Sandoval Band

Jean Sandoval and the Sandoval Band are based out of Meriden, Connecticut and in 2004 the group began with the purpose of blending different genres and using their style of music as a vehicle to bring people encouraging messages hope and love. Lyrically, Sound of All, Episode One covers everything from politics and struggles, to failing at love and creative frustrations. With the release of this fourth album, the Sandoval band’s songwriting focuses on the messages of unity and love, all the while exploring different genres and featuring a different artist/singer on each of the songs.

​“Make a Way” (feat George Colon) starts things off with a deep, groovy beat that’s infectious and soulful. The instrument arrangements and vocals switch back and forth between light and dark moods that make this number an excellent opener. The lyrics call for action, encouraging us to not let the hope that’s inside us “slip away.” “You Gotta Let Go” (feat Jerry L Sharpe) offers up elements of alt-country, mellow funkiness and big time, feel good beats. Overall, there’s a light, happy mood that really put a smile on my face. “Got Nothin’ Without You” (feat Jen Durkin) brings some old school funk and soul to the mix – a likable toe tapping, head bobbing tune. I especially liked the horns that were added and the spaced-out keyboard solo towards the end.

“Secret Place (There I am Changed)” (feat Jessica Reese) begins with piano and a mellow, swinging beat on drums. Reese’s voice is just right for the style of this song – warm, full and gorgeous. The guitars, both acoustic and electric, trade licks while the piano, horns and backing vocals add more beautiful textures. “Fake News (We Can Change)” (feat Esteban Ramos) begins with a short news clip from CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and the message here calls to “vote for a love revolution” amongst the growing divide between truth and lies, hate and divisiveness. I really loved this song musically, because it rocked a little more with biting guitar action and hot saxophone playing.

Overall, a very inspiring tune. The ending “Say Amen” (We Believe in You) (feat Amy Sandoval) features a marching drum beat and muted horns alongside a spiritual message of belief, community and hope. Musical flavors of alt-country, blues, soul and contemporary Christian all play a part to round out Jean Sandoval’s first (?) project. I got a lot of good vibes from this album – not only were the lyrics hopeful and uplifting, the music itself was too. And in times like these, we need more of this kind of music. - Divide And Conquer

Lori Lebel — Positive News For You
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Fronted by Jean Sandoval (an accomplished guitarist, arranger and composer) the band's new 6-track album, 'The Sound of All', will keep you grooving in your seat. Featuring various seasoned vocalists and musicians, each song is infused with hope and life, while boasting impassioned guitar riffs over grooving rhythm and horn sections.

So who is Jean Sandoval and the Sandoval Band? Here is an interview with Jean on inspiration, being a musician, recording and more.

1. How did you get your start in music? Who have you worked with in the past?

A: I’ve been a huge Michael Jackson fan since I was 6 yrs old, and was fascinated by all the instruments and sounds they’d make so I knew pretty early on I wanted to do something with music. I began gigging out with different bands in High School, which led to studying music in college and pursuing it professionally. I’ve had the honor of playing music with tons of super talented and amazing musicians such as Jaci Velasquez, Salvador, Freddy Rodriguez, Juan Carlos Alvarado, to name a few. I’m currently playing out with my original project, Sandoval Band.




2. What can people expect when they hear your new album?

A: The title of the new record is ‘Sound of All, Episode One’ and it's a compilation of several genres that I’m passionate about and have always wanted to express on one record, ranging from rock to funk, country to jazz, and some kind of blend of them all. Lyrically, it’s probably the most personal to me and captures my season in my life these last couple of years, topics including politics, faith, love, frustration and hope.

3. Who did you work with on this album?

A: A bunch of great people! I wanted to shake things up a bit on this record and feature a different singer per song. Jen Durkin (from one of my favorite bands, Deep Banana Blackout), George Colon, Jerry L Sharpe, Jessica Reese, Esteban Ramos and my wife Amy Sandoval are all featured. The rhythm section consists of Chuck Peterson on drums, Lawrence White on bass/synth bass, Luis Rivera also on bass, Tim Rouse and Wayne Brown on keys/piano and Jon Blanck on sax/keys/piano, Emmanuel Rivera on trumpet, Jordan Jancz on cellos, John Monthei on pedal steel, Izzy Graterol on percussion, and the record was mixed/mastered by Manley Cameros.

4. How do you balance music and family?

A: Well since they both influence each other in lots of ways, I have several answers. I’ve learned that as soon as I’m home, I’m home. In other words, I’m in full daddy/husband mode. It’s very rare that I do ‘work’ at home and really try to honor and respect my time with my wife and kids. Since music is huge at our house, I can never really ‘turn it off’ but instead include my kids and specially my wife in what I’m doing; that usually means I’m always playing her my new demos and projects, and besides her being a singer, she has a great ear and I fully trust her feedback.

5. What inspires your songwriting?

A: Everything. Currently my surroundings, circle of friends, church and culture have really inspired this album and no matter what the theme may be, I always try to funnel it through the filter of hope, unity and love.

6. How do you think God can use your music to influence people?




A: The only way I can answer that is by creating music that I truly believe comes from the heart of God and that is authentic to who I am and who I feel God has created/called me to be. Once I know every lyric, groove, chord, solo is influenced by God, then God will use it however He chooses. I may sometimes see how God uses my music but there’s more times that I actually don't ‘see’ it, BUT I know for a fact God is using my music to speak to SOMEONE. To me that's where faith kicks in, and I just have to be obedient with my gift/calling and continue to pursue it with excellence.

7. How often do you practice guitar? Who are your musical influences?

A: I try to practice a couple of times a week, which turn into songwriting sessions ha ha. I have tons of influences, honestly the list keeps on growing, but I would say my all-time influences are Eric Clapton, Prince, George Benson, Jeff Beck and John Scofield.




8. Do you play any other instruments? What do you play on the album?

A: I would say guitar is the instrument I’m the most comfortable with. On the new album, I do play a lot of synths and do some programming.

9. Do you find it a challenge to have so many band members?
A: It’s always going to be challenging to work with numerous people and on top of that very creative and talented individuals. But the challenge is mainly juggling all the different schedules. Musically, they’re all top notch, responsible professionals that I can always count on things getting done, respectfully and passionately.

10. What do you think of digital music? Is it a curse or blessing?

A: It’s both! It’s a blessing in the sense that it's more accessible than ever before, which is amazing. The negative side of it is that quality and authenticity sometimes pay the price.

11. What would your ideal gig be?

A: Great sound and a bunch of people who are excited to hear original music. Pretty simple.

12. What was the coolest show you did? The toughest?




A: The coolest was also the toughest! I was on tour with Latin/gospel singer Juan Carlos Alvarado, we were playing a venue of 20,000 people or so and the stage monitors went out, add crazy slapback on top of that and it’s chaos! But it was a blast!

13. What are your plans for this year? The next few years?

A: I’m currently working on ‘Sound of All, Episode Two’ with a release date of Fall 2019. Producing several other projects as well.

14. You also lead worship at a church. Do you find it hard to switch gears from performance to leading worship?

A: It’s definitely not easy but very possible. I’ve had to be very intentional about channeling creative ideas that may not work in the church culture and releasing them either in the studio and/or live. I’ve experienced that by doing so I’m much more passionate, dedicated and joyful at both.

15. What do you do outside of music?

A: Ha! You mean as in hobbies? Honestly, I love to just hang with my wife watching our favorite shows (currently: This Is Us, The Goldbergs, The Good Doctor and random Netflix shows), and most recently taking my 3 1/2 year old to Chuck E. Cheese.

16. Your wife Amy has a beautiful voice. Do you get to perform together often?




A: Thank you, I’ll let her know you said that! We do get to work together. She also leads worship at church with me, so we get to worship together quite often. We are also working on a record together (we released a single a few years back, ‘I Give You My Heart’ by Jean & Amy).

17. What do you hope people come away with from this album?

A: I truly hope that people can listen to it and be encouraged about life and all the blessings we always miss to count. This country is somewhat divided on lots of issues, and they are important issues, but our love and respect for one another should be prioritized without condemnation.

18. Three words that describe your show.

A: Soulful. Honest. Energy.

19. You are heading into the studio. What are your go-to items to bring with you?

A: Since I own a studio, it’s hard to answer that, ha ha, but going to a studio, all depends on what kind of session it is (genre-wise), but I’ll always have my ‘82 Strat, my Santo Tonecaster, pedalboard with a bunch of crazy toys (including My Boss V-Wah, Digitech Ricochet, Cosm Fuzz and tons of overdrives and more). Oh and a good amount of coffee!

20. Where can people find you and your music?

A: I lead worship at New Life Church in Wallingford every Sunday, so you’ll always see me there! You can also find all my music on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and all digital outlet. You can also find us on Facebook at facebook.com/sandovalband and my website www.jeansandoval.com for all other records I’ve produced and have been a part of.

Be sure to check out their new album, The Sound of All, and catch them live at a show for a real treat! Music and show dates are found on the links above. - Positive News For You.com

Meriden, CT-based rock/funk group, Sandoval Band recently released their new album titled "Sound Of All, Episode One." It features 13-tracks, beginning with a classic rock sound, mixed with the R&B-styled lyrics of "Make A Way." The band then dives back to the bluesy/country roots of "You Gotta Let Go (Move On)," which is highlighted by some sweet slide guitar work. Their funkiness comes shining through on the up-tempo groove of "Got Nothin' Without You" and the beats of "Fake News (We Can Change)." The Sandoval Band slow things down and finish up the first half of their album with the mellow, jazz-like piece "Say Amen (We Believe In You)." The second half of their new album finds band leader, Jean Sandoval discussing the songs and how they came to be. To find out more about the Sandoval Band and their latest release "Sound Of All, Episode One," please visit sandovalband.com. - JP's Music Blog

Sandoval Band is Jean Sandoval, A guitarist/singer/songwriter from Meridian, CT, USA. He enjoys creating different sounds to form unique ones and has toured extensively alongside with fellow musicians. Sandoval writes soulful tunes blended with blues, jazz, country and Latin flavour. Sandoval shares similarities with Santana and Jeff Healy.

Sandoval recently released new EP “Sound of It All: Part A” in January.

https://www.sandovalband.com/

This is another professional site. The viewer is greeted by a large photo of Sandoval, alongside an instant player of his latest EP. There are some pictures of the guitarist in the studio, as well as some with his gear. There is also a video of the guitarist performing live on a local TV show.

https://www.facebook.com/sandovalband

This is another well managed FB page that engages with the audience. The posts show how Sandoval values his listeners with regular updates on his personal life, as well as tours and new music. There are videos that offer sneak previews of the new album, as well of the band working hard in the studio. I feel this is another positive for new fans interested in learning more about the guitarist. - TheOldSchoolProject.com

The Sandoval Band. Considering that I hate a good 99% of funk music, I must say that 30 seconds in I don’t hate the Sandoval Band. Perhaps it’s just because I feel bad for destroying my buddy Dain Sandoval’s Socially Pink song the other day, but for goodness sake, The Sandoval Band is currently residing in the exclusive roster of white-boy funk bands that don’t totally piss me off (John Scofield, Medeski Martin & Wood….I think that’s about it). And yes, I see that the Sandoval Band isn’t all white boys….they just kinda sound like it. Maybe it’s the whole Christian Wonderbread bent. Christian funk? If I were Jesus, I’d feel conflicted. - Synthesis Magazine

The Sandoval Band. Considering that I hate a good 99% of funk music, I must say that 30 seconds in I don’t hate the Sandoval Band. Perhaps it’s just because I feel bad for destroying my buddy Dain Sandoval’s Socially Pink song the other day, but for goodness sake, The Sandoval Band is currently residing in the exclusive roster of white-boy funk bands that don’t totally piss me off (John Scofield, Medeski Martin & Wood….I think that’s about it). And yes, I see that the Sandoval Band isn’t all white boys….they just kinda sound like it. Maybe it’s the whole Christian Wonderbread bent. Christian funk? If I were Jesus, I’d feel conflicted. - Synthesis Magazine

Vol. 1
by Sandoval Band
Independent

New Haven, Connecticut is not exactly the place I expect to find a funky, Latin, Christian, worship, dance band. But then, I don’t get out much.

Sandoval Band, following in the moniker footsteps of such bands as Ruth and Leeland, derives its name from one of its members, guitarist Jean Sandoval. Vol. 1 holds mostly to the band’s tag line of no musical boundaries. There are flashes of rock, groove, funk, and even a hint of reggae, all tied together with nouveau Latin rhythms. If you had to give it a label so you could find the CD in the bin at Wal-Mart you’d need to look under Christian jam band - a genre pioneered by such artists as Salvador and the Katinas in the Christian market and in the mainstream by Kool and the Gang way back in the day.

Vol. 1 is remarkably smooth, like a Caribbean breeze after a couple of pina coladas – the kind of groove that makes you get up and dance in the sand. But that doesn’t mean Sandoval Band doesn’t know know to get down and dirty when the song calls for it. “Drive Thru” is a classic example of the band’s ability to shift gears from the sultry to the funky to the aggressive in the space of five and a half minutes.

Fans of classic Santana, Salvador, and Israel & New Breed will get a kick out of Sandoval Band.

http://www.sandovalband.com - Buddyhollywood.com

Vol. 1
by Sandoval Band
Independent

New Haven, Connecticut is not exactly the place I expect to find a funky, Latin, Christian, worship, dance band. But then, I don’t get out much.

Sandoval Band, following in the moniker footsteps of such bands as Ruth and Leeland, derives its name from one of its members, guitarist Jean Sandoval. Vol. 1 holds mostly to the band’s tag line of no musical boundaries. There are flashes of rock, groove, funk, and even a hint of reggae, all tied together with nouveau Latin rhythms. If you had to give it a label so you could find the CD in the bin at Wal-Mart you’d need to look under Christian jam band - a genre pioneered by such artists as Salvador and the Katinas in the Christian market and in the mainstream by Kool and the Gang way back in the day.

Vol. 1 is remarkably smooth, like a Caribbean breeze after a couple of pina coladas – the kind of groove that makes you get up and dance in the sand. But that doesn’t mean Sandoval Band doesn’t know know to get down and dirty when the song calls for it. “Drive Thru” is a classic example of the band’s ability to shift gears from the sultry to the funky to the aggressive in the space of five and a half minutes.

Fans of classic Santana, Salvador, and Israel & New Breed will get a kick out of Sandoval Band.

http://www.sandovalband.com - Buddyhollywood.com

Sandoval Band, Vol. 1 (sandovalband.com). This Latin-tinged Christian rock CD alternates between English and Spanish within songs, always a cool trick (remember Rico Suave? No? Well, anyway). The grooves are a little funky and always smooth, played by capable musicians whose sounds were captured at the local default studio, Carriage House in Stamford (The Pixies' Doolittle was mixed there). It's got a great mellow feel, but non-Christians may have trouble relating to the lyrics (ditto poetry fans): Dear God, hear my call, always be right by my side, I'll worship you through thick and thin, I will be faithful to you. Even God must appreciate a metaphor or some color. If their love for God was described in a more compelling way, it might make for a richer listen. - New Haven Advocate

Sandoval Band, Vol. 1 (sandovalband.com). This Latin-tinged Christian rock CD alternates between English and Spanish within songs, always a cool trick (remember Rico Suave? No? Well, anyway). The grooves are a little funky and always smooth, played by capable musicians whose sounds were captured at the local default studio, Carriage House in Stamford (The Pixies' Doolittle was mixed there). It's got a great mellow feel, but non-Christians may have trouble relating to the lyrics (ditto poetry fans): Dear God, hear my call, always be right by my side, I'll worship you through thick and thin, I will be faithful to you. Even God must appreciate a metaphor or some color. If their love for God was described in a more compelling way, it might make for a richer listen. - New Haven Advocate