Meet Ismael Pineda Jr. | Music Producer, Percussionist, Engineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ismael Pineda Jr. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ismael, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I chose to pursue an artistic creative career in music because it is what makes me happy. The decisions behind making it a career took its course over time. I’ve had to navigate through understanding myself and getting to know how I function which includes what I like and what I don’t like. Within this, I came to understand why I like music and that is because of the emotions that it conveys at its heart. I enjoy expressing myself in my instrument artistically and creating a work of art through the combination of various sounds to make music in an organized and unorganized manner. The organization of the whole thing is what we call music production and it is what drives me in my career. I love producing music on my own and for other artists.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I a multi-instrumentalist/percussionist, music producer, composer, and mixing/mastering engineer with over twenty-five years of experience in the music industry.

One of the achievements that I am proud of is being the percussionist in Janiva Magness’ “Love Wins Again,” a Grammy Award nominated recording in the Contemporary Blues Album category in the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.

Another achievement that I am proud of and am excited for is most recently, I worked hard at receiving a masters degree in music production with distinction from Berklee College of Music. This had been a goal of mine for a long time and I never gave up on it until I fulfilled it.

I’ve had the honor and privilege of performing and recording with a distinguished list of artists, including The Temptations, Luis Enrique, Christian Castro, and Fuerza Regida and have collaborated with renowned acts such as The Delgado Brothers Band, La Santa Cecilia, Janiva Magness, Mariachi Los Camperos and Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical “In The Heights” which showcases my versatility and musical talent.

To get to where I am at professionally, it’s been very tough and has not been easy. The list of disappointments is too long to list, but the take away is not to give up on what your heart desires. I’ve had to overcome many obstacles to get to where I am today and continue to everyday. It does not stop. However, what keeps me going is the love I have for what I do. This has afforded me the energy and courage to overcome the many obstacles I’ve faced. A big lesson I have learned along the way is that no matter the amount of success that one achieves, always stay humble and do not forget about the hard work that it took to get there. Therefore, be proud of your work, but remain humble and respectful and stay true to your art.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I feel blessed to have been born in Los Angeles because there is so much to do and see. I’d definitely take them to visit places such as the beach. I am beach guy and have spent many days out in the ocean surfing. I’d definitely take them on a surfing trip to any LA County beach. Because Los Angeles is very diverse, I’d also take them to explore the various delicious foods that we have. For sure, get the Mexican food experience and take them to eat some tacos in Boyle Heights/East LA. I’d also take them to listen to various music in town.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to all of those people grinding in life to make a living out of pursuing their passion especially within the arts. It is not an easy choice for a career. It is a courageous, unpredictable and difficult path. Therefore, my shout out goes to that one person that follows their heart and passion and does not give up. It goes out to those that make the decision to leave a comfortable life in order to pursue what their heart desires without knowing what will happen next.

Website: https://Www.ismaelpineda.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ishmusicla/ & https://www.instagram.com/rhythmessencela/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ismaelpinedajr/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ishmusicla

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2VTMXFRJLlnJfyKqNwF0g

Image Credits
Adan Alonso