A great guitarist does more than play the right notes. He hears the possibilities inside a song, finds the sound that brings them to life, and makes the instrument speak with a voice of its own. Marc Vee has spent a lifetime developing that kind of musicianship—shaped by an early immersion in rock, a deep grounding in jazz, years on the bandstand, and an enduring curiosity that has carried him across musical styles and creative worlds.
 

I first heard Marc’s name when I was sixteen. My friend Juan, the drummer in my first band, told me we had to find a way to see the local band, Apex. The musicians were incredible, and Marc’s guitar playing was something else. He and his bandmates were a few years older than those of us still finding our way through high school, and they inhabited a different level of musicianship that was an education unto itself. Juan and I successfully snuck into the legendary Village Inn in Coconut Grove, Florida (several times) to see them play their standing gig. That was my introduction to Marc Vee: first as a young musician watching from the audience, then as a fan, and eventually as a friend and fellow musician. Decades later, I still find myself marveling at his playing. That says something about Marc—not only the talent that first caught my attention, but the musicianship he has continued to deepen throughout his career.
 

The Early Years: Finding the Guitar
 

Born Mark Vucksanovic in Santiago, Chile, to Norma and Mario Vucksanovic, Marc came to the United States as an infant. His first three years were spent in Colorado Springs. The family later moved to Miami when his father, a physician, was invited to become a professor of medicine at the University of Miami and a radiation oncologist at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
 

Music entered Marc’s life early, but the guitar gave his fascination with it a new direction. At seven, he received a guitar as a First Communion gift. He had already loved music; now he could begin making sounds of his own.
 

His parents enrolled him in lessons at Allegro Music. After only a few lessons, however, his young teacher concluded that Marc had no talent and advised his father not to waste his money. (Coque's editorial note: I find this as funny as the guy at Decca Records who passed on The Beatles!) For a child just beginning to discover an instrument, it was a discouraging verdict. Marc largely put the guitar aside for the better part of a year.
 

Fortunately, the story did not end there. The following year, Music Academy opened in Coral Gables, and Marc began studying with Carlos Varella. The lessons opened the door to the music that excited him: Santana, Pink Floyd, the Carpenters, and the rock and pop sounds that were becoming part of his musical vocabulary. With the right encouragement and material to inspire him, he progressed quickly.
 

Marc also studied classical guitar with Juan Mercadal, head of the University of Miami’s classical guitar department. That training gave him another perspective on the instrument, but Marc was increasingly drawn toward rock, contemporary music, and the expressive freedom he heard in the guitarists who inspired him.
 

By his teenage years, he was playing in neighborhood rock bands, performing at high-school dances and private parties, and discovering what it meant to make music with other people. The guitar was no longer simply an instrument he was learning. It was becoming the language through which he would build his life.

A Guitarist Through a Window
 

One of the encounters that helped define Marc’s musical direction came when he was seventeen. He went to Le Joint, a club on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, where he was too young to enter. He watched the band Fire and Brimstone through a window, captivated by the guitarist, Randall Dollahon.

During Stevie Wonder’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” Dollahon played a chordal solo that stopped Marc in his tracks. It was a revelation: the guitar could do something far more sophisticated and harmonically rich than he had imagined. Marc approached Dollahon afterward and asked for lessons. At eighteen dollars an hour, they were expensive for the family, but his father agreed to pay. Those lessons proved transformative.
 

Dollahon gave Marc an intensive musical education, assigning seven books and taking him deep into jazz, music reading, theory, chord progressions, and the art of learning songs by ear. The work was demanding, but it expanded Marc’s understanding of what a guitarist could do. He was learning not merely to reproduce parts, but to hear the structure beneath the music and understand how notes, chords, rhythm, and melody fit together.
 

Dollahon would go on to lead the jazz guitar department at the University of Miami. For Marc, the lessons were an important foundation—one that would remain with him whether he was playing rock, jazz, pop, or instrumental music of his own.
 

That combination of rock instinct and jazz knowledge would become one of Marc’s defining strengths: the ability to bring sophistication to a performance without losing the energy, directness, and feeling that make music connect.
 

From Dance Bands to Apex
 

Marc’s first major professional opportunity grew out of a high-school talent show at Immaculata-La Salle. Domingo Perez, known as Mingi, was an accomplished guitarist and cousin of Cuban-American singer Willy Chirino. After seeing Marc perform, Perez invited him to audition for a dance band called Babe, named for the actress Jean Harlow. Marc had three days to learn forty songs before the band’s first two engagements, at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School. During one performance, a gust of wind scattered the band’s chord charts. Marc had to improvise his way through the material—and did well enough that the band kept him.
 

The work quickly became a serious part of his life. He went from earning no money to making two hundred dollars a gig, playing high-school dances, open houses, and private events. He graduated, but the music continued.
 

When disco faded and Babe disbanded, Marc moved toward something more personal. With singer Robert and manager Tony Perotti, he formed Apex, a band built around original material. Rather than simply performing familiar songs, they wanted to create music of their own. Tony contributed lyrics and ideas, and the band developed a sound that reflected its members’ ambitions.
 

Drummer Oscar Dorda joined the group, and Apex recorded its first album, First Signs of Life, produced by Joe Galdo. Galdo brought an impressive résumé to the project: he had worked with Robert Palmer on “Bad Case of Loving You,” recorded with Bobby Caldwell, and was a founding member of Foxy, whose hit “Get Off” had made the band a fixture of the era.
 

Apex represented an important step for Marc. He was no longer just the young guitarist who could master a set list. He was part of a group developing its own identity, writing songs, recording, and trying to find an audience for original music.
 

Marc Vee and the Village Inn Years
 

A new chapter began through the connections among Miami musicians. Oscar Dorda formed another band, Crisis, with guitarist Jules, bassist Manny, and singer Bridget. Robert eventually joined on keyboards and vocals, and Marc began sitting in. When Jules left, Marc became the band’s guitarist and a vocalist as well.

Crisis became a fixture at the Village Inn in Coconut Grove, playing six nights a week, often five hours a night and sometimes until three in the morning. The schedule was relentless, but the band developed a formidable live repertoire and a tight musical rapport. They played contemporary British music by artists such as Depeche Mode, U2, and The Cure, while Robert’s use of a sequencer helped them explore the synthesizer-driven sounds that were reshaping pop music.
 

On Mondays, the musicians were allowed to perform as Apex, bringing their original songs to the same room. Those nights developed a following of their own. University of Miami students and other fans packed the venue, sometimes lining up around the block. Apex received airplay on WVUM, the university’s radio station, where DJ Albert Menendez supported the music. Menendez would later become known for his work as a keyboard player and musical director for Shakira.
 

The Village Inn years gave Marc something that cannot be learned from books: thousands of hours of live performance. Playing night after night sharpened his timing, adaptability, endurance, and instinct for an audience. It also gave him the chance to move between styles, from the precise parts of contemporary pop to the open-ended possibilities of guitar-driven rock and original music.
 

Marc’s connections extended beyond Apex and Crisis. He had also played on the debut album by Crew, an original band featuring bassist and vocalist Neil Lara, drummer Lee Levin, and keyboardist Albert Menendez. The Miami music scene was interconnected, and Marc was becoming one of the musicians other players called on when they needed experience, versatility, and a guitarist who could deliver.
 

Touring and a Wider Horizon
 

After years of performing at the Village Inn, Marc was ready to see what else might be possible. The band had developed a loyal following, but he wanted to take the music beyond one room and one city. The opportunity came when Maria Conchita Alonso hired the musicians to accompany her on tour in 1988–89. Alonso was a major star in Latin America and the Spanish-speaking market in the United States, with a career that included both music and film. Her professional world brought the band into contact with a larger entertainment industry, including management associated with Arnold Stiefel, who had managed Rod Stewart. Alonso also had a recording relationship with A&M, and Herb Alpert played trumpet on her records.
 

For Marc, the tour offered a glimpse of a much bigger stage. The band’s first engagement was in Chicago, and a performance at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau brought the experience home to a sold-out audience. After years of building a band and a local following, Marc had a chance to see how his musicianship could translate into a different setting. During this period, Marc also found himself in some remarkable musical company. On one occasion in Miami, Stewart Copeland needed a drum kit for a gig. Thanks to his major endorsement deal with Tama, he knew he could get what he needed at Guitar Center. Marc offered to drive him, but legendary Miami traffic turned what should have been a quick errand into a day spent together. That night, Marc found himself playing alongside Copeland and Herbie Hancock. It was one of those wonderfully improbable stories that can emerge from a life spent making music—an ordinary favor leading to an extraordinary evening.
 

After the touring period, Marc began concentrating more on his own musical ideas. He took a guitar-teaching position at Not Just Guitars and continued writing instrumental music.
 

Marc Vee’s Reinvention: From Rock Songs to Instrumental Composition
 

The change was significant. Marc had spent years playing in bands, singing, interpreting other people’s material, and writing songs within a group. Now he was exploring music that could communicate through the guitar itself, without a vocalist or conventional song structure to lead the way.

At a pivotal moment, I was fortunate to be able to help him take that next step.
 

In my early twenties, I was interning at the recording studio at Miami-Dade Community College. The arrangement gave me access to studio time from midnight until seven in the morning, and I was taking full advantage of it. My band and I recorded constantly. For at least a year, sleep was something I squeezed in around the sessions.
 

One day I ran into Marc. He had a collection of songs he wanted to record but no place to do it. I offered him some of my studio time and introduced him to engineer and producer Michael T. Blaty (Mike Blaty). Marc and I recorded a couple of songs together, and Marc and Mike went on to work together on several albums.

It was a small gesture on my part, but one I have always been happy to have made. Marc had spent years developing his musical ideas, and he now had a way to capture them. I was delighted to help open that door—and to have a chance to make music alongside someone whose playing I had admired since I was a teenager.
 

Marc continued developing his instrumental work with Mike and other collaborators. He formed World Crisis, a band that initially returned him to rock and pop songs, this time with Marc as lead singer. But he was also reconsidering what he wanted his music to express. The pull of instrumental composition grew stronger, and he returned to the guitar-centered music he had been writing.
 

Working with Mike, Marc recorded a collection of original instrumental pieces, with additional contributions from other musicians. On a limited budget, he produced a small cassette release and began performing the music live, including at Borders Book Shop and in gigs with Neil Lara. These were not simply showcases for his guitar technique. They were opportunities to build a musical identity around original compositions, harmonic detail, and the expressive range of the instrument.
 

The transition reflected a larger pattern in Marc’s career. He has never been content to remain in one role just because he knows how to do it well. He has been willing to move from rock bands to dance bands, from singing and songwriting to instrumental music, and from the demands of a full live ensemble to the more personal process of building a composition around the guitar.
 

Neil Lara and the Art of Collaboration
 

Marc’s relationship with Neil Lara became another important part of his development. Lara invited him to play in a band built around original songs, and Marc brought his guitar sound to the project. The group performed at venues such as the Stephen Talkhouse and recorded Lara’s first album, My First Child, at Criteria Studios.

Lara had a devoted following, and the band’s performances attracted attention. The project later moved into another phase of recording at the Bee Gees’ studio, working with an engineer associated with the group. Lara secured a record deal and went on to tour internationally.
 

Marc’s contribution was that of a musician who knew how to serve a song while giving it character. He could add the right guitar part, bring a rock edge to a performance, and help original material find its shape onstage. He understood that collaboration was not about playing as much as possible; it was about knowing what the music needed.
 

Over the years, Marc continued writing, recording, and developing his own instrumental work. He made additional recordings with Mike Blaty, pursued opportunities to release his music, and continued to look for ways to bring his compositions to listeners. Eventually, he left Miami for Southwest Florida, where he has continued to live and work.
 

Recording, Releases, and a Distinctive Musical Voice
 

Marc’s career has never fit neatly into one genre or one professional category. He has worked as a band guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, touring musician, session player, teacher, and instrumental composer. He has performed other artists’ music and developed original material. He has played in crowded clubs, worked in studios, backed major performers, and continued to record his own ideas.
 

That range is part of what makes him such a compelling guitarist. The rock player is still there, with the instinct for a strong melodic statement and a solo that can lift a song. But behind that instinct is a deep understanding of harmony, rhythm, and musical structure, shaped by jazz study and years of listening, practicing, recording, and performing.
 

Marc’s playing can be lyrical or muscular, polished or raw, depending on what the music calls for. He can move through jazz, blues, Latin music, pop, and classic rock without treating any of them as a costume. His versatility comes from knowing how the styles work and being able to make his choices feel natural.
 

His more recent projects have continued that spirit of exploration. As part of V Gill, a duo with Miami musician Mario Gill, Marc has worked on Cosmic Dream, an instrumental project that gives the guitar room to stretch, rock, and explore. He has also released “Holiday Times Here for You and Me,” a Christmas song built around Marc’s music and lyrics developed in collaboration with Eddie over an extended period.
 

These projects are not footnotes to a career that has already happened. They are evidence of a musician who remains curious and creatively engaged—still writing, recording, collaborating, and finding new ways to use the instrument that first captured his imagination as a child.
 

A Full Circle: From the Village Inn to My Own Records
 

My story with Marc has continued alongside his. The young guitarist who once tried to sneak into the Village Inn became a working musician, and our paths crossed repeatedly over the years. I got to know Marc as a player, a collaborator, and eventually a friend. Even as our relationship became familiar, my admiration for his musicianship never quite became ordinary.
 

In 2019, I wrote a song called “Dead by the End of This Song.” When I first imagined the recording, I told my wife, Brenda, that I wanted Marc to play the guitar solo. I had a sound in mind that I knew he could bring to life, though I would not have guessed how long it would take for that idea to reach the recording stage.

Nearly seven years later, Marc played both guitar solos on the track.
 

Before the session, Marc and I spent about an hour and a half talking through the musical vision. I wanted the first half of the solo to evoke Dante’s descent into Hell, then have the second half turn toward the feeling of moving through Heaven—a musical journey inspired by The Divine Comedy. I wanted the contrast to be felt, not explained. Marc understood the idea and delivered it.
 

Listeners have complimented the solos, and some have assumed I played them. I always make a point of correcting that impression. Those are Marc’s hands, Marc’s sound, and Marc’s musical imagination at work. I am proud of the song, but I am just as proud to have him on it.
 

There is something wonderfully full-circle about that experience. As a teenager, I was trying to get close enough to hear Marc play. Years later, I could call him up, share an idea, and have him help bring one of my own songs to life. We have been friends for years, and I still have moments when I can hardly believe I get to make music with him.
 

That feeling is not simply the nostalgia of a fan who remembers a great performance. It comes from hearing what Marc can do now—from seeing how all those years of study, live playing, experimentation, and creative reinvention continue to show up in his music. The guitarist who once stopped me in my tracks is still finding new things to say.
 

The Music Keeps Moving
 

Marc Vee’s story is not just a history of bands, gigs, tours, and records. It is the story of a musician who kept following the sound that interested him, even when that meant leaving one chapter behind and starting another. He built his foundation through rock and pop, expanded it through jazz, learned the realities of working bands and recording studios, and found his own voice through instrumental composition. He has collaborated widely while continuing to develop his personal musical vision.
 

Today, Marc remains an active performer in Southwest Florida, playing solo and with his band in a range of live settings. His repertoire spans jazz, blues, Latin, pop, and classic rock, and he continues to record and explore new projects. Whether he is playing a familiar song for an audience, shaping an original composition, or adding a guitar part to someone else’s recording, he brings the same essential qualities: deep musical knowledge, instinctive feel, stylistic range, and a genuine commitment to making the music work.
 

For me, Marc will always be the guitarist I first heard about at sixteen—the player whose sound made a local band feel extraordinary. But he is also the friend who has kept creating, evolving, and showing up with something new to say. I have been fortunate enough to witness that journey from several vantage points: as a young fan, as a fellow musician, as a collaborator, and now as someone who can hear Marc’s playing on a song of my own.
 

Some musicians impress you for a moment. Others keep giving you reasons to admire them. Marc Vee has done the latter for a lifetime, and the music is still unfolding.

For more information about Marc Vee, his music, and upcoming performances, please visit marcveeband.com.

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Written by Cōque Ross