Meet Carlos Solorzano | Pro Drummer & Songwriter

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

Hi Carlos, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born, raised and started my music career in the Los Angeles area. I was fortunate to grow up with parents who loved all kinds of music who were also very encouraging and supportive when I expressed my desire to be a musician. I would play in some school programs during my younger days, take private drum lessons for several years and attend El Camino Community College in Torrance, CA and earn an AA in Music. I would go on to work with different musical settings with some amazing musicians with some of them being great resources when it came to teaching me a lot about the music business. I moved to the Tucson area in 2006 where I would continue to perform in working bands, in the recording studio, church settings, and in the world of musical theater. All of these experiences inspired me to work on my own musical projects as it gave me the confidence to face whatever challenges would come with working on my own.

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.
I have always loved the drums and particularly, the drum set. While I acknowledge the fact that I play a percussion instrument I prefer to be called a drummer because the drum set is a challenging instrument that deserves the same respect as say a piano, guitar or the voice. As a drummer I studied other players and learned as much as I could in order to see what they had in common so I could walk my own path as a player. To me, that is the difference between a performer and an artist. It has always been a challenge because it is easier to not only imitate another player but to come up with one’s signature style and stay with it without taking the time to evolve as an artist.
The most challenging thing has been my solo drumming work where I orchestrate world rhythms around the drum set. It allows me to sound like a percussion ensemble but is always a challenge to play because of the use of 4-way independence. I not only have to practice to maintain what I am doing but also be in good physical shape due to the demands it puts on my body and my mind as it requires a certain level of concentration. I have done this both in solo performance and Master Class settings so there is also the need to hold the attention of the audience as well as having the ability to speak to an audience clearly in order to break down each idea.
I began writing music during my later high school years as that was when I started to learn how to play guitar. In college I would go on to learn some bass guitar and piano as well as music theory. At that point I was not as versed in such things as many of my peers so it required me to put more time into those instruments while I continued to work in various bands. As I wrote songs I was happy to come up with some good ones along with some not so good ones even though it was a great exercise in learning how to write songs as well as having to expand my skills on mastering other instruments in order to play the ideas that I heard in my head.
In time, my songwriting improved enough for me to release two solo albums. The first one was a collection of drum set solos with a world rhythm theme as well as multi-tracked drumming compositions. The second one was a collection of instrumental songs that I wrote & recorded in my home studio with me playing all of the instruments.
Years ago I got involved with music licensing and have been fortunate enough to have some of my music featured on television shows around the world. Some highlights include Law & Order Special Victims Unit, America’s Top Model and a number of shows on the MTV/VH1 Network along with the BBC and Netflix.
My progress has been affirming but also a reminder that we have to continue to work hard in order to improve on our craft and to make sure that we don’t fall off the radar in order to get more work. I am just one of many musicians in the world and I have learned that while talent is a great thing that there also has to be a commitment to knowing the business and networking within that business structure to get whatever opportunities we can find. There will always be obstacles and disappointments so we must accept that and do whatever it takes to move forward.

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.
There are a number of places I like to go to. There is St. Philip’s Plaza, as it is one of my favorite places to perform as well a great place to shop and eat. I would also check out a show at The Maverick as that is another place I like to perform and hang out. I also like to go to Trail Dust town for the Old West vibe and other fun things to do from having German pancakes for breakfast, to a steak dinner to the fun things for kids to do, especially the comedy gun show. I also like to go on bike rides in my hometown of Sahuarita or take a day trip to Phoenix to hit up the record stores, attend an arena rock concert or to do some shopping at some of the outlets.

Aside from that, I’m always up to go to a record or book store or to hang out at a nice and quiet coffeehouse.

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 want to give a nod to my parents as their love and support not only gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams but to also offer the same support to my own children as they grow up and pursue their own dreams.

Website: https://www.desertdrummer.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-solorzano-301847278/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarlosSolorzanoDesertDrummer