Jose speaks candidly about his career, training, musical inspiration, and collaboration...maybe even with you!

Coyote Music: Jose Roman Duque, aka JORODU, aka The Hummingbird Conspiracy. Thank you for taking the time to share some things about yourself and your music with Coyote Music's readers! Your bio covers the basics: you're originally from Venezuela now living in Miami and you graduated from Berklee College of Music. To me, these facts alone convey that you've been exposed to rhythm-rich, passionate music fueled by emotion. Then you pursued that fire to Berklee, renowned for honing musicians' chops with intense study, practice, and collaboration in numerous ensembles. Can you shed a bit more light on your musical career up to today?

Jose Roman Duque: Certainly. Even though I grew up in Venezuela and started my music career there, funny enough I grew up listening to rock. I fell in love with Queen--in fact it was the first concert I attended at 11 yrs when Queen first toured South America. Basically listening to Roger Taylor hit the drums was how I learned how to play, so to speak. Of course as a teenager I formed a band with schoolmates and wrote original songs with them. Later on, we turned into a cover band to be able to play at bars and pubs. Did 4 yrs of Psychology at University only to then go and study 2 yrs at a music school in the capital founded by people who graduated at Berklee in the 80’s. Then in 1994 I moved to Boston to study at Berklee. Upon graduating I moved to New Hampshire where I lived for 17 yrs or so. While there I played with different people. Randy Armstrong being the one I played the most, his music is eclectic a world music mix of everything, Americana, African beats, middle eastern, jazz, Brazilian. I recorded 2 albums with him. He’s a good friend of mine

I also played blues with TJ Wheeler, jazz and soul with Sharon Jones and played in countless musical shows around different theaters in NH’s seacoast. I moved to FL around 10-12 yrs ago, and since then I’ve been playing with different bands, Yvette Northwood-Tiger, The CT band, Slip and the Spinouts, Jazzilian, Emigdio & Superpower, and many others, besides teaching and recording.

CM: Stylistically, I had a blast combing through your music on Bandcamp--a Jazz track followed by a Pop/Rock tune, followed by a ballad. You bring many influences into your sound. What is it that leads your creativity in so many different directions?

JRD:  I think I get bored easily (lol). But I have a wide taste in music. I do mostly jazz, but growing up in the 80’s you can imagine whatever what's the newest fad then, I gravitated towards that. Being Duran Duran, or Mr Mister, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, etc.

Also movie scores are important to me, I love movies (I did the soundtrack to two movies in Spain). So, not sure, at times I wish I was more specialized in one genre, but I tend to love many styles.

CM: As a drummer, it's somewhat of a surprise (or relief?) that your music is not really at all drum-focused. I can hear the tightness of your playing, but you keep your recorded drum parts relatively conservative. Does the Composer in your head often tell the Drummer in your head to "lay back a bit" or do you just prefer not to go all-out in your recorded music?

JRD: I think you are onto something, the last thing in my mind when I write music is to think what are the drum parts. To me, music comes first. I think melody is very important, without it, it would be very hard to transmit emotions. It's after I have done everything that I sit down and start thinking about what the drums will do. I let the music dictate what it's needed in the drum department. Sometimes I don't even know what I will play until I hit “record”. But always with the notion of “less is more”. I believe one is there to serve the music, and no the other way around. Once the music exists, she will tell me what to do. How can I make this song sound great?

CM: On that note, admittedly, I haven't listened to your entire discography. Did I miss some tracks where you go crazy on the drums? :)

JRD: I believe in my previous album “JORODU” (which is a jazz fusion album) there are some few solo sections in which I let go for a bit.

CM: Who are a few of your influences, both in the Percussion world and including Composers? 

JRD: Phew, that could be a long list! But of the top of my head I would say that Bill Bruford has been a huge influence in me, in fact, I blame him for me wanting to write my own music. But other drummers I can think of would be: Neil Peart of course. Philly Joe Jones and too many to actual remember. In the composers area I could say that Pat Metheny is a big influence on me. I believe he is one of the most amazing American composers. Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Al Stewart, I find it very hard to pin point a very specific composer as I tend to hear many different styles and authors

CM: Let's get to your latest project: The Hummingbird Conspiracy. First, what's in that name?

JRD: I wrote a short story in which, a fictional place some sort of kingdom, it managed to harness the power generated by the beating of hummingbirds’ wing and use that energy to oppress its population. Only by liberating the hummingbirds humanity can be free. I know it’s a far fetched idea. Perhaps more akin to a sci fi movie script than to a music project. The name came to my head and I loved the sound of it and boom there it was.

CM: The sound of The Hummingbird Conspiracy channels some 70s era David Bowie. Similarly, "Pater Familias" feels a little Pink Floyd-ish. Am I totally off with those connections, or is there something there? 

JRD: Others have thrown that comparison at me. Funny enough, none of those influences came through my mind when writing the album. I think it because I was a kid in the 70’s, and a teenager in the 80’s. Back then the music I listened to was the rock bands from the 70’s. Queen, Yes, early Genesis, Boston, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and a long etc. I am of the opinion that the best time in music were the 1970’s. Look at the variety of bands and how different they sounded from each other. Unlike today. I was more inspired by Steven Wilson and more of today prog rock bands. But I guess the music I listened to as a kid came through in my compositions. Since I have recorded with one of Steven Wilson's musicians I invited him (Niko Tsonev) to record a couple of solos on the album.

CM: I'm interested in how and why artists write music. In your case, though, your JORODU music is pretty widely varied already. Why not just include The Hummingbird Conspiracy as a solo album, as opposed to creating a separate project for these songs? 

JRD: I guess I loved the name so much that I thought. This is such a great name for a band and I just named it that way in the hopes that maybe some day I would be able to turn it into a band. Since I didn't want to wait for anybody, I decided to play all instruments with the exception of a couple of tracks on which I recruited a few friends to play the guitar solos, I suck as a guitar player anyway. Lol

CM: Do you have plans to tour behind the THC album? Or at least perform some of them locally or regionally? 

JRD: That remains to be seen, I know that Randy Armstrong is planning a small batch of concerts in The North East. Maybe I will grab the guitar and perform some of the songs as a singer songwriter within that show. As you know putting a band together can be a hassle. Also I would have to decide if I would play the drums or be up front singing--which I would rather do behind the drums--since I don't have a manager nor agent, it would be very hard to do it all on my own. I would love to, but one would have to consider financials and budgeting and all that. But never say never.

CM: What about marketing and promotion? I'm always interested to hear how different artists approach that--from having someone else do all the work, to those artists who basically live on TikTok trying to get new listeners. Do you have any strategies or approaches to promoting your music that you've found especially helpful?

JRD: This is perhaps my Achilles’ heel. I do what I can on my end. As a highly creative person who is not well known, nor have any fame, I would require people with lots of experience in this field. As an indie artist one could do the usual, paid ads on social media and such. I don't know, I have a love hate relationship with the digital era.

Ironically, in today's age I still think the most effective way of getting ahead is word of mouth. I find it annoying that today the musician is in charge of everything: as much as it sounds like a blessing, I feel it's a curse. If you do music, you should get 100% into that, all other avenues are outside the creative area and more commerce oriented.

CM: What's next for you, musically speaking?

JRD: I perform with a variety of bands here in Florida, Jazz, funk, Brazilian, rockabilly.

Besides teaching privately. There is a bunch of gigs lined up for the remainder of the year. But as for myself, I am trying to help Randy Armstrong to see if we can pull off a few shows in the North East, to perform his last album. In my head I am kinda already thinking about a followup album as The Hummingbird Conspiracy with a even more 70’s approach. Perhaps more stripped down, fewer layers. But we will see...

CM: Anything else on your mind that you'd like to share (or promote)?

JRD: Just want to thank you for the opportunity to share this crazy idea with your audience. And to those who are curious about me and the music I do: visit my links, listen, and if you like it share with their peers. And if you [you, the reader right now] are a musician and are interested of having me as a drummer in their projects, by all means contact me. I love collaborations! 

CM: Thanks so much for taking the time to visit with us today, Jose!