The Way of the Warrior Poet
As a lifelong jazz musician and United States Marine Corps Veteran, Mario Veloz captures the defining spirit of a “Warrior Poet”. Even as a child, his enthusiasm for music was evident and at an early age, he began formal training as a saxophonist. As he will attest, there is hardly a memory that doesn’t have music in some way attached to it.
While most youths found themselves engrossed with the cultural trappings of fly-by-night pop stars and ingénues, Mario instead found himself bemused by the sonic complexity of artists like David Sandborn, Clarence Clemons and Kenny G. He would spend the better part of his days wearing out the magnetic strips on his jazz cassette tapes and the wooden canes on his saxophone. By the time he graduated high school, he had cultivated a “perfect pitch”.
The commitment was all consuming. Any free time Mario would have had to hone his musical craft was quickly replaced with tactical training and time served in deployment. Sheet music was exchanged for field guides and instruments with munitions. After 8 years as an active reservist, Mario finally retired his uniform to focus on being a dad to his 4 children.
Like many in his position he had every intention of pursuing his passion into a lifelong career in music, but as he would find, fate had presented him with an unforeseen life-altering detour.
Fueled with an inspiration to protect his country, Mario enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on Sept 11th, 2001.
His inevitable life trajectory was never the original plan, but while the detours were far and full of highs and lows, there were invaluable lessons learned along the way.
Among the most important, he came to understand that life is too unpredictable and far too short not to live with your highest self and greatest joy. For Mario, that meant dusting off his instruments and reconnecting to that sound that had always brought harmony to his soul. Playing music is his highest self and sharing that with others is his greatest joy.
Mario’s setlist offers everything from Justin Timberlake to Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson to Kenny G. So, whether it’s a romantic venue for slow dancing with a loved one, or a vibrant atmosphere to get up and boogie, he’s got your covered.
