JOSEPH JULIAN GONZALEZ (Composer) -- Hailing from the rural town of Bakersfield in California’s San Joaquin Valley, Gonzalez studied classical guitar from Theodore Norman and composition for motion picture and television from famed film composer David Raksin (LAURA, FOREVER AMBER) at UCLA. After touring with several groups including The New Christy Minstrels, Gonzalez became music director of Luis Valdez’s (La Bamba, Zoot Suit) much heralded theater company El Teatro Campesino. There he composed the music score for LA PASTORELA, a PBS Great Performance Christmas special and worked with such artists as Linda Rondstadt, Freddy Fender and Los Lobos.

Since then he has composed a multitude of music scores for film, television shows and documentaries including the Academy Award-nominated feature documentary COLORS STRAIGHT UP, the New Line Cinema feature film PRICE OF GLORY, and Miramax’s CURDLED. He even composed the underscore for Britney Spear’s music video "Oops, I Did It Again." Gonzalez most recently completed scoring three seasons of Showtime’s award winning RESURRECTION BLVD.

In 1995 Gonzalez embarked on a path that stretched the bounds of creativity in music and art. The Grammy Award-winning group, Kronos Quartet, performed a composition by Gonzalez, titled "Tormenta Cantata," for string quartet, soprano and amplified paint brush. Collaborating with visual artist, Gronk, this multi-movement piece incorporated an onstage wall that had the artist "interpreting" brushstrokes written into the score. At times the brush strokes acted as a conductor’s baton, other times Gronk painted in tempo to the music performed by Kronos and the soprano.

The success of this piece led to more collaborations with Kronos and in 1997, a composer in residency with Meet the Composer in the San Diego/Tijuana area. During this residency Gonzalez composed, amongst others, "Misa Azteca" for orchestra, soloists and pre-Columbian percussion ensemble. This piece has since been performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2000, and most recently, the American Cathedral and Sorbonne University in Paris in May 2003.

Gonzalez is presently working with famed documentarian Hector Galan in a three-part miniseries for PBS, VISIONES, about Latino Art and Culture and reuniting with Michèle Ohayon on COWBOY del AMOR.

The music for COWBOY DEL AMOR features the haunting and beautiful voice of Cava who has sung in recordings by Ozomatli, Quetzal, and Money Mark. She has also performed in movies such as ALONG CAME POLY and DANGEROUS MINDS (t.v. series). Cava us the up and coming younger sister of a musical dynasty which includes superstar siblings Gabriel and Martha Gonzales, lead singers of the Grammy nominated group, Quetzal.

Yari Moré, another featured singer has performed with some of the most important "salsero's" in the world. Such as Willy Chirino, Group Niche, "El Rey Del Timbale" Tito Puente, India, Jerry Rivera, Marc Anthony, Jose Alberto " El Canario" and many others. " The Queen of Salsa" herself Celia Cruz choose Yari to be her official West Coast Orquestra for five consecutive years.

Many of the songs were co-composed by Jesus "Chuy" Perez, the songwriter for Ozomotli’s hit song "Como Ves" which has been featured in movies such as ANY GIVEN SUNDAY and ED TV.

The score for Cowboy Del Amor features a unique blend of some of the finest country and Mexican musicians around. Gabe Witcher on fiddle and Doug Livingston on pedal steel guitar round out the country side while Emiliano Herrera fills in on Mexican accordion.

Austin, TX based artist, Lisa Hayes will also be featured on the soundtrack of the film contributing the song "LOVE" from her critically acclaimed solo debut "Sweet Forgiveness". Read more at http://www.lisahayesmusic.com/.