Vic Vogel has died in Montreal at age 84. A legendary jazz figure in Montreal, he was also a musical icon throughout the world in jazz circles.
According to a posting on Facebook in French, English and Spanish the pianist, trombonist, composer, and arranger who also taught himself to play the vibraphone and tuba, died Monday in his home “beside his true love, his Steinway piano since he was 16”.
Vic Vogel (Facebook)
Over the years Vogel had shared the stage with, or accompanied, some 2,000 minor and major stars like Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Maynard Ferguson, Edith Piaf, Mel Torme, Slide Hampton, Paul Anka, Tony Bennett, Eartha Kitt, Andy Williams, Sammy Davis Jr., Jerry Lewis, Michel Legrand, Ann-Margaret, Shirley MacLaine,Tennessee Ernie Ford, Sammy Davis Jr., Celine Dion, Michel Legrand, Cannonball Adderley, Chucho Valdés, Ella Fitzgerald, Phil Wood, and Gerry Mulligan.
He also dabbled in pop, and symphony, and in 1979 his band toured with the then extremely popular Quebec blues/rock group Offenbach, which resulted in an award winning album, “En Fusion”.
Mostly self taught, he was already performing in public at age 16, and went on to found the “le Jazz Big Band”.
Vic Vogel at home with his beloved Steinway. steinway, (S Lemieux-M Ouimet- LP Ouimet- Radio-Canada)
His multi-decade career resulted in more than 2,000 arrangements and compositions including writing, arranging and conducting music for ceremonies of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
Vic Vogel from CBC
He also gave over 10,000 performances including appearing over 30 times at the now world famous Montreal International Jazz Festival.
His personal friend, renowned jazz pianist Oliver Jones, is quoted in the CBC saying, “I just thought the world of him as one of our greatest musicians, a very unique musician who deserved an awful lot of respect.”
Additional information-sources
- Facebook announcement: passing of Vic Vogel
- CBC: Sep 16/19: The person that would change things
- Canadian Press (via CTV): Sep 16/19: Famed jazz pianist, Vic Vogel dies at 84
- Montreal Gazette: P Hadekel: Sep 16/19: the patriarch of jazz in Montreal dies at 84
- Jazz in Europe: Sep 17/19: Obit: Honouring a Master of Canadian Jazz
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