Rodrigo Cotelo
Musician, Guitarist, Composer, Producer, and Multi-Instrumentalist Rodrigo Cotelo, navigates through a wide variety of genres and multiple styles seamlessly. Not necessarily a virtuoso but with a refined taste and tone, he embraces musicality with unparalleled ease and sensitivity. A true natural.
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Bio
English
A five-time Semi Finalist of the International Songwriting Competition (3 times in Jazz, 1 in instrumental, and 1 in Blues), and two-time Graffiti Awards Nominee (Metal / Jazz) Rodrigo holds an extensive pedigree as a composer, producer, and musician. Not necessarily a virtuoso but with a refined taste and tone, he embraces musicality with unparalleled ease and sensitivity. A true natural.
Rodrigo was born in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1978. Raised in Maldonado, Uruguay was always in contact with music during his childhood as he was born son of a drummer and a dance teacher. He started his music studies (piano) at age 7 developing at Schubert Conservatory until he was 15 when his interest in Guitar was discovered.
Among others, he has studied with Ricardo Lacuan, Ryan Taylor and Fernando Calleriza. He has participated of several master classes (not only in Guitar) from prestigious international musicians such as Luis Salinas, Nguyen Ye, Sylvain Luc, Jean-Michel Pilc, Yvan Robilliard and also collaborated as a translator and interpreter (English, Spanish and French) on several clinics conducted by musician’s participants of the Jazz Tour in Montevideo and the Lapataia International Jazz Festival in Punta del Este.
He started performing live in a Rock quartet in Punta del Este being part of different projects of the genre in between 1995 and 2000. In 1999 he registered his first compositions and to date, he has more than fifty originals registered in a variety of different genres such as: Fusion, Jazz, New Age, World Music, Folk, Rock, Alternative, Classical, and Pop.
His first solo album “Vieja Mochila” (Old Backpack) was edited in 2001 with an important repercussion featured in Uruguayan media. After editing his work with Italian Pianist Fabrizio Rinaldi “Biendonado” in 2003, he embarked to work for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines spending a full year on board playing with international musicians in different parts of the world. Upon his return to Uruguay, he started working on Pop, Rock, Fusion, and jazz projects. He has produced and recorded for Uruguayan artists: Abel Garcia, Walter Cambon, Electric Kool-Aid, Monalisa, Jardin Primitivo, Musiclú and Aida Martinez among others. Internationally, he has performed and recorded on different stages and venues on different genres with: Joseph Filipow, Davide Garofalo, Dario Eskenazi, Oscar Stagnaro, Ramiro Flores, Manuel Rocheman, Dj Fabian Repetto in New York, Punta del Este, Paris, Barcelona, Dallas, Lafayette, and San Diego.
The finalization of the album “Ser Sonido” (Being Sound) was funded by FONAM (Uruguayan Music Funds) and edited by MT records in 2013. In 2014, he was awarded a scholarship by SUDEI (Uruguayan Society of Interpreters) to finish his studies with Esteban Klisich in Harmony, Composition and Counterpoint. Rodrigo’s compositions “Young Dads”, “In Some Shape or Form”, “Leaps and Bounces”, and “S Mitchell St” have been recognized as Semi Finalists in the Nashville, Tennessee based International Songwriting Competition in the jazz category. In the three different editions when nominated (2015 through 2017), jurors have included jazz masters Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, Danilo Perez, Vijay Iyer, Esperanza Spalding, Gordon Goodwin, Peter Erskine, and saxophonist Ted Nash among others. The original composition “Usual Suspects” also achieved semi-finalist status in the category “Blues” in the 2016 edition of the prestigious contest singled out by juror Joe Bonamassa among the others for the genre. In September 2017, the song “Opportune” was selected as the winner of the 2017 Indaba Music Big band contest.
In 2016 Rodrigo founded “#Bloomerangs” which is an international music collective dedicated to exploring different musical genres. Their first release “Horizon Sunset” (2017) counts with the participation of over 20 musicians from the United States, Uruguay, Spain, and Argentina released for PARMA recording’s BigRound records. In 2020 #Bloomerangs release “Moments and Fragments” was nominated for the “Best Jazz Fusion Album” by Premios Graffiti. Likewise, “Analysis Paralysis” written, produced, and performed by Rodrigo Cotelo for artist Tote Fernandez was nominated for “Best Hard Rock / Metal Album” in that same year.
Español
Cinco veces semi finalista del concurso internacional de composición “International Songwriting Competition” (tres en Jazz, una en Instrumental, y una en Blues), y nominado a dos Premios Graffiti “Mejor Album de Jazz Fusion” y “Mejor Album de Hard Rock / Metal”, Rodrigo cuenta con un extensivo pedigrí como compositor, productor y musico. No necesariamente un virtuoso, pero con un gusto y tono refinado, su acercamiento a la música es único en sensibilidad y naturalidad. Cubriendo una variedad múltiple de géneros y estilos, Rodrigo ha actuado profesionalmente como sesionista de estudio y como músico en vivo por más de 20 años.
Rodrigo nació en Montevideo el 22 de noviembre de 1978. Criado en Maldonado de niño siempre tuvo contacto con la música gracias a su padre baterista y madre profesora de baile. Comenzó a estudiar música (Teclado y Piano) a los 7 años de edad. Posteriormente fue alumno del Conservatorio Schubert el cual dejó al comenzar a estudiar guitarra a los 15 años.
Entre otros ha estudiado con Ricardo Lacuán, Ryan Taylor y Fernando Calleriza. Ha participado de varias clínicas máster (no solo en guitarra) de prestigiosos músicos internacionales como Luis Salinas, Nguyen Ye, Sylvain Luc, Jean-Michel Pilc, Yvan Robilliard e incluso colaborado como intérprete (Inglés y Francés) en varias de las clínicas para la organización de las mismas en coordinación con Jazz Tour (Montevideo) y también en el Festival Internacional de Jazz de Lapataia (Punta del Este).
Comenzó a actuar en vivo en un cuarteto de rock en Punta del Este formando parte de diferentes proyectos del estilo entre 1995 y 2000. Como compositor, sus obras contienen elementos de Fusión, Jazz, New Age, World Music, Folk, Rock, Metal, Clásica, Candombe y Popular Uruguaya. A la fecha cuenta con más de 60 composiciones registradas en estos géneros.
Su primer trabajo como solista “Vieja Mochila” se edita en el año 2001 con una importante repercusión mediática en Uruguay. Tras la edición de su trabajo con el Pianista Fabrizio Rinaldi “Biendonado” en el 2003, se embarca a trabajar con la compañía de cruceros Royal Caribbean cumpliendo un año a bordo y tocando con músicos de alto nivel internacional en diferentes países del mundo.
A su vuelta a Uruguay comienza a trabajar en varios proyectos de carácter Pop, Rock, Fusión, Popular y Jazz y a actuar y grabar como artista invitado y en colaboración con músicos Uruguayos como: Abel García, Walter Cambón, Electric Kool-Aid, Monalisa, Jardín Primitivo, Musiclú y Aida Martínez entre otros.
Internacionalmente ha actuado y grabado en diferentes escenarios con variados artistas como: Joseph Filipow, Davide Garofalo, Ramiro Flores, Darío Eskenazi, Oscar Stagnaro, Manuel Rocheman, DJ Fabián Repetto en Nueva York, Punta del Este, Paris, Barcelona, Dallas, San Diego, y en diferentes ciudades de su estado de residencia Indiana.
El proyecto de grabación del álbum “Ser Sonido” es financiado por el FONAM (Fondo Nacional de la Música) y es editado por el sello MT en el 2013. En el 2014, Rodrigo gana una beca de perfeccionamiento artístico SUDEI (Sociedad Uruguaya de Intérpretes) para terminar sus estudios de Armonía, Composición y Contrapunto con Esteban Klísich.
En su carrera como compositor, las composiciones de Rodrigo “Young Dads”, “In Some Shape or Form”, “Leaps and Bounces”, y “S Mitchell St” han sido reconocidas como semi finalistas del concurso internacional de composición de Nashville Tennessee “International Songwriting Competition” en la categoría Jazz. Entre las tres ocasiones, los jurados han sido comprendidos por maestros de Jazz como Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter y Danilo Perez, Vijay Iyer, Esperanza Spalding, Gordon Goodwin, Peter Erskine, y el saxofonista Ted Nash. Su composición compartida con Diego Bustingorry “Usual Suspects” también obtuvo esa distinción en la categoría Blues en la edición 2016.
En 2017, la composición “Oportuno” fue elegida como ganadora del concurso de Big Band de Indaba Music.
En el 2016 Rodrigo funda el colectivo musical internacional “#Bloomerangs” cuyo primer trabajo “Horizon Sunset” cuenta con la participación de más de 20 músicos internacionales de EEUU, Uruguay, España y Argentina. El disco fue editado por el sello de PARMA Recordings “BigRound records” en mayo del 2017. El disco de #Bloomerangs “Moments and Fragments” (2020 Instru Dash Mental) fue nominado como mejor album de Jazz Fusion por Premios Graffiti. Asi mismo, otro album compuesto y producido por Rodrigo en el 2020 “Analysis Paralysis” para el artista Tote Fernandez, fue nominado como mejor album de Hard Rock y Metal.
releases
"Filling the Blanks" is inspired on the trauma of abandonment and the impact that ghosting has on people.
A deep exploration on Rodrigo Cotelo's songwriting, arranging, and storytelling. This R&B song brings forward the pain and suffering that uncertainty triggers when being a victim of ghosting.
The musical and orchestral journey the listener is invited to onboard with the track, provides complex emotions in their raw state of simplicity while still providing enough diverse avenues and bridges for it to shine its rich and complex textures.
Being Sound is a concept way beyond the name of an album. It alludes to the moment some describe as spiritual, in which a musician loses its individuality and conscience of existence transforming herself/himself into something abstract, without time or form, in channel of a superior will that manifests through her/him and constantly evolving. During improvisation, interpretation or composition the instrument is just a psychic extension necessary to reach that climax where musical intelligence is an aural entity channeling through one self.
“Being Sound” is not a state only for and by musicians but also for the listener that is able to bond with them and emotions bloom due to the sounds and sensitivity. Blessed those that are able to experience sensations with music!
Vieja Mochila (Old Backpack)
Rodrigo Cotelo's first solo project in 2000. The album counts with the participation of 16 musicians from 4 different countries covering multiple genres from alternative rock to jazz. It's a clear sample of Rodrigo's early development whose interests were never set in one place. Produced with Mauricio Trobo in Maldonado, Uruguay. "Vieja Mochila" received a glowing recommendation by Uruguayan magaize Sabado Show (distributed and ran by the country's largest newspaper El País) in an article by Adrián Minutti titled "Exquisita Sorpresa" (Exquisite surprise).
discography
2025 Clay Wulbrecht "The Clockmaster" Guitars, Percussion, Arrangements, and Production
2024 Gastón Reggio "Michigan" Guitars and Production
2023 Rodrigo Cotelo “Filling the Blanks” Songwriting, Guitars, and Production
2022 RC Trio “Live by Creekside” Guitars & Production
2021 Chris Parker "Interstate EP" Guitars, Production, and Songwriting
2020 #Bloomerangs “Moments and Fragments” Guitars, Percussion, Arrangements, Musical Direction & Production
2020 Tote Fernandez “Analysis Paralysis” – Composition, Guitars & Production
2019 Erin Mutchler “Better Late (feat. #Bloomerangs)” – Guitars & Production
2017 #Bloomerangs “Horizon Sunset” – Guitars, Percussion, Arrangements, Musical Direction & Production
2017 Chris Parker “Moving Forward Now” Album – Assistant Production
2015 Big Gothic “Flink” – Guitars, Lead Guitars, Production, and Bass
2013 Rodrigo Cotelo “Ser Sonido” (Being Sound) MT – Guitars & Production
2012 Musiclú – Lead Guitars
2011 Jardin Primitivo "Amiga" – Guitars & Production
2010 DJ Fabian Repetto – Guitars for track & Keyboards @ Live appearances
2009 Electric Kool-Aid – Keyboards
2008 Monalisa EP – Rhythm Guitars, Production & Vocals
2007 Martin Berloto Solo Album – Co- Production
2006 Buenperro EP – Guitars & Vocals
2005 Abel García Montevideo Tour – Percussion
2005 Aida Martinez & Rodrigo Cotelo “Metheny Songbook” – Guitars & Production
2004 Tabare Muzio Demo – Percussion
2002 Rinaldi – Cotelo & Cia… “Biendonado” MT -Guitars and Production
2001 Rodrigo Cotelo “Vieja Mochila” MT – Guitars and Production
2000 Semillas “Algo Broto” LBR – Drums
1999 Chalo “Habla No Corre” LBR – Guitars
1998 Volco la Onda “Par” arrangement and vocals on song “Ciclos”