Just Jazz

ESTABLISHED 1996

We have been providing live jazz groups for events all over the country for over two decades.

Our musicians have received formal music training from conservatories such as the Berklee College of Music (Boston) and The Julliard School (New York City), and many now teach at music schools and universities. The list of jazz legends with which our musicians have performed is extensive and includes: Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Stan Getz, Ray Charles, Grover Washington Jr., and Pat Methany, among many, many others.

What We Do

We provide combinations of musicians to match the acoustics of the room, the number of guests attending the event, and the mood of the evening.

Depending on whether you want a simple background pianist or guitar trio for dinner, an elegant saxophone quartet for some dancing, or a vocalist leading a quintet, we can offer any of the following combinations of musicians:

Solo piano or guitar

Duo (guitar or piano & bass)

Trio (piano or guitar, bass & drums)

Quartet (piano or guitar, saxophone or trumpet, bass & drums)

Quintet (piano or guitar, saxophone or trumpet, female or male vocalist, bass & drums)

Brazilian trio/quartet/quintet with vocalist

Funky, 60's groove-oriented organ trio or quartet

Large ensemble or big band

Where We Have Performed

Cocktail hour, holiday parties, Board dinners, benefit fundraisers, private parties, or weddings: our live musicians playing America's greatest art form add that special, elegant touch to your event.

corporate functions

Just Jazz groups have provided the music to countless events at some of the largest companies, including: Metlife, Johnson & Johnson, American Express, Polo Ralph Lauren, Fidelity Investments, Deutsche Bank, McKinsey, and Veuve Cliquot, to name a few.

benefit fundraisers

We are happy to offer our services at half-price for organizations raising money for worthy causes. There's nothing more satisfying than knowing that our music is helping to make the world a better place.

Private affairs

Weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, special parties -- you name it and live jazz music will make your event the most memorable of the year.

Public venues and concerts

Set your restaurant or drinking establishment apart from the rest by providing a regular live jazz night. Your patrons will come back week in and week out.

Vinson Valega

Founder

Just Jazz is managed by drummer and composer, Vinson Valega.

Growing up in a musical family near Washington, D.C., Vinson studied classical piano from age seven until switching to the drums when he was twelve. He continued to play drums throughout high-school and college, and after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, he took the train to New York City in the early 90's to study music at the New School in Manhattan. There, Vinson studied with Vernel Fournier (of the Ahmad Jamal Trio), Marvin "Smitty" Smith (of The Tonight Show Band), and Norm Freeman (of the New York Philharmonic).

Over the years, Vinson has had the good fortune to work with or play alongside many of the great musicians in jazz, such as Grover Washington, Jr., Dakota Staton, Clarke Terry, James Williams, Donald Brown, Jamil Nasser, Ron McClure, Bob Mintzer, Terrel Stafford, Eric Alexander, Jom Rotundi, Joel Frahm, Dena DeRose, Vincent Herring, and Harold Mabern, Jr.

In addition to running Just Jazz, Vinson continues to perform regularly in the New York City metropolitan area. An avid composer, Vinson has four CDs out as a leader on his nonprofit label, Consilience Productions. He also teaches privately and at jazz camps, such as the Stanford Jazz Workshop in California.

Most importantly, our roster of the best jazz musicians in the business are devoted to this art form and committed to continuing the legacy of the jazz masters who came before us.

Meet some of our musicians below!