Victor Goines: Jazz and Democracy

Saxophonist and educator Victor Goines explains what jazz is, how jazz music helps shape the democrat process and the advantages New Orleans musicians have over the music.

SAXOPHONIST • CLARINETIST • COMPOSER • ARRANGER • EDUCATOR 
Born: August 6, 1961, 
New Orleans, Louisiana

 “Laconic yet agile, serious yet playful, studied and still hip, he creates straight-ahead jazz that neither kowtows to fads nor buckles under the weight of tradition.” -Times-Picayune

Victor Goines has played the clarinet since the age of eight and continued his studies with Carl Blouin, Sr., who introduced him to the saxophone at St. Augustine High School. In 1980, he entered Loyola University in New Orleans where he studied clarinet and saxophone, receiving a Bachelor of Music Education Degree in 1984.

As Mr. Goines’ interest in jazz increased, he contacted Ellis Marsalis in 1983 to take private lessons. Eight months later, Mr. Marsalis selected Mr. Goines to play saxophone as a member of his quartet. Mr. Goines left New Orleans in 1987 to pursue his graduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, receiving his Master of Music Degree in 1990.

During time off, Mr. Goines traveled to New York City to perform. While living there, he worked with Ruth Brown, Lionel Hampton, Bobby Watson, Jack McDuff, and others. He also joined the orchestra of the Broadway musical Black and Blue, where he played alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, and clarinet. In 1991, after his return to New Orleans, Mr. Goines won both the New Orleans City-Wide Jazz Saxophone Competition and the Best of New Orleans Jazz competition. Later that year he was selected to compete in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, outperforming nearly 300 musicians from around the world to make it to the semifinals.

In 1993, Victor’s talent and musicianship led to membership in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Wynton Marsalis Septet, where he has since performed, touring throughout the world and recording over twenty-one releases including Wynton Marsalis’