Andrés Vial (pronounced Vee-al) is a pianist, multi-instrumentalist, composer from Montréal.
He has performed with Joe Chambers, Billy Hart, Billy Harper, Ira Coleman, Peter Bernstein, Craig Handy, Ingrid Jensen, Malika Tirolien (Bokanté), Danton Boller (Roy Hargrove Quintet), Kevin Dean, André White, Mike Murley, Kirk MacDonald, Ivan Neville (The Neville Brothers), Dezron Douglas, Eric McPherson, Rodney Green, Michael Blake, Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba, Greg Cohen, Darrell Green, Al McLean, Charles Ellison, Dave Turner, Mike Allen, Kalmunity, Gamelan Giri Kedaton and many others.
Active as a leader and sideman, he has played at over 50 festivals and hundreds of venues around the world.
He has released 8 albums as a leader, including the Juno-nominated trio albums “Gang of Three” and “When Is Ancient?”.
In 2023, he became the first Montréal pianist and composer to record for Blue Note Records, appearing on Joe Chambers’ album “Dance Kobina”. Vial played piano on three tracks and contributed two originals to the album, including the title track.
He holds a doctorate (DMUS) in jazz piano performance from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music. In addition teaching at McGill, he has given jazz piano masterclasses at Dartmouth College, Vanier College and UQAM. He has contributed articles about jazz and improvisation to Downbeat Magazine and Cumulus Press.
He also composes music for film and contemporary dance.
(Photo by Andi State)
