Carlos Vega

Saxophonist and composer Carlos Vega was born and raised in Miami, Florida. As a young musician in Miami, Carlos Vega pursed his passion of studying jazz in college during the day while also immersed in playing Latin and Salsa six nights a week with some of Miami's most innovative and authentic Latin bands. These early eclectic musical experiences helped to form the foundation for Vega's dynamic and unique approach to composition as well as jazz improvisation.  Throughout his career, Carlos Vega has had the great fortune of touring extensively in the United States, Europe, South America and Africa. He has also performed with a variety of high profile artists including Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, Arturo Sandoval, Ira Sullivan, Tito Puente, Tito Puente Jr., Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble (CALJE) and trumpet legend Doc Severinsen, to name a few.  In 2005, he traveled to pursue a graduate music degree at the University of Illinois and quickly became part of the very exciting and dynamic Chicago Latin & Jazz scenes, playing with some of Chicago's finest musicians in some of the most famous venues and events. He had such positive musical experiences in Chicago that he decided to record his first release as a leader accompanied by four of Chicago's finest jazz musicians - Victor Garcia on Trumpet, Stu Mindeman on Piano, Josh Ramos on Bass and Xavier Breaker on Drums. This release showcases a set of exciting and very musical versions of all originals tunes composed by Carlos.  Vega is currently Associate Professor of Saxophone and the director of the Latin Jazz Ensemble at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida.