5th Grammy for Valencian Sound Engineer
Valencian sound engineer Alfonso Rodenas won his third Grammy award in 2016 for his work with the Mexican-American band, a favourite of Donald Trump’s apparently, Los Tigres del Norte.
Their album Realidades received an award at the 58th edition of these prestigious awards.
LA based Valencian music engineer and musician Alfonso Rodenas has also informed us of the setting up of his website:
The Blue Dolphins celebrate their second album
Band: The Blue Dolphins
CD title: ‘Come On’
14 tracks recorded in California, USA
Release date: May 19th 2014
Released by: Wildwood Records
25655 Wildwood Dr. Calabasas, Ca. 91302
Contact: Las Virgenes Management (+1 818 591 7983)
Bluedolphinsmusic@gmail.com
Malibu, CA –
The new album ‘Come On!’ is the 2nd release by Roots Pop/Rock group The Blue Dolphins. Formed 6 years ago in 2008, The Blue Dolphins celebrate there liaison with a collection of new songs filled with memorable melodies, tasty guitar solos, luscious vocal harmonies and uplifting lyrics, all wrapped up in a fantastic production. Featuring two-time Grammy Award winner Alfonso Rodenas on production and Victoria Scott on lead vocals, ‘Walking in the Sun’ showcases a band with amazing talent and a truly unique sound.
The Blue Dolphins play a style of music that John Barbados, of Malibu Times Magazine describes as “a crossroads where Lisa Stansfield and the Cranberries meet the coolest 70′s Californian Rock. Bringing together the best of British soul and the luminosity of West Coast with an underbelly of emotion that is deeply felt by the listener’.
The Blue Dolphins music has a strong European vibe, which is not surprising given the fact that Alfonso is from Alboraya, Valencia, Spain and Victoria is from England.
Formed four years ago as a joint effort between singer/songwriter Victoria Scott and producer/engineer Alfonso G. Rodenas,
The Blue Dolphins put out their first record, “My Favorite Word is Today” in 2010 and gigged constantly over the next two years in the Los Angeles club scene, England and Spain.
While this happened, Victoria was managing a small independent record label, Zeus Records, and UK artist, Zoe Scott.
Alfonso was busy coordinating studio work with Norteño super group “Los Tigres Del Norte”, for which he has won two Grammys, and some of the best Americana bands in Los Angeles, like “Old Californio”, “I see Hawks in L.A.” plus works for Jorge Calderon, involving Jackson Browne and Ry Cooder.
It was through promoting this first album that the band was able to create a dedicated fan base throughout the States, UK and Spain.
‘My Favorite Word is Today’ was extremely positive reviewed.
Pamela Des Barres, author of “I’m with the Band”, noted that, “the album’s sentiments touched my heart” and “Scott’s voice is just gorgeous”. Tom Di Demetrio of L.A. Weekly described the album as, “Timeless, pure, intimate vocals and melodies showcased by a bravely stripped down production”.
At their core The Blue Dolphins are songwriters. Alfonso cites Neil Young, Gram Parsons and John Fogerty as his all time songwriting heroes, while for Victoria, Carole King and Christine McVie are her undisputed idols.
Some of these influences can be clearly heard in their music. With their wide hearts, and desire to connect with their audiences through their own experiences, and a strong drive and amazing production, they try to achieve the over-all quality that is present in the music that they admire most.
‘Walking in the Sun’ is a collection of 14 songs that were written and recorded on the spot during 2013 with a pristine sound quality by Alfonso. All instruments are played with a laid back, optimistic Californian vibe, where punchy drums and fat bass hold down the driving groove, as classic electric and acoustic guitars rock on.
They write in a commercial style that is natural and unpretentious, miles away from the calculated authenticity so fashionable these days, and with a positive timeless vibe that attracts a wide range of listeners who love their universal themes and laid back charm.
Come and experience for yourself the music that is The Blue Dolphins!
The band is currently planning the release, and subsequent touring, of “Walking in the Sun”, in Spain, UK and the US this summer. Their management office is open for business.
Links:
Thebluedolphins.net
thebluedolphins.bandcamp.com/album/walking-in-the-sun
Facebook.com/thebluedolphins
Soundcloud.com/thebluedolphins
Dear Friends and Colleagues, I am very proud to announce the release of my band’s first music video “Walking in the Sun”.
It is fun, fresh and full of positive energy. I hope you like it as much as we did making it for you.
God bless you all !
Alfonso & Victoria
Here is a link
The video was shot in Paradise Cove, Malibu, California in July 2014.
The song is included in their record “Come On !”.
Here is a link to listen to our soon to be released album “Come On! “:
The long and winding road from Alboraya to LA for a triple Grammy recording engineer.
Perhaps it was the writings of his father Manolo about his experiences in Equatorial Guinea that awoke the wanderlust in Alfonso, or perhaps some film that spoke about the American dream to ‘Go West!’
Alfonso Garcia Rodenas served his apprenticeship as a studio engineer in the well known Tabalet music studios in Alboraya, a small town just outside Valencia, mostly known for its ‘horchata’, a sweet drink made from Tiger Nuts.
It’s a long way from Alboraya to LA, but a short step up onto the stage of the Staples Centre where, in 2009 Alfonso took his place among legends such as Robert Plant and modern heroes Coldplay to accept a Grammy Award for his sound engineering work.
Now resident in smoggy Los Angeles, Alfonso has not forgotten Valencia’s beaches and clear Sorrollan light, nor his first tentative steps in the world of music in a rock band called Vitamina Vil, a small local group that, even so, had an international touch, including as it did a Canadian guitarist called Larry Fedorowick.
From an early age Alfonso loved to mess around with cassettes and turntables and he quite naturally took care of his group’s technical side, plugging in and unplugging the group for its regrettably few concerts.
Alfonso went to Valencia to study at a technical college in Manises, next to Valencia’s airport, and his group won a prize in a local competition that permitted them to record a single at the Tabalet studios.
Once there Alfonso’s talent was spotted by engineer Fernando Brunet, who offered him a job doing this and that, which eventually lasted twelve years.
A chance meeting in Valencia with an American businessman, Robert Misick, gave Alfonso the necessary impetus and contacts to try his hand in California.
Not everything was Guns and Roses at the beginning however, and Alfonso had to wait with the impatience of a 38 year old novice before getting his opportunity. For this he had the local producer Benny Faccone to thank.
In time his merit was recognised and he began to receive offers to work with musicians such as K C Porter, Khaled and even Santana. The award itself was for his engineering on the record by a Mexican group ‘Los Tigres del Norte’ called ‘Raices’ (Roots).
Like Alfonso, Los Tigres had to struggle for acceptance, wading across the Rio Grande like other illegal immigrants before finding their part of the American dream.
Alfonso received a second Grammy in 2010, once more with The Tigres, for the album ‘Tu Noche con Los Tigres del Norte’, and he opened his own recording studio in Malibu where he works mixing and mastering all sorts of Indie, Bluegrass and Country/Alternative American bands, and also collaborating with the ‘rock en español’ scene.
He has produced, collaborated and played live with the multitalented British singer songwriter Victoria C. Scott in the band ‘The Blue Dolphins’ too with enormous success in the L.A. scene.
Alfonso didn’t have to wade the Atlantic, but he had to show some of the same tenacity in order to be able to cook his paellas at his home in the hills of LA, or more specifically in Malibu Canyon, where he mixes and masters most of the time. He also works in other studios all over the city, although he prefers to work at home where he can manage his time better and continue with his little routines such as running, doing yoga or meditating.
In 2012 he remixed and mastered 17 tracks with Los Tigres Del Norte and has managed to do some other projects working with producer Jorge Calderon at Jackson Brown studio in Santa Monica. He also mixed an album for Cesar Lopez, the famous guitarist of Los Jaguares, whose band Flores Acidas is expected to make some noise with its new album.
Alfonos also mixed an album for ‘El Pescao’, the guitarist of ‘El Canto del Loco’, and other artists, both American and Spanish, such as Jay Spears, Monoh and Raúl Abellan.
More recently he began working with with well known percussionist Luis Conte.
Closest to his heart however is a project with his girlfriend, singer songwriter, Victoria Scott and a band called ‘The Blue Dolphins’ for the label ‘Las Virgenes Music’.
He hasn’t forgotten his roots however; the nights spent partying in the medieval Carmen district of Valencia, the smell of gunpowder during the March Fallas festival, the smoke from the burning of rice stalks in October or the open air concerts in the Viveros Park.
His family all seem to have a creative side. Younger brother Miguel Angel studies classical guitar in Albacete and has recorded three works, Rodri works in the port of Palma to pay for his passion for writing, brother Nel also plays with various groups and his mother Maruja is a painter.
Like so many Spaniards living away from home he is angry and saddened by the current situation and misses the greatest country in the world.
To those young, talented Valencians who like him are sadly contemplating a life away from their beloved homeland, his advice can be summed up in one word: “English! English! English!”
Or is that three words?
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