original blues-rock/singer-songwriter
Praise for Shine On:
"Todd Tijerina is a stunning and expressive guitarist with an inborne grace. Shine On is my first encounter with the man, and I could hardly take my ears off his fingers. He combines the rocking power of Stevie Ray Vaughan with the nuance of Blues Boy King in an economical, almost laconic blues style that wastes nary a note." Mel Minter - Musically Speaking
Praise for Meant To Be:“This raw, intimate sounding recording presents a phenomenal guitarist…His musical talent & song writing skills are Top Shelf throughout “ and his razor edged solos show his knowledge of the fret board!! This Bluesman deserves a Celebration of the highest mark” Jackie Gisclar, Electric Rooster Entertainment “Reminiscent of an almost-Robert Cray vocal vibe and writing style, blended with a slight Stevie Ray guitar motif, Tijerina continues the long tradition that is the blues. The latest release, , has all the frills of a solid blues record.” Chibo Acevedo, Marquee Magazine “…combines traditional blues sounds and themes with words of positivity and hope…The solos are classy, tasteful, and will not lead you wandering off the strong beat provided by Dave Heidt on bass, and Curly Castillo on drums. The songs are original, almost eclectic, while still maintaining integrity. The vocals compliment the mix, and the songs are easy to get into and sing along with.” * 4 star rating Steamboat Local “One of the reasons that make this album so special is the freshness, the excitement and the grit that Tijerina infuses.” David Steinberg, Albuquerque Journal “Tijerina is a master of vivid story telling though modern sound, and this energizing trio keeps the beat powerful and fresh.” Diego Mulligan, Weekly Alibi
Praise for Walk This Road:“My first impression on hearing Walk This Road, Tijerina’s fourth self released CD, was ‘wow, these guys are tough.’ The comparisons to Stevie Ray Vaughan are inevitable; but I would not say that Todd Tijerina (Tee-her EE-na) is a copy cat. Far from it. He takes the best elements and then brings things to the next level sonically and his song writing is top notch, too. The word that keeps coming to my mind is sophisticated. His solos, although fiery, don’t bash you over the head; they slither and slide at you. His playing isn’t just rock and pyrotechnics; but blues first and rock second...If you are a “guitars are king” kind of blues fan then you need a copy of Walk This Road sooner than later.” Malcolm Kennedy - Washington Blues Society Newsletter
General Press:ALBUQUERQUE JOURNALTijerina Band big on blues, social issuesBy David Steinberg / For the Journal on Fri, Jan 18, 2013Some of guitarist Todd Tijerina’s latest songs have been about social issues such as voting rights.Veteran Albuquerque bluesman Todd Tijerina has written songs about romance and hard economic times. But some of Tijerina’s songs have been about social issues.One of them, “Get in Line” won a voting-rights award last October in a regional song competition sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union.“It was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement primarily and by the maneuvers to restrict voting in various states in the 2012 general election,” Tijerina said.Some of his other recent songs have been about the Obama administration’s bank bailouts (“Tax Breaks for the Rich”), and about what he perceives as big money and big advertisers influencing mainstream news (“Who Tells the Story?”).That latter song was inspired by the battle in Wisconsin over the right of public employees to bargain collectively.“My concern is that we might forget some of the hard-won rights gained over the last 100 years that made our country proud, labor movement gains like the eight-hour day, overtime pay, maternity leave,” Tijerina said.Tijerina and his trio will give a family concert tonight at the Harwood Art Center. It is part of the Burque Bop series.Though blues is the cornerstone of his music, Tijerina has branched out in different directions. Some of his songs have an R&B, rock, funk and Americana feel to them.”‘Get in Line’ has kind of a blues-gospel feel. Most likely we’ll play it at the Harwood. It’s a pretty big dance number and there will be an opportunity for people to dance,” he said.His song “Nothin’ Like the Blues” won the 2011 New Mexico Music Awards’ Best Blues Song of the Year, and his album “Meant to Be” received four NMMA nominations the same year.Tijerina, a guitarist and vocalist, started his music career in 1991 when he joined a band of musicians who were in exile in the United States.”They needed a guitarist. We did some fundraising. I knew I wanted to be a musician but I didn’t know I wanted to do it full time. After touring I was bitten by the bug and decided to give it a try,” he said.Tijerina has been a full-time musician since 1994. He attended the University of New Mexico, moved away, then moved back here from Chicago 12 years ago.Tijerina has shared the stage with such artists as Coco Montoya, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Sonny Landreth.He and his band average about a dozen shows a month mostly in the West and Southwest.On Jan. 22 Tijerina will be part of an acoustic duo with a bassist at the Placitas Cafe, and on Feb. 22 he will lead an acoustic trio at St. Clair Winery and Bistro.“We can play at any volume and at any venue. It’s a fun challenge,” Tijerina said.
