About Alex
San Diego native. Berklee-trained. Thirty years making events across this city sound the way they should.
Where the Music Comes From
I grew up in Chula Vista in a Mexican-American household where music wasn't something you watched — it was something that happened. Spanish guitar at family gatherings. Mariachi at neighborhood celebrations. Boleros on the radio. That sound is home to me, and it's the foundation of everything I play.
I studied formally at Berklee College of Music. I trained with flamenco masters Diego Corriente, Manuel Valencia, and José Antonio Rodríguez. I worked with jazz guitarists Bruce Arnold, Larry Koonse, and Peter Sprague, and studied under Latin/world fusion pioneer Jorge Strunz and Latin jazz legend Chucho Valdés.
But the thing that shapes my playing the most isn't any one teacher — it's the fact that I've been performing in San Diego for over 30 years. I know these venues. I know these rooms. I know what works at a sunset ceremony on a coastal bluff, what a fine-dining room needs at 8pm on a Friday, and how to read a cocktail hour that's shifting from mingling to seated.
That's not something you learn from a book. It's something you learn from doing it a thousand times.
Music Should Serve the Room
I've never been the musician who wants to be the center of attention at someone else's event. My job is to make the room feel right — to create an atmosphere that makes people stay longer, talk more easily, and remember the evening as something special.
That means reading the room constantly. Adjusting the energy. Knowing when to bring the music forward and when to pull it back. It's a craft, and after 30 years, it's instinct.
When the Occasion Calls for More
While Spanish and classical guitar is my core, I also coordinate ensembles for events that need more presence — flamenco duos, Bolero trios, and full mariachi ensembles. Every musician in my network shares the same commitment to authenticity and professionalism. I curate and oversee everything personally.
I also serve as a Teaching Artist at the Center for World Music, where I teach Hawaiian music and ukulele in San Diego schools through the World Music in the Schools program. Music education is a parallel calling — it keeps me connected to the traditions I play and the community I serve.
Let's Work Together
If you're planning an event and want live music that feels intentional and authentic, I'd love to hear about it.
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