About Dominic

"This dude picks up and retains information faster than most. His playing incites many to make that feel good stink-face, but don't listen too long or you'll get stuck like that." - Jason Hawk Harris

Dominic Roch Martinez is a freelance musician based in Los Angeles since late 2016. Originally from Richmond, VA, he graduated magna cum laude from The George Washington University in 2012 with a B.A. in Music as a Presidential Scholar of the Arts.

Before relocating to LA, Dominic began his professional career in Washington, DC, performing bass in a variety of musical settings, including jazz ensembles (notably the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra), tango groups, symphony orchestras, musical pit bands, funk/soul bands, and more.

During his time in the DC area from 2008 to 2016, he performed at renowned venues such as the Kennedy Center, Lisner Auditorium, Bohemian Caverns, Twins Jazz, the Embassy of Uruguay, and the Embassy of France. In 2013, Dominic spent four months performing with the RKO Quartet, led by Ron Mills (formerly of the Glenn Miller Orchestra), aboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas. He was also a featured musician in the 2014 GALA Theater production Puro Tango II.

Since moving to LA, Dominic has continued his freelance career, with a focus on his work in two musical duos, Yeah Man and Roch & Rose. He has played bass for a diverse range of artists, including Bloodshot Records artist Jason Hawk Harris, TV and film composer Raashi Kulkarni, Los Angeles lounge legends Marty and Elayne, the musician collective Flight of Voices, Mitch Bradford, Maria Weissman, Rondalla Club of Los Angeles, Gaku Murata, Filipino American Symphony Orchestra, and Jamie Alimorad. 

In Southern California, Dominic has performed at prestigious venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hotel Cafe, Village Studios, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Whisky a Go Go, the Viper Room, and the Dresden. He has also performed across the country in cities like San Francisco, New York City, Dallas, Tulsa, New Orleans, Austin, Memphis, Phoenix, Detroit, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. Notably, in early 2022, he toured with Tango Argentina as a member of the Fabrizio Mocata Quartet. 

In addition to his bass work,, Dominic also has performed publicly on drums with Marty and Elayne, on laud/octavina with Rondalla Club of LA, and on cello with Flight of Voices, Maria Weissman, and Gaku Murata.

Samples of recordings and live performances that Dominic has contributed to can be found here.

Beyond performance, Dominic is a dedicated music educator. From 2013 to 2014, he served as a bass instructor with the DC Youth Orchestra Program. He continues to teach private lessons to students of all ages and skill levels, offering instruction in bass, as well as beginner to intermediate lessons in piano, guitar, cello, violin, ukulele, and drums.