Las Cruces High School alum has a record

A former Las Cruces High School student has released a jazz album called “Unbelonging,” through a Brooklyn-based record label.

Jacobo Vega-Albela attended Lynn Middle School and Las Cruces High School before receiving a Bachelor’s degree in classical percussion performance from New Mexico State University. He now lives in Rochester, New York, where he relocated to earn a Master’s degree in jazz studies in contemporary media at the Eastman School of Music.

Although Vega-Albela said he misses Las Cruces, he is hoping to move to New York City next where there is a thriving jazz scene.

“I want to keep writing and playing. I’m very much fascinated by new music written by living people and I love playing original music by friends and contemporaries. It’s so fascinating and fulfilling,” he told the Bulletin from his Rochester home.

Vega-Albela grew up in a musical home. His father is a faculty member of NMSU, is the string area coordinator and plays violin.

Vega-Albela attributes his interest in jazz to a teacher at Las Cruces High School, Brent Phelps, who taught a jazz class.

“It felt very open-ended. We all had the opportunity to experiment with ideas. It was a big part of what got me curious about exploring jazz more deeply,” Vega-Albela said.

Phelps, who now teaches at Camino Real Middle School, told the Bulletin that he still remembers Vega-Albela as a student and that he “really blossomed” while taking his classes in jazz at Las Cruces High School.

Phelps said he asked his students to listen to influential jazz musicians to get them to think about how to do things differently.

“I had them imitate the way they play. When this person improvises, listen to what they do, the textures, the articulations, how fast, how slow, what notes they were playing. I did a lot of ear training to be able to decipher rhythm, dictate it, the chords, what notes sound better,” he said.

Jazz enthusiasts say that the trends in jazz, currently, are about blending genres. Vega-Albela said living in Las Cruces has influenced his music, in part, with Latin style. Vega-Albela said he used to hear Latin music “around the house all the time,” growing up.

He said Latin music has a depth to its rhythmic language. Vega-Albela said the rhythm in Latin music has its roots in African rhythms that were “transmitted to the new world.”

Vega-Albela said he loves jazz, in part, because of the cross-pollination that occurs.

“It’s very vibrant,” he said.

Vega-Albela said that when he attended Lynn Middle School he played percussion and drum set for the Lynn jazz band and at Las Cruces High School, he played concert band, marching band and pep band to support LCHS basketball games.

The jazz drummer and composer said another influence for his music was the nature and the natural world he experienced while living in the desert.

“I miss getting to spend time in the mountains. I miss the people, the culture and the food,” he said.