Born in Fresno, California (the raisin capital of the world), Vince moved to New York City in 1994 to study at Union Theological Seminary with the intention of becoming a Methodist minister. The Reverend lasted three months in seminary, before sensing a new direction to take his music and message to where the people were: the bars and taverns. He promptly started holding weekly “services” in New York’s Lower East Side and in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He now serves as a pastor and musician at three New York City churches: Citylights Community, Barstool Tabernacle, and Bushwick Abbey.
The Reverend calls his music “dirty gospel”, a term reflecting both his musical influences and his theological perspective. He has released four albums as well as playing a weekly show in New York City for over 20 years with his Brooklyn-based band The Love Choir. He’s toured internationally as well as playing with artists such as The Roots, Daniel Johnson, and Melvin Van Peebles. His band includes members of TV on the Radio, Run the Jewels, Nick Waterhouse band, and Burnt Sugar.
Rev. Vince is currently setting the book of Psalms to music.
————————————————- The 9 Beats Collective has come together to make a soundscape of songs, instrumentals and spoken word that explores the ancient wisdom known as the Beatitudes. These words speak about another world being possible, another way of being human: in these turbulent times, could they actually offer us steps to a new reality? The 9 Beats Collective explores these powerful notions – and presents them back to the culture around us through music and art.
“The arts and theology and spiritual formation are really great conversation partners because…we’re invited to question the assumptions of the systems that we are part of…They point out that the emperor has no clothes on and then invoke the possibility of newness to come…There’s a longing inside of us for another world, something better than what’s here right now…The Beatitudes invite us into that possibility and say there is a new way to be human, another world is possible.” [Mark Scandrette, author and speaker]