Meet Angelo Velasquez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelo Velasquez.

Angelo, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a Los Angeles-based drummer, composer, band leader, and educator. I grew up an hour outside of Los Angeles in the small town of Camarillo. I was first inspired to pursue being a professional musician around the age of three. My father is also a professional musician who also plays drums and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I was lucky that my father was willing to teach me how to play the drums and was my teacher for the first 18 years of my life. Under my father’s instruction, he taught me how to read music, improvise, and authentically play many different styles of music, including Jazz, afro Cuban, Brazilian, flamenco, funk, and rock. I applied these teachings in various musical ensembles in my youth including The All-Southern High School all-star big band, the Colburn School award-winning Monday Night ensemble, as well as my middle school and high school Jazz programs. After high school, I went to study music at California State University Northridge. While at Northridge, I got to join an incredible community of like-minded and talented musicians. I also got to study with an incredible faculty, including Gary Pratt, Gene Coye, Gary Fukushima, Dick Weller, and Jason Harnell.

After graduating CSUN in 2021, I attended the California Institute of the Arts for my master’s degree in jazz performance. While at Cal Arts I got to study with world-class faculty such as Jonathan Pinson, Darek Oles, Larry Koonse, Alphonso Johnson, and Steve Lehman. It was during my master’s degree where I decided to branch out into composing music in addition to performing it. Since graduating from Cal Arts in 2023, I have started my own band and musical project entitled YOCOYA. YOCOYA is a five-piece Latin jazz fusion group that plays original music inspired by the music of Mexico, Cuba, classic United States Rock, and the Modern Jazz era. The musical vision of YOCOYA is to blend the harmonic and improvisational concepts of Jazz with the rhythmic and melodic phrasing of Mexican and Latin American music to create compositions that are sophisticated and melodically driven. The goal of YOCOYA is to compose melodic, dramatic, and cinematic music that can be enjoyed by both sophisticated music enthusiasts and casual music enjoyers alike. Outside of YOCOYA, I regularly teach drums and gig as a side man. I’ve had the privilege to share the stage with some incredible musical artists, including Pat Vegas (RedBone), Dave Chappell, Nick Mancini, Dontae Winslow (Justin Timberlake), Sasha Berliner, Bob Sheppard, and Luis Conte. One can see the next time I’m playing live by visiting my website at www.angelovelasquezdrums.com or following me on Instagram at angel0_drums.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The Road to get where I am today has been a mixed bag. I have been fortunate and lucky in certain parts of my journey, and in other parts, I have had to face some really challenging obstacles along the way. Most of the challenges I’ve had to face have been emotional/mental struggles. I’ve struggled with anxiety stemming from imposter syndrome for a good portion of my life. Sometimes, I can wake up and feel in a hopeless daze because I feel I can’t play my instrument well and that since I can’t play well then I as a person have very little worth. Sometimes, the anxiety can bleed into my everyday life and sometimes even my playing. However, overtime I’ve been able to combat these obstacles by talking about them with friends and people I trust, doing breathing exercises to calm my mind and not dwelling on the feeling of imposter syndrome and allowing the feeling to just pass over me. None of these methods are a cure, but they help me cope in a healthy way. I think the more one knows themselves and is honest with themselves the easier it to combat emotional obstacles. No matter what profession one is in, I highly recommend to take a little time each day to try and learn more about yourself, particularly what truly motivates you, what your goals are, who you want to be as a person, and what are areas in your life that need improvement.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional freelance drummer, recording artist, band leader, and composer. I primarily specialize in Jazz and Latin Jazz however, I have performed with many artists outside of these genres, including artists in the hip hop, pop, and rock spheres. Playing in the styles of Jazz and Afro-Cuban music allows me to blend the music of my cultural heritage with the freedom and expressionism of Jazz. As a professional, I aim to be known for my outstanding musicianship, exemplary professionalism, and inventive and expressive creativity. Currently, I am most proud of my upcoming record, “Tierra Y Alma” with my band YOCOYA. This album features ten compositions that I wrote, all inspired by the Mexican-American experience. All the songs are inspired by different musical genres that inspire me including, Rock, Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Blues, and Flamenco. I think my open-mindedness, strong sense of individuality, strong work ethic, and connection to my heritage set me apart.

What are your plans for the future?
My plan for the future is to continue doing what I’m doing now and to continue growing as a musician and person. I try not to project too far in the future. I’d rather focus on the now and let my hard work steer me in the path that is best for me.

Pricing:

• Teaching rate- $80 an hour
• Session rate- $300 day rate or $90 an hour
• Gigging rate – (Negotiable, but generally no lower than (125)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.angelovelasquezdrums.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angel0_drums/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anjelloo.zelasquev/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelo-velasquez-ab97751b6/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@angelovelasquez7731

Image Credits
Tierra Y Alma album Cover – Tres Kiddos Studios YOCOYA logo – Sajen Green Angelo Velasquez Drum photo – Matthew Valencia