Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee began playing bass at age 12 and was soon performing throughout the Bay Area. By age 17 he had performed with Bay Area greats Bruce Foreman, Ed Kelly, Noel Jewkes, Erestes Vilato, Vince Latiano, Randy Vincent, and many others. After being awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, he headed to Boston to pursue his musical studies.
After graduating cum laude form Berklee College of Music Emmanuel returned to the Bay Area, where he is currently keeping busy performing, recording, and composing. He has performed with many of the most respected and notable names in jazz including Joe Lovano, John Abercrombie, Danilo Perez, Mary Stallings, Dave Samuels, George Garzone, Joanne Brackeen, Hal Crook, Darren Barrett, Mark Levine, Erik Gravatt, Alan Broadbent, and many others.
In 2002 Emmanuel released his self-produced debut recording as a leader, "Previous Misconceptions," which was received with rave reviews and was featured on the May 2002 issue of the Jazziz Magazine sampler CD representing talented Berklee alumni. As well as performing as a sideman, Emmanuel regularly leads his own groups in performances throughout the West Coast. He is also involved in several collaborative projects with many of the most exciting and innovative players in California.
Since returning to the Bay Area, Emmanuel has performed, toured, and recorded with many great Bay Area-based musicians including Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillit Lickers, Jacqui Naylor, Eddie Marshall, Mike Zilber, Julian Lage, Michael Bluestein, Anton Schwartz, Scott Amendola, Art Hirahara, Jaz Sawyer, Babatude Lea, Justin Morell, Dave Mac Nab, Jason Lewis, Dayna Stephens, Mike Olmos, Erik Jekabson, Jeff Marrs, Leonard Thompson, Matt Clark, Akira Tana, Adam Theis, and many others.
Emmanuel recently went into the studio and recorded his second CD, "Borrowed Time" and was released on Fresh Sound New Talent label December 2004. The CD features saxophonists Mark Turner and Dayna Stephens, trumpeter Erik Jekabson, pianist Albert Sanz, and drummer Ferenc Nemeth.
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