The other hats I wear are as an actor, producer, filmaker, writer, leader, musician, Campus coordinator, songwriter and editor…to name a few. The constant battle I have is which one to wear the most of. There are a few that I wear often and others I’ve kept on the shelf. I’ve been on a journey discovering more of who I am, and what I was created to do. I am very passionate about the hats I wear, and I am sure as this journey continues I will find others. My creative process of hat decisions is very chaotic…But after all is said and done, I can’t have one without the other.

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What hats do you wear?

2 nights ago Zion would not go to bed until I got home and held him in my arms.

Diego gave away 2 of his favorite toys to a boy who had none.

Zion screams out “PAPI!!” when I get home and runs to me.

Diego tells his momma she is beautiful!

Last night my boys watched me set up with the band at Exit/IN from the glass doors. I felt so proud!

Diego asked me this morning, “Papi, why are you so handsome?”

He also asked me how my show went last night…Broke my heart in an awesome way. He asked if I sang the song “Chicago”, and when I said yes he smiled…

Diego and Zion have changed me in more ways then they will ever know. They’ve made me  a better father, husband, artist, leader, risk taker, jokester! Just a better human being.  I love my boys so much. I can’t thank God enough for blessing me with Diego and Zion!  Tonight I am going to party the night with them!

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Hope you all can come out tonight and join us at Exit/In. Tonight is our first show in Nashville. Doors open at 8pm…The band will take the stage at 9:45pm. We are joining  bands  Fires and House of Heroes…It should be a great night. Come say hello…

BUY TICKETS HERE!

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Within a year in Miami we brought on a long time friend living in West Palm to be our guitarist and found a bassist deep in the Florida Keys. The band pieced itself together again. By 2009 we went into a studio in Atlanta to record our first record.  After careful thought and consideration, we decided to give away our music for a whole year. We partnered with an Organization with humanitarian efforts in Cambodia. It was called the relocation project… So for every $1,000 that the band sold in CD sales that year, the Government of Cambodia would build a house and relocate a family living in poverty into a brand new home. We were very fortunate to have flown to Asia to see this project take place, right before our eyes. It was an amazing cause to be part of. So much that we have continued to worked on creating a non Profit organization to aid Cambodia through music and art.

After some touring in 2009 my brother Alejandro decided to return to Chicago…And again, we were separated by many miles…During that separation I began writing songs to what would one day be a Solo EP. Alejandro began writing songs for a solo project as well, while in Chicago.  We figured we’d given The Saturn Project and Fair shot and were ready to move on to other creative adventures on our own. In December of 2010 my wife and I decided to leave Miami and relocate to Nashville TN. Considering this is music city, I figured I would try to dive into the local scene and try to become a better singer/songwriter for myself. The thoughts of having a band again  pretty much deminished… But In the Summer of 2010 My brother Alejandro came to Nashville to visit and ironically never returned to Chicago… So here we are in the came city again…We figured we’d do what we’ve always done. Write music again. With the band members being in different cities and states, my bro and I were strangely reunited again. Ever have that gut feeling you were meant to do something? Well, I kind of have that gut feeling my brother and I are destined to make music together. At what capacity? I don’t think either of us know. So we’ve decided to write a new project(in the making) and hit the studio very soon to begin it’s process. We’ve had what seems to be a super long journey of ups and downs, triumphs and failures, fights and celebrations. We’re kind of like the Oasis brothers…That’s probably not the greatest comparison.  We feel it’s just the beginning again. That’s the cool thing about being in a band with your little brother. We’re always going at it and somehow able to write cool tunes together. Well, at least we think so. I look back and think to myself, not bad for 2 latino kids who were born and raised in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. The music is a representation who we are and where we come from. We were never good at being anyone else… Let’s see what happens next. Stay tuned.

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Special thanks to those who have been with us since day 1. Abrazos!

First and foremost let me just say that I am so humbled that our home church would embrace us the way they have since our arrival in Nashville. Finding a community of faith was on our #1 list when we moved here.  We totally connected with Crosspoint, Reina loved it, our kids loved it and I loved it. What’s hilarious about the whole thing is that I’ve been reading Pete Wilson’s blogs for a few yrs now and  followed the church via the internet. Never did I imagine being part of the church, serving and being connected with this community. So here we are, 1 yr later… The things that I love about my church is how passionate they are about the city, it’s people and engaging it’s culture…So having said that,

As of today, 01.01.11 I have accepted the role as campus coordinator for the new Crosspoint Downtown campus launching on 01.16.11 at Rocketown in Nashville TN. Reina and I are so excited about me taking on this role and it’s challenges. The Campus will target College students and we feel deep inside our hearts the campus will do well.  Our hearts beat super fast for young adults and artists with a passion to do something great with their lives. I will admit, I am a bit nervous, but we’re taking it in one breath at a time. I am so freakn excited to be part of an amazing leadership team at Crosspoint.

In 2006 Reina and I founded “the living room sessions“in Chicago, A community of artists with a heart for the city. Since then it has been in our hearts to continue to grow that community we were part of. So Reina, myself and a few artists friends will be putting together our first annual “Living room sessions” conference in Chicago, this fall. This is going to be an amazing opportunity for Chicago artists to network and engage in full conversations with other artists pursuing their passions and living out the life they were created to live…It’s going to be an amazing time.  If you want to learn more about what we are doing please contact us!!! We want you all to join us! More info coming soon.

The Saturn Project is working on a new Record as we speak. We will be hitting the studio in the next few months to begin tracking what will be an EP or our follow up album to “anthems for a broken world” released in 2009… Which will finally be available on itunes with some new art work as well.  The band will also be heading to Chicago to shoot a video for our track “Chicago”. Be on the look out for that and more on live performances and a new site.

Fuser EP. I will continue to write away for what will be my first ever Solo EP. I am really excited and nervous about it. The project is coming together in ways I could have never imagined. Lots of music being made! I’ll be sharing soon!!!

Misfortunes make Giants…I have been journaling for many years now. I am constantly sharing stories and memories with friends and family.  And everyday I feel is another story in the making. From Chicago to Miami and now in Nashville…So much has gone down and up. Good, bad and ugly…I have been trying to record these stories into a video blog series and possibly a book format, but it has been a mission to get it started. Reina reminds me everyday to get started, my family encourages me to start it… I MUST start it. It’s a project I have been trying to get off the ground for about 4yrs now…So this new year I will attempt to get the engines going and get it done.

So much more is in the making behind the scenes, but for now Please keep us in your thoughts, prayers and support as we take on this new year with all we’ve got. Reina and I will also begin training for a half marathon…she believes we can do the full marathon…we’ll see. Time to get to work!!! If you are interested in teaming up with us on any of this projects please, please don’t hesitate to contact me! It’s amazing how God orchestrates life around us… I wish you all an amazing 2011!

Hasta la victoria, siempre

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What do you think of the design?

How would you describe the art work?

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My friends in Chicago have an awesome hip hop group called “1773″. They’ve been hitting the scene for quite sometime, as well as making some noise over seas. They’ve been popping out Mix tapes like crazy lately…One track in particular off their Vol 1 Mixed signals is special to me because the fellas sampled bits of my song “Chicago” on it. The track “Chicago” can be found on my bands latest record “anthems for a broken world“. It was exciting for me to hear and see how they’ve creatively cut and pieced this song together with their so creative genius touch. Listen to the track and let me know what you think. Also, make sure you visit 1773 and download some of their great music. Keep your radar on this guys…Great things in the making. Listen to “Chicagoan” below. Enjoy.

Chicagoan (feat. Visual, Elevation, Free Will, Love Jones) 1

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I am proud to say that I am a Latino, born and raised in Chicago. I realize that times have changed and the Latino voice is being heard and listened to more closely then ever. Though we are becoming a majority in this amazing country, I realize many  still refer to us as minorities. I realize I may still have to work harder then anyone else to prove myself. I realize that I come from parents that were not natives in this land, but are from Mexico. I know almost all the stereotypes attached to being a Latino.  I still eat rice and beans and tortillas. No matter how  long I’ve spoken the English language, I still have a noticeable accent. My birth name is Jesus Santoyo, my nickname “fuser.” The part that out weighs any difference is that I, like every other human being on this earth,  am a child of God. Designed and wired for a specific purpose while here on earth.

I am working on becoming the best husband, father, son and friend. I am working on becoming the best Latino song writer and performing artist I can be. I am working on becoming the best well crafted Latino actor and screenwriter I can be. I am working on becoming the first Latino author in my family. I am working on making a difference in this world through all my creative endeavors. I am working on giving all the glory, honor and praise to God, the one who made me as I am. I am a proud Latino with a dream, a dream my father probably could not see for himself , yet still  had enough faith and a  courage to pursue  for me…

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Me, Reina and Alex are featured on the main page of the BNA talent group representing Latinos in TV and Film here in Nashvillle!

We grew up in the traditional Mexican home. Had the traditional meals and customs. We spoke only Spanish at home. My parents wanted us to learn our native language, because we would eventually learn English in School.  Because I was a latino I always felt that we had to work harder to get good jobs. We had to work harder to be recognized. We had to go above and beyond to succeed in the United States. This was just the way it was. We were different.  I grew up with the mentality that it was all about having a good paying job, owning a house, a car, having a wife and many kids in order to be viewed as a successful Latino in America. Had I shared the dreams I am pursuing now, I am not sure of the response my parents would have given me.

I grew up in a part of town where having big dreams just wasn’t possible. We had to dig for inspiration. It wasn’t something we were surrounded by or could find in the streets or even in our homes at times. If I landed a job at a factory then I was a man, because I could now hold my own. I started working when I was about 13yrs old. I had a job of passing out flyers for a Chinese restaurant in town. We would walk from block to block passing them out. After about 5 hrs we’d make about $25.00.  My sophomore year in high school I landed a job working as a bank teller. It was quite the experience.  I would be in school till about 3pm then work at the bank till about 730. I got made fun of alot by my friends because I wore ties to school. I wore them not because I was trying to be stylish but because I was ready for work. Everything was about having a job. It carried some kind of credential of respect, especially at that age. I loved music and I loved film and acting, but I couldn’t tell my family it was my dream…I was a Latino from Pilsen and the odds were already against me.

to be continued...

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We all have one. Some of us are proud of it, some of us have tried to erase it. Some of us remember it as our better days, others as the experience of hell on earth. Some of us have pictures on our walls to remind us of it, while others have torn any remaining images of it. Some of us have sweet dreams of it, others wake up in horror of  it.

A HISTORY. We all have one.

This is what I have been thinking and learning….There are many things in my past I am not proud of and others I brag about. There are many things in my past that I really didn’t have control over. As if it was handed to me without a choice. So I lived with it and made the best of it. Many things in my past shaped the way I talk, walk, react and feel. It shaped the way I thought of others. It shaped the way I viewed love, sex, music women, drugs, violence, education, God, Church, Careers and many other things. Some of the things of my past I carried with me for many years cause I felt I needed them…Wasn’t it normal? I can play the game blame but in the end everything was a result of the decisions I made with my life. Some lead to great paths while others took me to destructive ones.

Today I am grateful to be standing, I am grateful to have an amazing wife still with me, I am grateful to be a super dad with the courage to tell my sons I love them, I am grateful that God was merciful and loved me more then anything…Because of that I can be grateful for the beautiful people and things around me.

This is what I have been thinking and learning. Despite of our past history and all the things we are not proud of, we don’t have to carry those things to our next destination. Though many things in our past have dictated our every move, it doesn’t have to be that. Though we may have been shaped by this history it doesn’t mean you can not re write your history. Today can be the beginning to the rest of your life, if you choose to…

"We are all shaped by a past we can no longer control, but we can 

choose a future by which to be defined forever"

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What are your thoughts?