We were lucky to catch up with Dave Martinez recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dave, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?
I think the only way to avoid being criticize and judge by haters ore negative people, is by doing absolutely nothing. And that’s exactly what you’re going to achieve. “NOTHING”. I think negative people are part of the journey. In fact, I almost think that when you don’t find them on the road, maybe you’re not doing something worth it. There is a nice bible verse that says “Put everything to the test. Accept what is good and don’t have anything to do with evil.”. For me that means, be open to criticism, listen to everything people says if you want and have the time, but definitely ignore everything that doesn’t help you to grow and keep going to reach your goals. I can persist despite haters, because they are definitely not the ones telling me to keep going. That’s my family’s job, and they always do a great job supporting me. So, haters are a distraction, be careful. Just keep going, and make sure you’re surrounded by the people that always tells you to keep going, and also have the guts to tell you if you’re going in the wrong direction.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Music!!!!, that’s what I love to do, that’s what I try to do every day, and that’s what I want to keep doing for a long time. Sometimes I’m writing lyrics for singers on different genres, everything from mariachi, to funk, pop and jazz. Other times, I’m writing teaching material like improvisation, harmony or arrangement courses, that use later for master classes when I have the opportunity to share this content. I just came back from Guatemala where we have a nice concert with great musicians. We played my brand new album “Momentos”, which is available on every platform now. Also, I had the opportunity to share my experiences as a composer on a Composition-Master Class at Gama Music Guatemala. At this moment I’m finishing some arrangements for different Christmas events here in Los Angeles, as well as new arrangements for my Christmas concert “Christmas Jazz Fusion with Dave Martinez & Friends”. This concert is going to be stream on FB so follow me on social media to get the info, and save the date: December 19th at 8pm, and if you’re in Los Angeles area…I’ll share the info later so you can be there in person to celebrate this blessed year.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Punctuality. It is not only about being on time for a gig or recording. It is about being on time, and ready. It could be the opportunity that you have been waiting for, so always, always, always be on time, and ready.
Willing to learn. You have to understand that you’ll always find other musicians that have more experience, and you can always learn something new. Be open to learn, don’t think you know everything already. Or next thing you’ll lear, is that people don’t want to work with you anymore.
Kindness. You’ll always have an opportunity to show kindness to others. Do it no only because the people you’re surrounded with will noticed. Do it because it is the right thing to do, we all need it, and makes everything better, not just the mood, but the person you’re being kind to, and you’ll be a better person, because you’ll understand the needs of others, and that definitely helps you be a better person.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
Teach me about God, about His love, about how He cares for us, and how every talent we have is a gift from Him. Also, a great lesson I learned from my parents, a phrase that until today, it helps me to keep going: “Every time you start something, you have to get to the end, you have what it takes, just one more step and you’ll get closer”. And of course, they have done that many, many times, so it is not only something they say, it is something they do, so they definitely live what their preach…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://davemartinezmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davemartinezmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaveMMusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveMartinezMusic
