Fernando Perdomo was once one of South Florida's own, an omnipresent musician, local entrepreneur, and singer-songwriter who made an indelible mark on the local scene.
He relocated to L.A. in June 2012, following the death of his mother and the sale of his family home, which also housed his recording studio.
Fortunately, his ties to our environs remain strong, enough for us to justify continuing to call him a homeboy.
See also: Jon Anderson on Yes: "I Hope We Get Back Together and Do the Tour Everybody Dreams Of"
Nevertheless, the move seems to have opened up a host of opportunities, both in terms of performing, recording, and producing.
There is his just-released solo single entitled "Photographers in Love." And, with his previous band Dreaming in Stereo now on hiatus, he's working with a new outfit called Records and Tapes.
Meanwhile, Perdomo, along with fellow Miamian Chris Price, has also produced a new album by cult psychedelic folk singer Linda Perhacs, entitled The Soul of All Natural Things, due in 2014 on Sufjan Stevens' Asthmatic Kitty Records label.
Yet, that's not all Perdomo has etched in in his to-do list; in addition to a forthcoming European tour, he also reports that he's busy producing several acts, among them, a garage rock band called Little Dove, a new project by Alana Chirino, ex-Menudo Singer Robert Avellanet, Grammy Nominated singer songwriter Alih Jey, and one woman band Nicole Marcus. Clearly, he knows how to diversify. And how to multi-task as well.
"All this production led me to turn down being asked to join English Beat," Perdomo claims. "I got that offer because I became a regular at the prestigious Canters Kibbitz Room Tuesday night Jam, along with members of Heart, TSOL, English Beat, and Warren Zevon Band."
Suffice it to say that in L.A., it's all about the company one keeps, but clearly talent does play a big role as well. So in addition to his creative pursuits, Perdomo's reaping other rewards as well, among them, the proceeds from commercials. His first, an ad for Target, will grace our televisions soon.
"L.A. does inspire me to work harder," Perdomo insists. "There are many more options for songwriters and performers of all genres in L.A., including several small organizations that help indie artists, like Songnet, Songs Alive, and L.A. Underground Superstars. They all have helped open a lot of doors. There are also way more venues for live music. I feel like success seems less like a fairytale out here."
Perdomo's Forward Motion records label is still active as well, with new offerings on tap by Jim Camacho, a Los Angeles singer named Melissa Thatcher, and a new English artist called Graham Marshall, who has already notched up continuing airplay on the BBC. Fortunately, he hasn't severed his ties with South Florida either. He points to recent work with Ex Norwegian for their upcoming single and a project with Trudy Miquelerena, a local singer.
"I visit every few months," he says.
Even so, Perdomo's upcoming appearance opening for former Yes singer Jon Anderson this Saturday night represents his grand homecoming of sorts, and Perdomo couldn't be happier. "I am so excited to do this show," he says enthusiastically. "I have been a Yes fan since I was a small child. This is a dream come true to me and I can't wait to meet Jon. He's a huge influence on me."
Jon Anderson: The Voice of Yes. With opening set by Fernando Perdomo. Sunday, November 10. Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. The show starts at 6 p.m. and tickets cost $70 plus fees via ticketmaster.com. All ages. Call 305-674-1040 or visit colonytheatremiamibeach.com.
Jon Anderson: The Voice of Yes. With opening set by Top Secret. Sunday, November 10. Colony Theatre, 1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. and tickets cost $70 plus fees via ticketmaster.com. All ages. Call 305-674-1040 or visit colonytheatremiamibeach.com.
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