Joey D Vela
Experimental, Art Rock, Crossover Prog, Jazz, Funk, Progessive Metal, Jam Band, Latin, Gospel, Soul, Blues, R&B, Santana, Incognito, Jamiroquai, Traffic, Rare E
8
top 50
10
songs
757K
plays
ReAwakened ReAwakened
Instrumental guitar jazz-rock opus featuring JDV's 6 string pyrotechnics and multi-instrumental stylings
Do (On the Wings of Destiny) Do (On the Wings of Destiny)
A spiritual ode to self-affirmation, with a little help from Above
Surrender Surrender
When you realize that you can't go it alone, you surrender your heart, soul, and control to the Good Lord.
Show all (10)
Band/artist history
The story begins in the early-80's with a weird but talented kid with perfect pitch splitting time as a guitarist/vocalist with 2 bands at Willowridge High School in Missouri City, TX, the hard rock-inspired Infinity, which featured the talents of guitarist Gary Rogerson and future Moses Guest drummer John Chupin, and the R&B-inspired 7th Wave, which featured future Soular Slide bassist Mike Meade. A diverse group of influences were gathered along the way, everyone from Rush to King Crimson to Prince. Well, better make that 3 bands because it's also worth mentioning that during his time at WHS, the kid was a gifted classically-trained percussionist, an All-State Symphony Orchestra timpanist in 1986.
The story then shifts to the late-80's, where the kid is now sitting in with a couple of cover bands around town. If he never played another bar of "Taking Care of Business" or "Shooting Star", it would be too soon. With a creative drive bordering on insatiable, the kid sought out his first "all-originals" band, the neo-psychedelic group Warm Electrics in 1989, featuring former Hates member James Laurance Baker, former Lips & the Trips bassist "The Pope", and drummer Jaye Isham. It was during this time that the kid would learn the art of songwriting. As a guitarist, he learned the invaluable principle of texture and tone over technique. The kid has now become a man. Shortly thereafter, they split up. Now the story takes us to the spring of 1990, and Joey's former bandmate Jaye Isham has officially 86'ed his Simmons electronic drum kit from the Warm Electrics days in favor of a Pearl acoustic drum kit. Enter the kid's childhood friend, bassist Gary Rogerson, and Daisy Chains are officially born. The sound is markedly heavier than Think Tank, but the atmospheric sonic textures are still at the forefront. Despite predating grunge by over a year, Daisy Chains' following remained rather small although dedicated. A year later, they were no more.
Disillusioned by the Houston music scene, Joey eventually retreated back to classical music and spent several seasons with the Houston Civic Symphony as a timpanist/percussionist from 1994 - 1998 as well as a brief stint years later with the Fort Bend Symphony in 2005 - 2006. However, the creative fire to produce original works could not be extinguished. In 1999, with the help of his longtime friend and former bandmate Gary Rogerson, Joey recorded an early demo version of "Open Door", and the rest as they say is history. Since then, Joey has been at work producing and doing session guitar work. His music has a sound that is the culmination of all of his years of musical experiences and influences, feeling equally at home with rock and jam bands as well as soul and acid jazz groups. The visceral and cerebral appeal are equal. The rhythms, textures, and lyrics all tell sonic tales of the view of the world through the eyes of a one weird but talented kid who has grown into one weird but talented man .Have you performed in front of an audience?I am not playing live these days, but I still enjoy jamming every now and then.
Your musical influences
My music is influenced by the following: Santana, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Parliament/ Funkadelic, Rare Earth, Traffic, Mike Oldfiield, Supertramp, King Crimson, Genesis, Level 42, Incognito, King's X, Global Village, Beat Temple, Sprawl, and many more...
Many guitarists have influenced me over the years, but the ones have truly inspired me to reach high are Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Chet Atkins, Allan Holdsworth, Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, Elliott Randall, Larry Carlton, Duane Allman, Eddie Hazel, Bill Nelson, and Steve Hackett.What equipment do you use?
Silverburst RM Olson Les Paul Custom with 3 Entwistle HM58 humbuckers, Dakota Red Fender Custom Stratocaster with 2 Tex Mex single coils and one DiMarzio DP218 Super Distortion humbucker, Behringer VAmp 3, 1982 Boss SD-1 overdrive, Electro Harmonix Soul Food overdrive, Vox V848 Clyde McCoy wah, DOD FX20-B phaser, GarageTone Axle Grease delay, 1987 KMD analog delay, Reaper 64bit, Waves Mercury plugin suite
Little Rock, AR
USA
ID
909959
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Comments (12)
I just love the vibe in this song. Fun funk.
great sound, belle compo!
bravo
Joey you have done a masterful job on this song in every way possible. The lyrics are so importent, and you deliver them with excellence!!!!!!! The music is simply sublime.And the mix is perfect!!!!! We give it a perfect score and will add it to our "Contempory Christian" station.
Best wishes from:Candace & me !
Peace through music always ~ES~
thank you Joey for stopping by and listening to some of my music..i appreciate that. I really enjoy Surrender; wonderful production on everything here! great musicianship and vocals as well. really well created and thought out stuff. I wish i could handle vocals like you thats for sure.
thanks again
gje
all kinds of sounds happening in your music! i like that! and the strange and ethereal harmonies are strange and ethereal.
no freebees? awwwwwee mannn.. well, wheres the check book..hahahaha!
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