Band Members:
Javier Madrigal- Electric & Trumpet
Daran Huerta-Ivory, Harmonica & Electric
Joe McMurrphy-Percussion
Rigo Waltz-Acoustic, Electric & Ivory
Singer/Songwriter Rigo Waltz was born on March 14, 1984 in a family with no musical background. He taught himself how to play various instruments and started to record music. With influents from the Beatles to Bob Dylan he recorded Theres a Man in 2005.
Influences include: Big Star, The Animals, The Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Depeche Mode, The Doors, Booker T. & The MC's, Wings, At The Drive In, Placebo, The Ventures, and Bob Dylan.
Entertainer Newspaper Review, December 2007 By Tracy Roberts, Tri-City Events
Pasco based singer/songwriter
Rigo Waltz provides a refreshing
look at the darker side of life.
He sets such miseries as love lost,
family turmoil and death to a comfortingly
listenable tune. And in his current
line-up, Rigo Waltz and the Goodtime
band, he is a rare example of music
that is even better in person than on
the albums.
Waltz was born in 1984 to a family
with no musical background. In the
seventh grade, friends Andrew Zilar
(Lions & Eagles) and Skylar Guzman
(Sand) noticed his impressively loud
voice at recess and asked him to sing
in their metal band.
He joined, and after a few singer/
screamer stints with other bands, he
decided to start a solo project with a
different sound. Rigo began picking up
instruments and learned to play the
guitar and piano.
“I just wanted to learn so I could
write songs” Rigo says.
In 2004 he released his first work,
the “Mother Mary EP” and followed
with “There’s A Man” in 2006.
Rigo is a new old-school song writer,
taking a lot of inspiration from the
music of the 60’s and 70’s and adding
a modern, eclectic edge. His influences
include The Beatles, The Everly
Brothers, Bob Dylan and Big Star.
The songs on his albums are
surprisingly diverse and varied in style,
from the dark and brooding blues of
“Who,” to the country twanged “There’s
a Man,” and the near show tune
“Eighty-Eight.” Many of his songs have
a nostalgic quality that calls back to
better, simpler times.
Be warned though: his lyrics are not
for sissies.
The subject matter is dark, drawn
from past experiences that are not
always comfortable to relive. His songs
paint pictures of lost loves, a tumultuous
relationship with his father and
ironic death. Rigo asks blatant questions
about human relationships, and
runs the gamut of emotions that real
people have. He also has the ability to
show that good art is not always
pretty, and the tortured screams at the
end of “Who” portray this beautifully.
Rigo describes his songwriting as
something that happens all at once, a
sort of spilling out of chords and lyrics.
It is an outlet for all the bad in life.
“I get depressed sometimes, and
that’s kind of how I get my emotions
out,” he says. “It makes me feel better
once I write a song.”
The current lineup of Rigo Waltz and
the Goodtime Band consists of Javier
Madrigal on electric guitar and trumpet,
Daran Huerta on piano, harmonica and
electric guitar, Joe McMurphy on
percussion, Rigo Waltz on acoustic/
electric guitar, piano, and everyone on
vocals.
Despite the dark subject matter, the
band’s performance is unexpectedly
upbeat and fun. They showcase their
skilled musicianship by exchanging
instruments frequently and they
maintain a light, jovial interaction on
stage and with the audience.
Between Rigo’s charismatic stage
presence, Javier’s madman-like
emoting, and Dan & Joe’s cool backing,
it’s almost impossible not to get
drawn into the show. (See live performance
footage at www.Tri-
CityEvents.com)
These days he’s playing with his
new band, writing new tunes and
looking for time to get into the studio to
record his third album, “Heart Lungs &
Limbs.”
Catch Rigo Waltz and the Goodtime
Band Dec. 15th at Kimo’s Sports Bar
or visit their MySpace at
www.myspace.com/rigowaltz.
