One of the most under-rated guitarists in San Diego, Israel Maldonado, performs at Winston’s on Feb. 19. Beginning at 6 p.m., he’ll host the venue’s weekly open jam session. Maldonado is a full-time musician and a gifted guitarist in electric or acoustic styles. His electric lead work is both fluid and biting, but it’s particularly in acoustic mode that he shines, with his particularly inspiring samba and Bossa Nova fretwork. Unfortunately, his public performances are rare. Instead, Maldonado has a schedule full of mostly private performances such as weddings, corporate events and so on. Likely the only reason Maldonado hasn’t been more in the public eye is his devotion to craft over business. “The thing about me is that I don’t knock on doors,” he said good naturedly. “I’ve been working for so long that I’m asked to play a lot of these private parties. So I haven’t really been asking to play anywhere. I don’t really have the go-getter attitude,” he joked. “If I did knock on doors, I’m sure I would be doing better. I have to ask myself, do I spend time looking for gigs or do I practice and try to make music? I’m struggling with trying to juggle both,” he said. Born in Tijuana, Mexico, Maldonado was already heavily into music by the time he moved to Carlsbad at the age of 14. “I started performing in a kids band in Tijuana at age 7; my mom and my uncle Felipe were huge influences and inspiration,” he recalled. Now a Point Loma resident, Maldonado has performed with numerous top-flight groups which specialize in Latin sounds, including San Diego Music Award-nominated bands such as Sambrasil, Sol E Mar and Agua Dulce, recording and touring nationally. As glamorous as that sounds, he notes things don’t always go according to plan. “I fainted one time when I was in Iowa playing with Agua Dulce after going on a run that same day in super-humid weather,” he laughed. Currently he plays mostly solo dates with occasional performances from his band Puente and a trio, Tres con Todo. He also DJs. “I prefer band shows, but what pays the bills are the solo gigs,” he commented. Although he had appeared on several releases as a member of a band, with his own projects, to date, Maldonado has released only an EP, “Triste Distancia” and an album, “Grateful,” writing all of the music on both. “I really should have more of my own music out,” he said. “I’m like the most underachieving musician in San Diego, probably. I’ve never really gone into the studio, and no one’s ever asked me to,” he said. “I’ve always kind of been floating on my own, you know what I mean?” With such a variety of gigs on his schedule, which might range from a sales meeting of Realtors to a family gathering across generations, he also has a large set of covers at the ready, depending on venue and event. He notes his band’s biggest crowd pleaser isn’t a song but a rhythm. “It’s when we play a samba drumming section at the end of our show,” he said. Even after decades of making music, Maldonado remains driven to improve on his craft. “Sometimes it’s hard to devote the time I should to the business side of things,” he said. “I’d rather be spending that time working on a riff, working on something musical. What motivates me is learning new songs and putting on better shows.” He remains focused on why he loves music in the first place. “Entertaining people,” he said. “It’s like having a superpower sometimes.”?
