Vincent Ingala

Vincent Ingala From Prodigy to Sought-After Seasoned Pro

By Marcia Luttrell

Though he’s younger than many of his colleagues, 29-year-old Vincent Ingala has worked for more than a decade to take his place among the most seasoned contemporary jazz artists. The multi-instrumentalist plays almost everything except trumpet on his most recent CD, Fire & Desire. But for the whole of his career, the tenor saxophone has defined him. “I felt like I hit a plateau with drums, guitar and keyboards,” Ingala said by phone from his home in Connecticut. “The saxophone was more complex, and I stuck with it because I wanted to rise up to that challenge. It’s your own sound, and it’s so expressive. It’s like the human voice.” In 2007, when Ingala was just entering high school, he decided to use his savings to buy his first professional horn at a shop in New Jersey. “My parents drove me,” Ingala recalled. “We could have gone to New York, but USA Horn had the six or seven models that I wanted to try out.” As his parents watched and waited, Ingala sampled different horns. Then he picked up a Yamaha tenor saxophone. “I literally blew three notes, and I looked at my parents and said, ‘This is the one.’ I knew instinctively, the way it was reacting to me. I played for an hour. My parents said, ‘Make sure this is the one you want because you are spending a lot of money.’ The horn has never let me down. Every time I step onstage, I have full confidence.” A millennial with old-school sensibilities, Ingala has amassed a following with seven albums that resulted in a number of top 20 Billboard jazz albums, including Personal Touch (2018) and Fire & Desire (2021), his third release on the Shanachie Entertainment label. Last year, Ingala joined Dave Koz’s Summer Horns tour and performed for the first time at the Hollywood Bowl, a career highlight. In addition to playing on recordings by guitarist Peter White and pianists David Benoit and Gregg Karukas, he’s a frequent featured artist on the Dave Koz & Friends at Sea cruises. In 2023, he’ll join Rick Braun’s River Cruise Getaway with Koz and Jonathan Butler.

“It’s like a Disneyland for musicians because you are connecting with all friends and family around the world,” Ingala enthused. “It’s a highlight of the year.” Ingala started building a fan base early in life, and from the beginning, it was a multi-generational family affair. All through high school, he performed weekends with a support group of Sicilian family members. “My parents never once discouraged me from pursuing a career in music,” Ingala said with sincerity. “We are music people. We aren’t into sports or other things; we love music. There is a rich history of everybody going to see bands growing up. When things started to take off for me, even on a local basis, it was exciting for everybody, and they followed me.” Ingala’s father, Leo, would work the sound board and Dawn, his mother, sold CDs and helped to book engagements. At age 17, Ingala released his first album, North End Soul (2010), recorded on a four-track tape player. As the recording process evolved and became computerized, Ingala built a home studio that enabled him to assume the roles of artist, composer and engineer. He taught himself drum programming, consulted with sound engineers and spent hours listening to and dissecting tracks to learn how to craft songs. He also strived to make his saxophone sound as authentic as it does in live performances. “Occasionally, I’ll bring in somebody specialized,” he said. “But for the most part, I’m a one-man, one-stop shop. I work best that way. I have a vision that I hear in my head, and I know exactly what I want. Once I got over the learning curve, and I was at home with music production, my creations came to life. Fire & Desire represents how I actually sound.”

The album’s title cut is an urgent, up-tempo number that commands attention with Ingala’s powerful horn phrasing over rock guitar licks and a thumping rhythm track. “Shadow Dancer,” the opening number, has a swaying tempo, a harmonizing horn chorus and an infectious sax melody. Ingala’s girlfriend, Olivia, picked the title. “I remember her listening to that song while recording it and getting her advice,” Ingala said. “She envisioned the silhouette of a dancer, faceless, and in the distance dancing. I thought it was a perfect title for the imagery that comes to mind.” All the songs on Fire & Desire are original except for one. “Disco Sax,” penned by Jimmy Roach, pays tribute to Houston Person, a tenor sax player who released the song in 1975. The groove is an invitation to dance the hustle and a throwback to Studio 54 days. Ingala was introduced to the song through his father, a former DJ with an extensive record collection of rare and popular jazz, soul and R&B recordings. “I remember hearing this tune, and I thought, ‘I’m going to redo it one day,’” Ingala said. continued on page 18

When Ingala entered high school, he decided to use his savings to buy his first professional horn. His parents drove him to a shop in New Jersey where he chose a Yamaha. He still plays it with confidence. “The horn has never let me down.”

continued from page 17 “I finally got around to putting my own little spin on it, which I thought was fun. I love to blend all different types of elements and influences with my music, especially the stuff I grew up with.” In December, Ingala will join guitarist Adam Hawley and vocalist Lindsey Webster on Mindi Abair’s “I Can’t Wait for Christmas” Tour. “I’ve done Peter White’s Christmas tour for the past two years, but Peter will join the Dave Koz and Friends 25th Anniversary Christmas Tour this year. So, Mindi and I decided to keep it going for Peter, and we’ll put on a great Christmas show.” Ingala will reach a milestone on Dec. 10 when he celebrates his 30th birthday while on the “I Can’t Wait for Christmas” Tour. He only has one objection to his busy schedule. “It’s not having access to food,” he said with mocked exaggeration. “A lot of musicians don’t want a lot of food in their system before a show, so they want to eat after the show. The problem is, a lot of restaurants are closed, and we have to get up early the next day, so there is a cycle of trying to find food and staying full and not overeating on the road. It’s a big complaint for me, especially being a growing Italian boy!” For more information on Ingala, including his complete tour schedule, visit www.vincentingala.com. Ingala will reach a milestone on Dec. 10 when he celebrates his 30th birthday while on the “I Can’t Wait for Christmas” Tour. He only has one objection to his busy schedule. “It’s not having access to food,” he said with mocked exaggeration. “The problem is, a lot of restaurants are closed, and we have to get up early the next day, so there is a cycle of trying to find food and staying full and not overeating on the road. It’s a big complaint for me, especially being a growing Italian boy!”

Vincent Ingala On Tour

Dec. 20* Balboa Theatre

San Diego, California www.sandiegotheatres.org/

Dec. 21* Lewis Family Playhouse at Victoria Gardens

Rancho Cucamonga, California www.cityofrc.us/vgcc 909-477-2752

Dec. 23* Tower Theatre

Fresno, California www.jazzconcerts.com

April 21, 2023 Seabreeze Jazz Festival (with Peter White)

Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater Panama City Beach, Florida www.seabreezefestival.com