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BIO—Don Vappie
Born in New Orleans in 1956, Don Vappie, conductor, arranger, composer, vocalist and
instrumentalist (bass, guitar, mandolin, banjo and tuba) is one of New Orleans premier musicians.
Considered among the best and most original tenor banjoists in the world, Don grew up playing
funk, rhythm and blues, and pop music with the popular New Orleans band, Trac One. At age 17,
he became a member of Dick Stabile’s Orchestra based at the French Quarter’s Fairmount Hotel’s
Blue Room. While a member of this group, he backed up artists such as Joel Gray, Carol
Channing and Peggy Lee, who was so impressed with the young musician, she offered him a
position in her band whenever he felt ready to leave home. In 1988, Don became a regular at New
Orleans famed jazz club, Preservation Hall and toured with the group until 2005.
With his own band, The Creole Jazz Serenaders (CJS), Don has produce several
internationally acclaimed recordings including Creole Blues and In Search of King Oliver. Creole
Blues was chosen by Offbeat magazine as “one of 100 essential CD’s.” Vappie’s transcription and
recording of Joe “King” Oliver’s music became the subject of a Public Radio International
Broadcast series.
Having appeared as a guest with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra,
Vappie can be seen on PBS’s Live at Lincoln Center Tribute to Louis Armstrong and on Live at
Lincoln Center In Search of Higher Ground. Vappie has toured and recorded with the Jazz at
Lincoln Center Orchestra and as a member of Wynton Marsalis’ band.
In addition, he has recorded several movie soundtracks including Eve’s Bayou, under the
musical direction of jazz artist, Terence Blanchard. Vappie and CJS can be seen in the movie,
Homefront and the 2006 IMAX release, Hurricane Warning for which he wrote the opening song.
Previously, Vappie appeared on the Smithsonian’s Folkmaster Radio Series honoring Banjo
Masters.
In 1999, Don was chosen by Historic New Orleans Collection to serve as musical director for
the premier of newly discovered Jelly Roll Morton compositions in the concert Jelly’s Big New
Band. He has served several times as a jazz mentor for classical music apprentices at the Hot
Springs Music Festival led by conductor, Richard Rosenberg. In 2003, CJS and Don were invited
to perform (under the baton of Rosenberg) with the Corpus Christi Symphony. The selections
included, Don’s orchestral arrangements of early jazz pieces. Don’s transcriptions are included in
a publication by Warner Brothers, the Smithsonian, Lincoln Center and the National Park Service.
Coming from a long line of Creole musicians, Don has been instrumental in bringing attention
to the Creole jazz music of his heritage, and has served as a panelist, presenter and performer at
symposiums and conferences, including the Black Banjo Gathering at Appalachian State
University in Boone, NC. He has been featured often in magazines such as The Mississippi Rag
and All Frets—the news magazine for the Fretted Instrument Guild of America.
Don has recorded, and toured with, several European bands in Germany, France and
Denmark. He is currently developing projects with Victor Goines, Director of Jazz at Julliard and
Michael Doucet, leader of the Grammy-winning Cajun band, BeauSoliel. In addition to Marsalis,
Doucet and Goines, Don has performed with such notable artists as Danny Barker, Doc Cheatham,
Dick Hyman, Diana Krall, Marcus Roberts, Johnny Adams, and Jon Faddis, and he has appeared
as solo guest artist with a number of bands.
…there are a couple of factors which make Vappie special. First off, he is a schooled musician who happens to
play the banjo…additionally, his respect for his Creole heritage and the influence of the musical surrounding of his
youth also have found their evident way into Vappie’s music of today…
All Frets Magazine, Johnny Baier, editor November/December 2005
Dec 15, 2005