Isaiah Dominguez: Olympia-Based Musician Makes Music for Ears, Hearts

isaiah dominguez
Dominguez loves playing live gigs, and the opportunity to connect with his audience through his music. His blend of thoughtful lyrics and smooth melodies make it easy to listen to. Photo by Danny Miller
0 Shares

 

By Gale Hemmann

SCJ alliance logoIf it’s possible for music to have a geographical heart, the heart of Isaiah Dominguez’s music is in Olympia. The talented singer-songwriter grew up here, and though he now calls Seattle home, he has carried the spirit of Olympia with him in his songs.

And Isaiah Dominguez’s songs are very good. If you give a listen to some of his most recent efforts, such as “Paper Tigers” and “Beautiful” (off his five-single LP, Nothing Left Unsaid), you’ll soon find yourself humming along with the melodies and hitting “replay.”

isaiah dominguez
Isaiah Dominguez aims to write music touching on universal themes of love, loss, and the redemption of the human heart. Photo by Dorothy Hyunh

I caught up with the busy Dominguez by phone to learn more about his work. He was upbeat and pleasant, equal parts serious about his music and down-to-earth, with an easy laugh.

He told me his family moved to Olympia when he was in the fifth grade. He came to music at a young age, playing in his elementary school band. (He also comes from a musical background: his dad plays jazz guitar, his mom is a flautist, and both sisters also play instruments.) Dominguez then picked up a guitar and started jamming with his friends. They formed a pop-punk band here in town, Take Me Instead, and he fondly recalls their gigs played at the Midnight Sun and Java Flow Café.

He notes that Olympia was a great place to hone his musical chops: “Everyone was so supportive. We were this high school band, and they would book us to play gigs and be totally confident that we’d put on a good show.”

It was actually a performance at Capital Lakefair that made him realize he’d made the right decision in following his passion. His band played in the iconic “Battle of the Bands” two years in a row, and won one year. Though he now lives in a much bigger city, it was right here, over the glimmering twilight of Capitol Lake, that Dominguez felt the inner vote of confidence that he could make it in music.

After graduating from Black Hills High School, Dominguez moved north to Bellingham to be with his band mates, who were attending Western Washington University. He enjoyed his years playing with Take Me Instead, but as everyone graduated and their paths diverged, he decided to set out on a solo career.

Dominguez then decided to test the waters in a bigger music market, Seattle. He tells me his move to Seattle paralleled a shift in his music. Coming from a pop-punk sound, he decided to start playing acoustic guitar, and to focus on a more mature, polished style.

isaiah dominguez
Dominguez got his start in Olympia, and says the musical experiences he had here and the natural beauty of Puget Sound figure as prominent elements in his creative process. Photo by Dorothy Hyunh

So far, the music life has worked out well for this up-and-coming artist. He regularly plays gigs around town, and just released a single, “Vultures,” with Seattle’s London Tone Music. He currently works in IT at a law firm, and is hoping to transition to playing music full-time.

When I asked Dominguez if he still visits Olympia, he said, “absolutely.” He travels down on weekends to visit his parents whenever he can, and enjoys watching the subtle changes in the city over time (as well as the landmarks that remain the same). Our city retains not just a geographic but an artistic influence on Dominguez. He says the images of the downtown waterfront remain imprinted in his mind as metaphors which still call to him as he writes songs. “I spent my formative years in Olympia. It’s the place I’ll always, in some way, refer back to.”

I also asked Dominguez what musical influences have inspired his work. He said that his first inspiration was his dad’s collection of jazz records – in fact, he can still remember the cover art on each album vividly (Earl Klugh was a favorite). Over time, his collection of influences came to encompass everything from alt-rock (Snow Patrol) to pop-folk (Dashboard Confessional) to acoustic rock (John Mayer). You can hear a bit of each of it in his sound. Dominguez notes, “You take a little something from everything and make it your own.”

So, what’s next for Dominguez? This summer, he will be playing at several private events as well as a show at the Hard Rock Café Seattle. In the fall, he will embark on a tour to promote Nothing Left Unsaid. He is enjoying working with the crew at London Tone, and says they have taught him a lot about the business side of music. He also likes that they work collaboratively with an artist, allowing them a great deal of creative freedom. “They want you to be yourself. It doesn’t get better than that,” Dominguez says. (You can learn more about London Tone on Facebook and on Twitter at @LondonToneMusic.)

isaiah dominguez
Dominguez loves playing live gigs, and the opportunity to connect with his audience through his music. His blend of thoughtful lyrics and smooth melodies make it easy to listen to. Photo by Danny Miller

When asked how he wants his music to be known, Dominguez says, “If my music can help people connect, if my themes reach others who have felt the same way and experienced the same things, that would be great.” Though his music works through themes of love, loss, and change, he hopes it is an overarching theme of “hope and light” that will most reach listeners.

So how can you support this artist, who has held Olympia close for so many years? You can check out his songs on his website, and follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at @IsaiahD. If you like what you hear, tell your friends about his music. And keep an eye out for his upcoming live shows.

I was pleased to come across Dominguez’s music, and found myself repeating the tracks for inspiration during an afternoon of writing. In talking with this hard-working musician, I found myself rooting for him as he aims to go further with his career. I bet, after listening to his songs, you’ll feel the same way.

And remember, when he makes it big as a full-time musician, you can say, “he’s from my hometown.”

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
0 Shares