As far as the "sound" he is hoping to create? "I am hoping to do something a bit more raw and refined than anything I have done in the past. Ultimately, I want to play music that hopefully makes you feel better than worse, when it's all said and done." Back to basics is where I am headed", says Cato. For 10 years he was the main songwriter and singer for the local Indie Pop/Rock outfit, Living Space (www.darkmatters.net). They managed to record three self- released albums and played on and off at local venues. Over the years, through the different configurations of the band, one thing remained constant. Ronnie was pushing himself to write and listen to different music while searching for his own voice. "I owe my songwriting to the interesting collection of music that I was exposed to", says Cato. I had many fun times playing music with the band, but now I think I want to settle into my own skin.
Having grown up listening to pop, rock, and R&B music of his parents generation (early 50's and 60's doo wop, Motown, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Paul Simon, Elvis, The Beatles, etc.) "I was always struck with how people's voices can make you feel a certain way. After all the human voice is an amazing instrument." He began his formal training playing in Elementary School playing clarinet and taking piano lessons. He continued throughout his teens. As a teenager in the 80's, Cato's music exposure included records from British as well as American artists (Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, Prince, etc). "I really didn't get into guitars until the 90's . That's when I heard REM, Nirvana, Jeff Buckley, and better late than never, The Smiths . Which is when I decided to learn to play guitar." Soon after learning his first chords, he started writing songs and lyrics.
Leading us to now, where lately he is listening to more classical and jazz composers and more local artists. " I've still have so much to learn about expressing myself through music, but I feel best when I am writing and performing. It's become a quite an obsession."Cato plans to record a solo project sometime in 2008. He has been playing local open mics to work out material. Ronnie has been hosting a mostly acoustic singer-songwriter showcase at the Red Victorian Hotel in San Francisco. Through hard work and orginization the showcase is going on a successful 3rdyear. This has given Ronnie a great oppurtunity to network with other musicians and get hands on experience with promoting, scheduling, marketing and sound production for live events.
As of Winter 2006, Ronnie decided to return to school and expects to graduate in 2008. There he is digging into the classical and jazz sides of his tastes. Studying with some of the best professors the Bay Area has to offer. He is also currently performing with the CSUEB Wind Ensemble and Orchestra playing the clarinet, and Jazz Ensemble playing tenor sax, plus other smaller chamber ensembles. He has just received his Bachelor Degree in Music at Cal State University, East Bay and will continue to study for his teaching credential. He has studied with Frank Larocca and Rafael Hernandez. So far, he has completed two short pieces, Duality (Clarinet, Cello, Piano) and 30,000 Miles Away (Brass Sextet), the premiere of his third piece, Casus Belli (Solo Piano) was performed in March 2008. He is currently working on two more movements for Casus Belli and a Big Band arrangement yet untitled. He plans to have a formal Senior Composition Recital in the fall of 2008.
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