Today we’d like to introduce you to Jose Rodriguez.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in Mexico City and started playing the bass in 1988. I performed in places like Rockotitlán, El Hijo del Cuervo, etc. I moved to Los Angeles in 1994 and started playing with the Rock en Español band Maria Fatal, touring around the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, and alternating with bands like Caifanes, Heroes del Silencio, Rage Against the Machine, and Concrete Blonde, amongst others. I attended California State University, Los Angeles and graduated in 2010 with a BA in Mathematics; and I received a Masters Degree in Education in 2013.
From 2013 to 2015 I recorded and produced two CDs for muralist/musician Eloy Torrez. In 2017 I started a new musical project called Vatomico, a combination of electronic music and jazz. In February of 2019, we released our first CD, a combination of songs that mix electronic music with jazz, mambo, disco, and cumbia.
Please tell us about your art.
I am an artist that is always looking for the next “thing” to do. I’ve done all this, what is next? How can I fulfill my passion and at the same time send a message and provoke interest in my music and the world around us? I am musician that takes inspiration from every-day life, political events, science, and social evolution and hopes to connect with people through music. I hope people can connect to and enjoy jazz through a handful of pieces that fulfill the inner rhythmic clock we all have inside. My music is broad and multifaceted, from writing and creating to producing and recording, a true extension of my creative self.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
Collaborations can be a way to expand and connect with others. Try to be open and explore.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
There are a couple of ways people can support any musician’s work, downloading/buying their music, playing their music through the different platforms like Spotify, Pandora, etc., subscribing to their social media sites (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.), and by going to their live performances.
Contact Info:
- Website: reverbnation.com/vatomico
- Instagram: instagram.com/vatomico
- Facebook: facebook.com/batomico
- Other: http://store.cdbaby.com/cd/vatomico2
Image Credit:
Carlos Guetta, La Banda Elastica, Angel Aguilar.
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
Stephen Smith
March 22, 2019 at 05:50
All around great info! We get so caught up in the drama of the world that we can forget to stop and appreciate the amazing things happening in our own city. Thanks for highlighting a few of the true gems of LA in our times.