Vincent Chancey

Vincent Chancey secured a distinctive standing in jazz through his command of the French horn. Although he honed his technique while training with Julius Watkins, both his musical gifts and personal voice originated as natural endowments.

A career that opened in the 1970s brought collaborations with the Sun Ra Arkestra, Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy, the David Murray Big Band, the Carla Bley Big Band, the Beaver Harris French Horn Connection, and the Richard Abrams Orchestra. Across those decades Chancey appeared on more than seventy recordings and traveled with ensembles through the United States, Africa, and Europe.

In 1993 he issued his first album under his own name, Welcome Mr. Chancey, on In + Out Records. The set mixes jazz with R&B and reggae soul on pieces such as “A Night to Remember” and “Barefoot Bahian Girl.” A CD edition followed in 1995. His next project, Next Mode, reached stores in 1998.