Another trailblazing Montreal jazzman, Oscar Peterson, was already devouring what the keyboard offered.

Vogel himself discovered piano at the age of 5 – something of an imaginary pursuit, as it was older brother Frank for whom the family first purchased an upright. But Vic's passion would not be contained and the piano and popular music became an obsession. Observing young Vogel at play, his parents might have predicted future successes: conducting an imaginary orchestra as he listened to live jazz programs on CBC radio in the early 1940's. Before long the fantasy became reality as Vogel became a feature CBC soloist, and has ever since remained a house arranger/conductor at CBC for various programmes throughout his career.

In the early 1950s Montreal was running with throttle wide open, with burlesque clubs and countless live music venues. This was an excellent encadrement for an ambitious 16 year-old pianist (not to mention trombonist), and Vic quickly established himself in Montreal area clubs, saving enough money to buy the Steinway grand piano he often played in the display window of Layton Brothers at Ste. Catherine & Stanley.
Spartan Radios, Owner Bill Layton bid $1800. and won the piano on Vogel's behalf, charging him 2% interest until he paid him back in a year.
Jazz and pop music genres became second nature to Vogel. Even so Vic decided it was time for literate enlightenment and sought help from time Oscar Peterson's teacher, Paul de Marky. In deteriorating heath, de Marky referred Vic to his colleague, Michel Hirvy.

It was under Hirvy's guidance that Vogel was able to flourish in composing and arranging. But as Vic will tell you he had more clandestine means at his disposal, for example the time when Stan

Kenton caught him perusing scores while the orchestra was on break from rehearsal – a musical felony at that time, but Mr. Kenton was more amused with Vic's alacrity than alarmed.Another lesson of more serious consequence has Vogel approaching jazz piano great Lennie Tristano at his home in New York .

“He asked me to play something” recalls Vic, “and I played A Ghost Of A Chance . Then he stuck this bag of white powder in my face and said ‘play it again'. I was sick as a dog, but Lennie said ‘there's your lesson'. And I never touched that stuff again.”

One of many highlights in Vogel's gold and platinum career is an award winning score for the official ceremonies of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal . He has worked with many luminaries: Chucho Valdés, Jimmy Heath, Zoot Sims , Phil Woods, Maynard Ferguson, Jerry Mulligan, Eartha Kitt, Slide Hampton, Cannonball Adderly, Dizzy Gillespie, Ann Margaret, Paul Anka, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jerry Lewis, and Michel LeGrand. Small wonder Vic Vogel is the personification of the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal , having performed there 25 years straight.

Lately Vogel has been focusing on small ensemble and solo projects as much as big band (Le Jazz Big Band being his orchestra of over 30 years). And just this spring (2005) Mr. Vogel was honoured to arrange and conduct the European Jazz Youth Orchestra in tribute to Oscar Peterson's 80 th birthday. The big band had a 15-date tour in Europe before coming back to the Montreal area for 3 concerts. A CD as well as a 90-minute CBC documentary of the show will be released autumn 2005.

By that time Vogel and big band will have logged another tour, this one with Offenbach , the legendary Quebec rockers once fronted by Jerry Boulet.