Meet Vincent Veloso | Musician, Actor, writer/producer/director, investor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vincent Veloso and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vincent, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
” Memento mori, amor fati, carpe diem, totus tuis… Do all you can with what you have in the time you have left: Be kind, be cautious, be yourself, be your best self, be well”

The quote is a compilation of quotes/axioms/maxims that I like and have as my primary catalytic statement.

The first half are phrases in Latin that I have been taught through my mentors.

Memento mori from the stoics means “remember you too will pass away”, not from a morbid standpoint but from a reminder to live your purpose with passion and integrity as you do your endeavors. Major in major things, the valuable essential few rather than the trivial many distractions as distraction can lead to destruction, Get on with it, it is later than you think.

Amor fati: Love your fate. You do your part and allow the universe to do its part. In the delicate dance of choice and chance, make your moves and love

Carpe Diem: Seize the day, design, plan and execute excellent days and they compound into excellent weeks, months, quarters, years and a lifetime. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.

Totus tuis: It’s in your hands. I got this from Dan Pena. Take full responsibility for everything in your life. Ultimately it is about what you do, how you do things, and how you view things.

The second half :

” Do all you can with what you have in the time you have left: Be kind, be cautious, be yourself, be your best self, be well  ”

I like to review these daily reminders to strive to be your ideal best self, getting better and better in every way,  living your best destiny, doing all you can with what you have in the time you have left with integrity and love.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
(QUESTION: Please tell us more about your art:)

I have had many hyphens in my artistic life. I am a musician/saxophonist and did world tours with bands like King Chango and Pacha Massive when I  was younger. I still play musically with different groups, and am composing and producing music with my band Mlumbo with Luther Vandross’s former keyboardist Rob Flatow, guitarist/engineer Brian O’Neill,  Trumpeter Cecil young, fellow multi-horn player Paul Alexandre Meurens, and great jazz drummer, Jaz Sawyer. We’ve been playing and making albums for close to 25 years together and have made great music with Jane Ira Bloom, Page Hamilton and the late Vanessa Bley. During the last few years, we were able to compile/remote record enough for about 4 more albums.

I am also a SAGAFTRA actor, and have been very fortunate to act in shows like Netflix’s Marvel’s Devil, and do stunt work alongside Sean Patrick Flannery, Mark Dacascos and Michael Jai White. I’m grateful to do voiceover work in many fun productions too.  I wrote, directed and produced several films and series. Now that the WGA strike has resolved, I’m proud and excited to announce that I am actively pitching and sharing several new feature film screenplays co-written with my friend and screenwriting partner Anthony Miller, as well as others that I am currently co-writing. Keep your eyes and ears peeled.

(QUESTION: We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others)

I think saxophonist Wayne Shorter said it best, I’m paraphrasing but it was about how he and John Coltrane would ‘scramble the eggs’ differently. in regards to music creation and improvising.

Each one of us has a unique voice, unique perspectives and ways of approaching things. As a saxophonist and music composer, my music has elements and influences of the bands, teachers, experiences and teachers/masters I’d studied.  I loved emulating Sonny Stitt, Maceo Parker, Kenny Garrett, Cannonball Adderly when playing Alto coming up.

As a composer I am heavily influenced by the rock en espanol, latino world beat bands I played and toured and associated with, as well as influences from Frank Sinatra to Depeche mode. My compositions, especially with Mlumbo, tend to reflect a bit of latin and balearic aesthetic infused with some darker sounding electronica and jazz/funk/pop elements

As writers/filmmakers/actors, we all have influences from the sources we associate with and have exposed to. Much of my influences come from sci-fi, supernatural, horror, action, 70s and 80s movies/music, I was known for producing a supernatural cop show “Changelings” with Eric Roberts, Catherine Curtin, Julia Maggio, Lauren Francesca, Stormi Maya and Jacob Berger that was on Amazon Prime. The writing was very dark and brooding, reflecting the subject matter and story plot about corruption in NYPD special spectral division and the eternal dance of dark and light set in Nether York. I’ve done some lighter material like Suburban Sepulchre which had some comedic elements to it, especially about Filipino American suburban life.. I like to practice kaizen/c.a.n.i (constant and never-ending improvement) there is still more to learn and improve upon

(QUESTION: what you are most proud of or excited about?)

As a musician there have been many highlights, but one of the greatest I am proud of was headlining the Montreal Jazz Festival main event with King Chango. Rest in peace mi hermano bandleader, Andrew Blanco AKA “Blanquito-man”

As an actor, I am proud of being in some great TV and movies as well as doing voiceover work for podcasts and animated programs.

Other highlights were playing piano accompanying Robert Deniro and Bryce Pinkham in the Comedian and also joining the voice cast of #matter with Snoop Dogg and Haley Joel Osment.

As well as Changelings and other projects I’ve created and helped produce, I’m most excited about the future in upcoming business, music and film projects that are in development and currently in production, as well as some highlights in my personal life and relationships.

(QUESTION:  How did you get to where you are today professionally?)

I grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, a great arts oriented supporting town with some impactful music and arts teachers in middle and High school. I went to New York University for Music and studied and performed with many great musicians who were there in the late 90’s like Kenny Werner and George Garzone as well as to study with Vincent Herring and Ted Nash.

I was playing solo saxophone in Washington Square park on a break and bassist Ralph Rodriguez came up and wanted to know if I would play in his band, Virtuosoul. Later he introduced me to Ramon Nova. I had just graduated from NYU and Nova recommended me to the band King Chango who were looking for a new horn player for a show in Puerto Rico. From there, I went on my first tour to Venezuela with King Chango who were touring with Los Amigos Invisibles and Los Pericos and many more international tours. I was and am still fortunate to play with so many great musicians, though I don’t do many world tours nowadays.

My focus is a little different now to other projects, writing, acting, and other business and personal endeavors. I got into acting/writing/producing/directing through a side door as a musician. My friend Margarita Monet (Martirosyan), current singer of Edge of Paradise, was trying out for a commercial and asked me if I could play bass and accompany her.

Fortunately, I taught many musical instruments privately, at studios and in drum corps and could play bass and guitar. We didn’t get cast but I was introduced to my first agent Anthony Sciviano, rest in peace, and was being sent out to audition for commercials, TV and movies. Eventually I joined SAGAFTRA. I had gotten into writing, producing and directing upon seeing how things were done being present on TV shows and movie sets I was on and also inspired by great actors and directors and colleagues.

(QUESTION: Was it easy?)

There have been times where things flowed and were astonishingly easy, and others times where it was excruciatingly difficult to persevere. But that is life: opportunity mixed with difficulty. As a musician I’ve been fortunate to play in some of the greatest venues and experiences and also have had those “what and why am I playing here, how did I get here?” situations. As an actor I’ve also been fortunate to have been cast in some great productions. And of course, there is tremendous adversity and amount of rejection that actors have to go through. I recently did my casting numbers recently, the ratios are an eye opener. Of the 4 principal speaking roles I had been booked in this year, there were 148 auditions/tapes and 968 personal submissions for parts so far. It’s part of the process, part of the business.

(QUESTION:  If not, how did you overcome the challenges? )

There have been techniques that help overcoming and persevering through challenges. Journaling like in “the Artist’s Way” or “Project 369” can help take the ideas and concerns from where they hide within you and put them on paper so you can better clarify and control them. Practicing metacognition helps and observing yourself to know how you operate, how you deal with adversity, what upsets or inspires you can lead to systems and routines to pull you through. Having friends, family, colleagues, coaches and mentors you can associate with and talk things out with and get ideas about where you might be stuck or have blind spot biases, can help you resolve and make progress. I am very grateful to all of the people I have had in my life to help in that regard.

(QUESTION: What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. )

There are many lessons.
A short summary really would be : “It really comes down to how you do things and how you view things.”

It comes down to your growth mindset, your perspective on things, and then what you ultimately do for the results in your life, done with integrity and not harming anyone, and blessing all.

A longer expanded partial lesson list I’ve learned from mentors, coaches, colleagues, experiences:

-Improvise, adapt, overcome

-Behold and Beware of the laws of unintended consequences, polarity, cause and effect

-Memento Mori, Amor fati, Carpe diem, Totus tuis. (Remember you too will die, love your fate, seize the day, it’s all in your hands)

-Aude Aliquid Dignum (Dare something great)

-Be kind, be cautious, be yourself, be your best self, be well.

-Leave people, places, things and situations in an equal or better condition than when you encounter them

-Do all you can with what you have in the time you have left.

-It all comes down to Choices-decisions-consequences.

-Ask yourself “what am I doing right and well?” “What could I do better?” What should I do more of or start doing?”, “What should I do less of or stop doing?”

-Do it now, it is later than you think. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, but be sure the shots you take are for the right worthy targets

-Be wise with your time, your attention, your focus, your energy, your resources, your relationships

-You either have the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. Discipline equals freedom.

-Trust but verify

-Goal setting means little without setting up and following through with success routines/habits for the goal accomplishment. Better to envision the type of person you must be to embody and attract that which you desire and design your life with wisdom of others and your own intuition and decision making and apply it;“I do ____ at ____time at ____location”

-Do your work, partner with your friend, the universe, and let it do the rest. Make sure your goals/intentions are aligned with the universe’s greater goals/intentions for the benefit of humanity and the world. Do what must be done, let the universe do its thing, and let go of your need/lust/expectations for results.

-You must combine head and heart as you take action towards your goals and dreams. Merge form(actions) and force(emotions).

-Who you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear a thing you say

-Beware of your own self hypnosis, self imposed jinxes, truths you never examined and hold as sacrosanct, your words and figures of speeches have massive power over you

-You become like that which you associate with. Show me your associations (friends, environments you linger in, your thoughts, your self-talk, your habits/routines, coaches and people you take advice from, the media/entertainment you consume, the thoughts/emotions you fixate on, your excuses, your reasons, your focus, your standards) and I’ll show you your future

-“Good” is the enemy of “Best”, although technically, is no such thing as “best”

-Embrace growth mindset. Progress, not perfection. Keep Kaizen-ing, Keep ikagai in mind

-Imperfect done is better than perfect pending. You don’t build a reputation on what you are going to do, but know when to cut bait.

-Certain things are worth vying for, fighting for, dying for, living for… others things aren’t. Make sure you wisely know the difference and live accordingly. Pick your battles, words and actions wisely. Often you cannot take back what was said and/or done.

-Narrow your focus to 3 targets at a time: 2 professional and 1 personal. Focus and accomplish those before picking others.

-Know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away, know when to run

-Read at least 10 pages (preferably 20 to 30 or an hour worth), of a non-fiction book daily, journal daily, write 1000 words daily, make music daily, Exercise in some form at least 30 minutes daily (the body has knowledge the mind does not know)

-People and the world tend to treat you the way you believe you should be treated and how you treat yourself. Avoid trying to change people. They only reflect and tell you who you are. Revalue yourself and many will confirm the change

-You cannot out-earn your self-esteem/self-image. You cannot be pitiful and powerful at the same time

-Do what you can, where you are with what you have in the time you have left right now

-Do what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it regardless of your feelings

-Show up, show up early to be on time, be kind, be courteous. Get in, get hot, get out

-Please and thank you go a long way. Manners maketh the man.

-Get on with it. Get to the point

– Be a person of good character, good judgment, good cheer and of good integrity

-Be elegant. Simplify.

-Practice enlightened self-interest. Give good and give value without any expectation of reciprocation or anything in return. It has a tendency to come back to you in some form at some time, often 5x or 10x

-Emotions are powerful addictive chemicals. Whatever emotions and energy you unleash, leaves its residue on you, the vessel, that they are pouring through. If you put out fear, anger, resentment, shame, or darker emotions towards others and situations, it taints you, the vessel/conduit and it becomes easier to do more of that. Likewise if you put out love and serenity to others, that act leaves its energy residue on you.

-No matter how far down the wrong path you’ve gone, turn back

-As above, so below. As within, so without

-Mind your own situations, you have more work to do on yourself. Change yourself, change your mindset, paradigms and actions and you change the world

-Make a habit of sending good thoughts and blessings to others, Close your eyes, put your hand on your heart and bless 5 people daily seeing them smiling, happy, healthy, successful, and prosperous, harm none. Do this without any expectation of receiving anything in return or having the need to announce it. The act of sending blessings silently to others, also blesses you as that energy sending residue affects the vessel.

-Reality has an aspect of a closed loop circuit. Everything returns to source/sender, often times amplified 5x or 10x. Be very aware of what you are focusing on and the energy you are releasing.

-learn how to declare/state properly and how to ask properly
“I am/have ____ in partnership with the universe on purpose because ______, and it benefits humanity and the world, harm none”

-Everyday I build a powerful confident capable self image I like, respect and embody it as I do my work aligned with the universe that benefits humanity and the world, harm none

-Everyday and in everyway I am getting better and better and better, harm none

-Train hard, train well, train often, train honestly

-Be prepared, be aware, be ready, expect change

-Around every 7 year cycle in your life, you have a checkpoint, a transition point, where things, mindsets must be reviewed, let go of and/or transmuted

-Remember the 3s and plan accordingly. You will last .3 seconds without self protection and awareness, 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food

-Good to have the 10 Cs of survival on you at all times
cutting tool, combustion tool, cover, cloth cotton bandanas (2), candling device, container for water, cargo tape, cordage, compass, canvas needle. Plus a carry bag

-Survive and thrive as you stay alive.

-Remember to enjoy the process, laugh, smile and have fun. Help others do the same. Be someone that people say “I can’t wait to see him, rather than I see him all the time or I’d rather not see him”

-Keep your own council. Make your own decisions. Have a free discerning open mind, and have objective observing ego, good healthy boundaries. Be a source of wellbeing and confidence for yourself and others. Beware of polarity, utilize it well. Be the wizard, beware the wizard (marketing and sales copy axiom).

-It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond to it and what you do. Past difficulties are only prologue to new chapters… you can see past errors or hardships either as jailors that keep you trapped in cycles of despair, fear, anger, self pity, or resentment… or advisors to occasionally consult about how better to proceed now and in the future.

-Keep your heart and mind open, but keep your wits and wisdom about you

-(my signature on my emails) “We become what we think about. We think about what we talk about. We have to think, “feel-as if”, act and speak about our ideal present and future like it already exists now.”

(QUESTION: What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story? )

My brand can be related to my purpose statement: I am Vincent Veloso, I exist to create, inspire, uplift and generate value for my audience through the music, films, acting, multimedia, investments and business I create and co-create, harm none, bless all.

The summary of my story currently on my website vincentveloso.com homepage is:

“Vincent Veloso is an Asian Filipino-American actor, model, multi-award winning: writer/producer/director, entrepreneur, 17 instrument performing musician, martial artist (Kodokan judo, Tekken-ryu jujutsu, Nihon Goshin Aikido) & trained salsa ballroom dancer.”

However, there is always another chapter and my story is always being written and updated each day.

As long as we’re green we’re growing, as soon as we’re ripe we start to rot. No matter where we are, as long as we are here in this mortal existence, there is always another level to reach, grow and aspire to, and a new chapter to write both professionally and personally in all areas of our lives.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ll long preface this: My best friend would probably already know where we were going and what we were probably going to do and not do. =) The ‘best time ever’ would probably depend on their mood and energy level, what we’d finally end up doing, lol.

Okay, in the Tri state area where I live…let’s say it’s late summer, early fall so we can do outdoor and indoor things and limit it to North Jersey/ slightly over the NY state border. So I’ll just list some stuff to do that isn’t quite the NYC touristy thing to do or have to travel to south Jersey or New York City too much, because there are a million great things to do and see in NYC.

And for brevity, I’ll limit it to an activity and a meal or something, try to make it active and casual fun rather than formal or just crashing at a house with an outdoor fire pit or hot tub or a lounge/game hall/coffee shop or taking in a movie like I know my friend and I would also do. A week is a long time, we’d probably condense these. We’re both busy 😉

Day 1:  Kayaking in Monksville Reservoir or Franklin Lakes Preserve
Hit up the Suburban Diner in Paramus like old times visit some old haunts

Day 2:  lunch at the Cloisters (it’s NYC but it’s not as crowded as other museums and the views and the artifacts are great to experience)
Get back to jersey and Eat at Pier 115 in Edgewater

Day 3: Hiking where there are great trails, maybe Bear mountain  or something like that
Hibachi at Mt Fuji in off the NY thruway in Hillburn, NY on the way back

Day 4: Monster miniature golf/ Humdingers gaming
Probably would eat there at Humdingers or something comfort food wise

Day 5: skeet shooting up in Ringwood
Eat at Artemio’s Prime and Proper

Day 6: indoor sky diving at I fly
We might hit up a comedy show at Bananas or Meadowlands comedy depending on who was on or hit up some Colombian or Peruvian restaurants in West New York or Union city

Day 7 Indoor cart racing/rock climbing at Palisades center
probably eat there or like the Stateline diner

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to my parents Cesar & Hilaria, brother Walter and sister Christine, my friends, family, colleagues, band mates, mentors, teachers & coaches like Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Craig Ballantyne, Sensei Damian Ross, Sensei Ogasawara, Sensei Sidoti, so many others who have helped and inspired me, my good friend Lello the oracle, the universal oversoul, and my beloved Sophia, my wisdom. Thank you and be well.

Website: vincentveloso.com

Instagram: instagram.com/vincent.veloso

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/vincentveloso/

Twitter: twitter.com/vinceveloso

Facebook: facebook.com/vincentmveloso/

Youtube: youtube.com/@vincentmveloso

Other: imdb.me/vincentveloso linktr.ee/vincentveloso filmfreeway.com/VincentVeloso resumes.actorsaccess.com/vincentveloso mlumbo.com mlumbo.bandcamp.com

Image Credits
James Ciccone (for my actor headshots) all other photos: Vincent Veloso Xavmax Multimedia Productions LLC