Tendencias 

“The ensemble is not quite hard-bop and not quite salsa-they are something more complex and unprecedented, and take sharp turns at times.” Phillip Freeman Downbeat Magazine 2018  (full article) 

"...It’s not just the rhythmic potency of Venezuelan music that stands out here; indeed, on a number of the tracks it's Vielma's indebtedness to the wider jazz tradition that is striking."Troy Dostert All About Jazz 2018 (full article)

 “…a superb recording with an excellent band, superior compositions and superb soloing.” Ron Weinstock, Jazz and Blues Report 2018  (full article)

 "One can’t help but marvel how magically effective this is especially as the horns constantly have to be mixed in with the dry and sharp, stabbing aural palette of Mr. Vielma’s Venezuelan percussion – another reason why this is not just another Latin-Jazz album of songs, but true to its title, a whole new set of Tendencias.”  – Raul Da Gama, Latin Jazz Network 2018 (full article)

“Latin jazz of excellent quality: interesting arrangements, inspired and voluble soloists. We can listen without hesitation!" -Tierry Giard, Culture Jazz Magazine 2018

“A Venezuelan percussionist that knows how to serve up smoking originals and find lots of the best Latin jazz cats in New York... Killer stuff throughout.” - Chris Spector, Midwest Records 2018

 “In the spirit of Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Machito, Cachao, Mario Bauzá, Chano Pozo, and Cándido Camero, drummer/composer Fran Vielma joins this lineage alongside such innovators as Danilo Pérez, Paquito D’Rivera, Dafnis Prieto, Giovanni Hidalgo, Pedrito Martínez…Further, Fran builds on this tradition by composing with folkloric rhythms from his native country, Venezuela... The result is an extremely impressive and contemporary presentation of today’s Latin jazz music.”- Billy Hart

 “There are records that are meaningful in the life of an artist, as without a doubt, it is this one by Fran Vielma… In this album, Fran shares all the passion of someone who believes in the music and gets to shape concretely a dream joined by incredible musicians…” - Guillermo Klein

ABOUT

"It’s not just the rhythmic potency of Venezuelan music that stands out here; indeed, on a number of the tracks it's Vielma's indebtedness to the wider jazz tradition that is striking." - All About Jazz 

 “The ensemble is not quite hard-bop and not quite salsa-they are something more complex and unprecedented, and take sharp turns at times.” - Downbeat Magazine 

“A superb recording with an excellent band, superior compositions and superb soloing.” - Jazz and Blues Report 

 ‘Venezuelan Jazz Collective -VJC’ is an innovative jazz ensemble comprised by an outstanding cast of world-class musicians based in the US led by percussionist/composer Fran Vielma. Their awareness of the jazz tradition, concert music, and an upbringing surrounded by the Caribbean and Southamerican genres allow these performers to move among different musical idioms with masterful spontaneity and musicianship.  

The music of their debut album “Tendencias” materializes Vielma’s vision of showcasing Venezuelan music genres blended with jazz and concert music elements. The work has been well received by the critics and it was included in the “Best of 2018” lists by NYC Jazz Record, Downbeat, Latin Jazz Network, and Ladosis Magazine.

 The ensemble was presented for the first time at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center in D.C. and in 2019 started an US & CARIBBEAN TOUR holding performances at The Gallery at High Cotton –Apalachicola FL, University of Florida -Gainesville, Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico –San Juan, MATCH -Houston, Rockwood Music Hall-NYC, SOTTO-DC, JEN Conference and NOLA Jazz Museum - New Orleans, as well as CMA Conference -NYC, Festival Internacional Jazz Plaza -Cuba, and Dallas, TX. 

 VJC is premiering the suite “Common Grounds” commission to Fran Vielma by Chamber Music America at SFJAZZ in San Francisco in fall 2022 followed by a tour around the west coast.