After forming in early 2008, the four piece group Vertigo Jazz Project  – guitarist Preston Cate, keyboardist Justin W. Powell, bassist Pajamas and drummer Sean Mason – have taken their stance as one of the premier musical acts on the South Eastern scene. They continually captivate their audience’s with fresh musical ideas and new sound-scapes. VJP is based in Asheville, NC. Asheville is considered the new and upcoming music scene in the nation, and has become a mecca for quality musicians, and VJP has taken their place as a front runner. 

Vertigo Jazz Project is known for their compositions and performances through the jazz idiom. But people often ask “Is this Jazz?”   VJP has taken on the task of bridging the gap between multiple genres of music such as Jazz, Funk, Latin, Rock, Jam, Avant, Classical, World, and Country; while always maintaining a distinctively recognizable element of jazz. VJP takes their varied experience and creates original compositions of their easily recognizable form of music; paying homage to the aforementioned styles, with heavy emphasis on the jazz, soul jazz and world elements. A journalist once said of VJP, “I never knew jazz could make me feel this alive, this free and this sweaty!”  Jason Bugg, Moutain Xpress)

With the rock solid foundation of Pajamas (bass) and the "brontosaurus sized back beat" of Sean Mason (drums); Preston Cate (guitar) and Justin W. Powell (keyboards) are free to explore the many combinations of colors that are used to improvise and compose VJP's unique sound.  With an improvisational approach, as well as frequent guest soloists, VJP plays a new show, every show.