Ever since Andrés came to Earth, on a February afternoon, he’s been doing a great job adapting to human kind. He was raised by Luis and Silvia in a little and beautiful non-island tropical country called Costa Rica; together with younger siblings Tatiana and Adrián.
As he was growing up and learning the human ways, he couldn’t help but identify and connect with the sensibility and emotional nature of The Earth. And soon translated that into expression and art: from an early age he started speaking, writing, drawing, dancing, painting, story-telling, singing and smiling.
When he was 8 years old he would tell his mom that he liked “hard rock”, which would freak her out, being a latin/pop and disco listener. Andres would memorize children’s stories, and sing a bunch of songs by heart, like The Beatles and The Carpenters. At age 9, he started taking organ lessons at the Bansbach Academy in Escazú. He kept studying keyboards with several private instructors, up until his 15’ths; when his teacher Rubén Flamenco was awarded a scholarship by Tito Puente to study piano in New York.
Andrés, ignorantly, decided he wouldn’t be able to find a better piano teacher and switched to drums. He had already been playing the snare drum in high school’s marching band for a couple of years. The same year he started playing drums, he found an old guitar in his grandma’s closet; which he fixed and started to teach himself.
In 2001 he went in the studio for the first time, with his band Contraste 19. They recorded a 2 song demo, one of them “Mirando al Presente” with melody and lyrics written by him. Contraste 19 played and won several high school events. The same year he started studying at the Academia de Música Moderna, in Barrio Luján; with Carlos Sanders (from Swing en 4 and Transfusion; one of Costa Rica’s best drummer and teacher). He also started taking singing lessons with several teachers, including Luz María Romero, chilean singer.
He kept writing, and in 2002 formed a band called “Partus”, which played mostly his songs in collaboration with Sergio Espinal and Andres Rodriguez. He also played keyboards for the reggae band “RootsTico”. All of this while majoring as a mechanical engineer.
On 2002, he was asked to join Sociedad Secreta, an experienced rock/pop band; which soon went into the studio to record their first single “Desesperanza”. It went #1 on 979 radio station, catching the press attention, and even being aired on other Central American countries. The band produced a whole album that never got recorded.
On 2007, he was called to join the alternative rock bandHenna, heavily influenced by Incubus on their origins. They started playing, arranging and composing a lot of original material; and he received the nickname “Marv.”, which derived from his last name, Marin. On October 2008 they recorded their debut EP “Soda Cassette” at Jungle Sound Studios, with engineer/producer Alberto Ortiz, renowned for working with Costa Rica’s top rock/pop bands such as Gandhi, Evolucion and latin grammy nominee Porpartes among others.
2009 was a busy year; “Soda Cassette” was released in March along with the videoclip for “Mañana” which was produced by the band. The second single “Botellas” was positioned in national radio stations and TV with a videoclip also produced by the band and directed by Edward Brends. “Botellas” went #1 in 979 for 8 weeks, Costa Rica’s most important radio station, above artists such as Madonna, Pearl Jam, Muse, Green Day, etc; staying in the top 10 for 15 weeks. “Marv.” became financial representative of the band, and co-manager along with singer Daniel Céspedes. And their success allowed them to record another single titled “Satélites”, before he departed to Berklee.
As sad as it was leaving the band at it’s growing success; Andrés decided to go study in the United States, at Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA. Ever since he has been learning a whole new world of styles, composing, arranging and producing.
He also became part of the college’s internet radio network, the BIRN. DJ Mostacho, adopted an old elementary school nickname, which he was given for having a mustache from age 10 till age 14.
I would probably say, he´s almost human now; as he has reached an interesting balance of mental and emotional abilities. Both humanity and us will be watching for his next projects and achievements. Be ready for surprises!
Yeyen
As he was growing up and learning the human ways, he couldn’t help but identify and connect with the sensibility and emotional nature of The Earth. And soon translated that into expression and art: from an early age he started speaking, writing, drawing, dancing, painting, story-telling, singing and smiling.
When he was 8 years old he would tell his mom that he liked “hard rock”, which would freak her out, being a latin/pop and disco listener. Andres would memorize children’s stories, and sing a bunch of songs by heart, like The Beatles and The Carpenters. At age 9, he started taking organ lessons at the Bansbach Academy in Escazú. He kept studying keyboards with several private instructors, up until his 15’ths; when his teacher Rubén Flamenco was awarded a scholarship by Tito Puente to study piano in New York.
Andrés, ignorantly, decided he wouldn’t be able to find a better piano teacher and switched to drums. He had already been playing the snare drum in high school’s marching band for a couple of years. The same year he started playing drums, he found an old guitar in his grandma’s closet; which he fixed and started to teach himself.
In 2001 he went in the studio for the first time, with his band Contraste 19. They recorded a 2 song demo, one of them “Mirando al Presente” with melody and lyrics written by him. Contraste 19 played and won several high school events. The same year he started studying at the Academia de Música Moderna, in Barrio Luján; with Carlos Sanders (from Swing en 4 and Transfusion; one of Costa Rica’s best drummer and teacher). He also started taking singing lessons with several teachers, including Luz María Romero, chilean singer.
He kept writing, and in 2002 formed a band called “Partus”, which played mostly his songs in collaboration with Sergio Espinal and Andres Rodriguez. He also played keyboards for the reggae band “RootsTico”. All of this while majoring as a mechanical engineer.
On 2002, he was asked to join Sociedad Secreta, an experienced rock/pop band; which soon went into the studio to record their first single “Desesperanza”. It went #1 on 979 radio station, catching the press attention, and even being aired on other Central American countries. The band produced a whole album that never got recorded.
On 2007, he was called to join the alternative rock bandHenna, heavily influenced by Incubus on their origins. They started playing, arranging and composing a lot of original material; and he received the nickname “Marv.”, which derived from his last name, Marin. On October 2008 they recorded their debut EP “Soda Cassette” at Jungle Sound Studios, with engineer/producer Alberto Ortiz, renowned for working with Costa Rica’s top rock/pop bands such as Gandhi, Evolucion and latin grammy nominee Porpartes among others.
2009 was a busy year; “Soda Cassette” was released in March along with the videoclip for “Mañana” which was produced by the band. The second single “Botellas” was positioned in national radio stations and TV with a videoclip also produced by the band and directed by Edward Brends. “Botellas” went #1 in 979 for 8 weeks, Costa Rica’s most important radio station, above artists such as Madonna, Pearl Jam, Muse, Green Day, etc; staying in the top 10 for 15 weeks. “Marv.” became financial representative of the band, and co-manager along with singer Daniel Céspedes. And their success allowed them to record another single titled “Satélites”, before he departed to Berklee.
As sad as it was leaving the band at it’s growing success; Andrés decided to go study in the United States, at Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA. Ever since he has been learning a whole new world of styles, composing, arranging and producing.
He also became part of the college’s internet radio network, the BIRN. DJ Mostacho, adopted an old elementary school nickname, which he was given for having a mustache from age 10 till age 14.
I would probably say, he´s almost human now; as he has reached an interesting balance of mental and emotional abilities. Both humanity and us will be watching for his next projects and achievements. Be ready for surprises!
Yeyen
