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"Peace comes from within.

Do not seek it without."

-Buddha

It's about getting to know yourself, finding yourself,

says singer and songwriter Santiago Orozco, a

Bogotá, Colombia native who has spent the last decade discovering himself living in coastal Southern California and on the road. Who you are? What is your purpose?

In 2015, Orozco relocated from San Diego to Los Angeles and, two years later, revived his award-winning outfit, Todo Mundo - voted Best World Music group at 2011, 2014, & 2015 San Diego Music Awards, winner of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Contest in 2015, and recognized by the City of San Diego's Commission for Human Relations in 2014 for spreading diversity through music - in an evolved and reinvigorated incarnation: WITHN.

 

Welcoming fresh perspectives and replenished insight, Orozco embraced the unknown by experimenting with new structures, styles, and instrumentation. What he discovered was a transformed appreciation for the healing power of music and the human connection that binds us together through shared experience. Incorporating electronic elements into his well-established acoustic guitar sound, Within draws inspiration from house rhythms, Caribbean moods, Spanish Rumba, Reggae, Brazilian, Balkan, and Middle Eastern grooves while maintaining a solid foundation of relatable music meant to be experienced live and in person. It also sees Orozco, for the first time, singing entirely in English a decision he made to better connect with his audience in person and through Within’s 2018 album, Colors + Moments.

 

Award from The City of San Diego honoring diversity through music

Joined by violinist Jamie Shadowlight, Within features a rotating cast of guitarists, horns, keys, and drummers that have come together to perform everywhere from your neighborhood busking corner to large festivals such as Guitarfish (Lake Tahoe), The Same But Different (Lake Perris), and the Summer Concert Series in Teton Valley, Idaho.

 

Orozco has also performed at Lightning in a Bottle, Joshua Tree Music Festival, South Africa’s Smoking Dragon Festival, River Fest, and Kaaboo Del Mar, and has supported international and national touring artists such as The Roots, The Wailers, The San Diego Symphony, Fred Wesley, Mike Love, Los Amigos Invisibles, JJ Grey & Mofro, Lucinda Williams, Richard Thompson, Sister Nancy, Chris Isaak, Aterciopelados, Jarabe De Palo, Vokab Kompany, The Bunny Gang, and El Gran Silencio.

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One day, all of humanity will understand that we are ONE.

Inside each of us, there is an indestructible beauty that strongly connect us, no matter where we come from, no matter what we do, believe or think. One day everybody will understand that borders and flags divide us. They bury our true light and essence in this world. Our diversity unites us all as equals. We are all one heartbeat, a beating pulse in this life.

 

One connection

All of us are...

WITHIN

Algún día la humanidad entera entenderá que todos somos uno. Que dentro de nosotros hay una FUERZA que nos conecta fuertemente sin importar de donde vengamos, hagamos o creamos. Y que entre nuestras diferencias, hay una belleza indestructible que nos hace a todos iguales. Algún día entenderemos que las fronteras y las banderas son divisiones que sepultan nuestra verdad, luz y esencia. Todos Somos un latido y un pulso en esta vida.

 

Una Conexión...

 Todos somos

WITHIN

Behind Santiago's Steps ...

Colombia native Santiago Orozco seeks to unite people from all walks of life through his eclectic blend of music: Spanish Rumba, Reggae, Brazilian, Balkan and Middle Eastern sounds, combined with elements of Pop, Rock and Electronic. Sharing messages of acceptance, equality and love, Santiago carries with him boundless inspiration garnered through extensive travel and discovery — as well as a distinctive connection to his compositions, to his audiences, and to the moment. 

 

Santiago, a current Los Angeles resident, established the lively, award-winning group, Todo Mundo, in 2009. He remained the band’s singer, primary guitarist and sole songwriter throughout its eight-year tenure. With Santiago’s earliest musical influences being Ska and Punk, Todo Mundo quickly became known for its unique fusion of genres and its uplifting, energetic concerts. Todo Mundo toured internationally and performed at festivals including Lightning in a Bottle, Joshua Tree Music Festival, Kaaboo Del Mar, Wichita River Fest and South Africa’s Smoking Dragon Festival. The group served as a supporting act for several renowned artists including The Roots, The Wailers, the San Diego Symphony, Richard Thompson and Lucinda Williams. Todo Mundo also performed its own headlining shows, exclusive radio and television segments, and various corporate and private events. 

 

Initially based in San Diego — the first city in which Santiago lived upon emigrating to the United States — Todo Mundo earned multiple San Diego Music Awards for “Best World Music.” The band was also gifted an award by the City of San Diego’s Human Relation Commission for its efforts to promote diversity through music. In addition to Todo Mundo’s music, Santiago reflected cultural diversity through recruiting band members with backgrounds from all over the world: Jamaica, Venezuela, Argentina and Mexico, among other countries. 

 

Santiago brought on Grammy-winning Alan Sanderson (Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Ziggy Marley) to engineer Todo Mundo’s debut record, Conexion, which earned “Best World Music Album” at the 2014 San Diego Music Awards. In 2015, NPR's Alt.Latino program named Todo Mundo among the station’s favorite contestants of the NPR Tiny Desk Contest; it featured the group’s music in one of its podcasts. 

 

As Santiago’s artistic and personal journeys evolved, so did his music. Wanting to reflect his newfound Electronic music tastes and explore deeper lyrical themes of solitude and self-discovery, Santiago embarked on his next project, Within, in 2018. Santiago cites that he named the group after “the ocean of innumerable emotions that this human journey carries 'within.’” Describing the band’s sound, Santiago states, “It is beyond a singular definition or label…[it is] a fusion as diverse and open as life.” While Within’s modern and layered sounds differ from those of its predecessor, Todo Mundo, Santiago maintains the same goal: to write honest music to which people can relate — music that serves as a positive, healing force.   

 

Within released its debut album, “Colors + Moments,” in Spring 2018. The album was recorded at various studios throughout Los Angeles. “Colors + Moments” features a cast of accomplished musicians including trombonist Ricky Lucchese (Beyoncé) and keyboardist Joe Berry (M83). Producers Captain Planet, Chico Mann and Allen French contributed to Within’s debut, in addition to acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Devyn Rush. “Colors + Moments” is the first collection of music that Santiago has written and sung fully in English. Santiago also stars in the music video for the album’s single, “My Only Way.” Within recently opened for celebrated funk band Lettuce at the inaugural Same Same But Different Festival in Lake Perris, CA. The group plans to continue touring in support of its debut and will release a live, acoustic album in December 2018.

 

Santiago’s love of music was sparked during his adolescence, which was spent teaching himself how to play the guitar conveniently located in his family’s Bogotá home. He brought that guitar everywhere he traveled, continually writing music inspired by his surroundings. Performing for everyone he met along the way, Santiago soon witnessed the indescribable power of music and made the decision to become a full-time artist. 

 

Santiago’s California move was inspired by musician Manu Chao’s “Bienvenida a Tijuana,” in which the lyrics, “I wanna go to San Diego,” are sung. Not knowing anyone in Southern California, Santiago sought out bandmates on the streets upon his U.S. arrival. He immediately began performing at a local farmers’ market, through which he met fellow passionate musicians: percussionist Jake Sibley and trumpet player Melissa Barrison. Together, the trio formed the core of what would ultimately take shape as Todo Mundo.

 

Nearly a decade into his professional career, Santiago continues to live his dream of traveling the world and uniting people through a universal language of music. While his projects may vary as time goes on, what remains a constant is his dedication to finding powerful ways to portray the human experience; finding knowledge and inspiration in his environments; finding initiatives to give back to society; and finding himself.

 

Santiago is endorsed by Godin Guitars. He has previously been involved with Hands of Peace, an interfaith organization centered on peace-building and leadership among teens in the Middle East and United States.

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Awards  “Best World Music” winner, San Diego Music Awards 2015

"Special Commendation from the City of San Diego's Human Relation Commission for spreading diversity through music, 2014"“Best World Music” winner, San Diego Music Awards 2014  “Best World Music Album” nominee, San Diego Music Awards 2012, 2013, 2015 “Best World Music Album”

winner, San Diego Music Awards 2011”

  PRESS REVIEWS & CLIENT FEEDBACK

“They distil the music into a delicious groove that’s made for dancing, but even more, the lyrics, both in Spanish and English, are very positive and uplifting. It’s a Within trademark.”     

 

-  Richard Cone, Sentinel Presido, Conexion album review

SELECTED MEDIA APPEARANCES

 

- NPR Alt Latino, Top 11 selection from 7,000    

   submissions  of NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest

- San Diego Metropolitan Transit System,    

   TV commercial and radio jingle

- KSUT Radio (NPR affiliate), Durango, CO,    

   live performance and interview

- KBUT Radio, Crested Butte, CO,

   live performance and interview

- San Diego Union Tribune,

   live performance & interview

- Tonight in San Diego, live performance

   and interview

- SoundDiego TV, live performance

   & interview

- KUSI News, multiple live performances

- San Diego 6 News, Live performance

- San Diego Reader, multiple articles

- CityBeat magazine, multiple articles

- Art Rocks Radio (WSRadio.com)

- San Diego News Network

- Univision/Telemundo,

   multiple live performances                              

- NBC (Morning News)

- 91 X (Radio show with Tim Pyles)                       

- Jazz Weekly (album review)

- San Diego Uptown News (album review)

- World Music Central (album review)

- Presido Sentinel (album review)

- Boston Post-Gazette (album review)

 

UNIVERSITY & COLLEGE PERFORMANCES

 

- Arizona State University, Kerr Cultural Center  

   (Scottsdale, AZ)

- Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ)

- Spokane Falls Community College

   (Spokane, WA)

- San Diego State University

- University of San Diego

- University of California of San Diego

SELECTED PERFORMANCES

 

- Smoking Dragon Festival  (South Africa)

- Lightning In A Bottle (Bradley, CA)

- Joshua Tree Music Festival (Joshua Tree)

- Wichita River Fest (Kansas)

- Kaaboo Del Mar Festival (San Diego, CA)

- California Worldfest (Grass Valley, CA)

- Los Cabos Open of Surf (San Jose del Cabo,  

   Baja Sur, Mexico)

- Guitar Fish (Lake Tahoe)

- Same Same But Different (Lake Perris,CA)

- Summer Arts & Music Festival (Redway, CA)

- Alive on Mt. Crested Butte (Crested Butte, CO)

- NAMM 2015, Mainstage (Anaheim, CA)

- 2015 San Diego Music Awards

- Crestone Festival (Crestone, CO)

- Music On Main (Victor, ID)

- FIBARK (Salida, CO)

- Seven Sisters Craft Beer & Music Festival  

   (San Luis Obispo, CA)

- Oyster Fest (San Lusi Obispo, CA)

- Bonfils –Stanton Foundation Amphitheater  

   (Lakewood, CO)

- KSUT Party In The Park (Durango, CO….  

   sponsored by KSUT, NPR affiliate)

- Pickin’ In The Park (Paonia, CO)

- Albuquerque BioPark Summer Concert  

   (Albuquerque, NM)

- Carbondale Mountain Fair (Carbondale, CO)

- Snowbird Summer Concert Series  

   (Snowbird, UT)

- New Park Amphitheater (Park City, UT)

- Apple Jam (Williams, OR)

- Oregon Shakespeare Festival:  Green Show  

   (Ashland, OR)

- Ogden Nature Center Summer Concerts  

   (Ogden, UT)

- Entijuana Arte (Tijuana, MX))

- San Diego Indie Fest)

CONCERT HALLS & CLUBS

 

- The Roxy (Los Angeles, CA)

- The Music Box (San Diego, CA)

- Belly Up Tavern (Aspen,CO)

- Belly Up Tavern (Solana Beach, CA)

- The Mint (Los Angeles, CA)

- Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland, OH)

- Matthew Opera House (South Dakota)

- Strings Music Pavilion  

   (Steamboat Springs, CO)

- Vilar Performing Arts Center  

   ( Beaver Creek, CO)

- Cervantes Otherside (Denver, CO)

- Saint Rocke (Hermosa Beach, CA)

- Elbo Room (San Francisco, CA)

- O.C. Tanner Amphitheater  

   (Zion National Park…. Springdale, UT)

- Quixote’s True Blue (Denver, CO)

- Fly Me To The Moon Saloon (Telluride, CO)

- Whiskey Jacques (Ketchum, ID)

- Ashkenaz (Berkeley, CA)

- Taos Mesa Brewing (El Prado, NM)

- Reef (Boise, ID)

- Ogden Amphitheater (Ogden, UT)

- Casselman’s (Denver, CO)

- Chandler Center for the Arts (Chandler, AZ)

- La Jolla Playhouse (100% San Diego theater  

   production, San Diego, CA)

- House of Blues, San Diego

- 4th & B (San Diego, CA)

- Anthology (San Diego, CA)

- Humphrey’s By The Bay (San Diego, CA)

- Winston’s (San Diego, CA)

- Valley View Casino (Valley Center, CA)

- Hardrock Hotel (San Diego, CA)

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