bands. In 2006, he released his first solo effort, "Action Plan," on his own label. He plans to record another disc this fall.
The East performance will be his first in Lincoln since college. He's been back to Omaha, including a concert last year at the Joslyn Art Museum.
"I know this is long overdue," he said. "It'll be great to see some friends and stuff."
No word if he's packing the unicycle.
What: ZARO, featuring Andrew Vogt
Where: Lincoln East High School
auditorium, 1000 S. 70th St.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: Freewill donation
• KRFC live @ lunch, July/08
-Chris Galis
Andrew Vogt, widely praised jazz saxophonist, will be endowing the KRFC studios with his formidable jazz eurythmics. Vogt has spent the better part of his life performing thousands of times from nationwide jazz competitions to gigs on cruise ships - this guy has been around. I'm sure he's got something to say about it. Also a professional flute and clarinet player, Vogt is one of the most diverse musicians around Fort Collins. Locally, he often performs with local favorites such as Mark Sloniker and the Montgomery Jazz Group.
• Rocky Mountain Chronicle, PARENTAL GUIDANCE TO BOHEMIAN NIGHTS
- -Elliot Johnson
ANDREW VOGT GROUP-- "A regular jazz nighter at fine-dining establishments across the region, saxophonist Andrew Vogt has more in store for listeners than a mere soundtrack to a medium-rare steak. Vogt and his band can swing effortlessly through many styles engagingly, including jazz, bebop, funk and reggae."
• Former prairie boy turns mountain man
- By Tom Ineck
In his lifetime, Andrew Vogt has evolved quite naturally-and without a plan-from a child of the Plains to a man of the Rocky Mountains, with a three-year detour to the Caribbean aboard a series of Carnival cruise ships.
• Berman Music Foundation JAZZ, 2007
 |
Action Plan
Drew's Blues Records |
 |
| Even in his early 20s he gave the appearance of an "action man." Laid back, but hyped; a little drifty, but extremely focused; sensitive, yet intense. You knew he was headed somewhere, hence a plan. He left Nebraska, woodshedded on cruise ships, overcame a health setback, moved to Colorado, gigged a lot, recorded with the likes of Jason Hollar, and now-finally-put out a record under his own moniker. "Action Plan," indeed. |
• Rocky Mountain Chronicle, NO MORE COTTON CANDY
- By MARTI STEPHENS
The next time you're out to a fancy dinner, Andrew Vogt would like you to pay more attention to the live jazz that's inevitably wafting through the air, tangling with the aroma of filet mignon and cabernet.
