Born: March 7, 1960 Primary Instrument: Guitar
Born in Detroit and raised in Michigan, Argentina, Arizona, Oregon and California...It all started with a summer job as a lighting and sound apprentice at The Golden Bear Nightclub in Huntington Beach, CA in 1977. I saw Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton and The Robben Ford Band and was immediately in love with the guitar.
My grandfather Agustin Cornejo was a reknowned Argentine folk guitarist so the instrument was in my blood. Two years at Golden West College, a year of study at G.I.T. (March/1983-84) and my love for jazz and r&b led to cover bands in southern California to learn the skill of musicianship.
I then worked for 14 years out of the Los Angeles area (Burbank, CA), playing, writing, producing and/or recording with the likes of The Worthy Davis Project, Louie Louie, Gerardo, Freejack, Hayden (Motown still owes me for that session!), a very brief stint with Otis Day and the Knights, Michael Schlessinger, Danielle LoPresti, (sampling/sequencing for M.D.) Chuckie Booker's TLC Tour, Michelle Shocked, Chante Moore, After 7 and El DeBarge before relocating to Minneapolis, MN in 1997, playing with the Ronny Loew Band and composing for my sister and film producer Cristina Kotz Cornejo (cKc). I have toured around the world with various recording artists as well as leading several bands in southern California.
Currently compose, arrange and produce tracks for hire with among others, George H. Johnson. (vocalist/lyricist).
Professional Experience: * Composed and scored tracks for the films “ERNESTO”, “OFF TO COLLEGE” and “THE APPOINTMENT”. Received “Best Original Score”, soundtrack for film “THE APPOINTMENT” in NYU Film Festival. (wildwimminfilms) Most recently completed tracks for Cristina's film “3 Américas”, now showing at film festivals. (Click link for more info)...or go to akmusic productions for a sample of some of my scores and source music.
* RONNY LOEW BAND (Hot Springs Records) Play guitar for Minneapolis saxman Ronny Loew. Band features former PRINCE keyboardist - Tommy Barbarella , ALEXANDER O'NEAL drummer - Ron Heyne, bassist/vocalist extraordinaire Tony Axtell and PRINCE percussionist Ester Godinez.
* AFTER 7 (LaFace Records) Lead & Rhythm Guitars. Toured in support of album “REFLECTIONS”. Alex Alessandroni, Musical Director.
* CHANTE MOORE (Silas Records) Lead, Rhythm Guitars and Sequence Programming for tour. Toured in support of album “LOVE SUPREME”. Cornelius Mims, Musical Director.
* EL DeBARGE (LaFace Records) Lead & Rhythm Guitars. Toured in support of album “HEART, MIND & SOUL”.
* GERARDO (Interscope and EMI Latin Records) Producer/Songwriter/ Lead & Rhythm Guitars/Keyboards & Drum Programming. Composed, recorded & toured in support of 2 albums, “ASI ES” & “DERRUMBE”.
* MICHELLE SHOCKED (Mighty Sound) Lead & Rhythm Guitars. Toured in support of album “ARKANSAS TRAVELLER”.
* LOUIE LOUIE (Sire/Warner Bros. Records) Lead & Rhythm Guitars. Performed in support of album “LET'S GET STARTED” featuring 3 Prince produced tracks.
* DOMINOES and MATINEE IDOL Lead, Rhythm Guitars & vocals for these legendary Los Angeles area- based bands featuring Darrell Nelson and Worthy Davis as vocalists, Frank Reina on drums and Henry Soliz on bass, Mark Lundquist and Rob Rinderer ..boards and (”the one and only!”) Gino Garcia on percussion. These bands were reknowned for their deeply rooted funk, R&B and club dance influences and featured tunes by artists like: Earth, Wind & Fire; Ohio Players, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Parliament, etc...
“Jump into Kotz's car and you won't get anywhere fast, but you'll dig the slow, funky ride. Kotz lets his churning groove percolate like an idling Ferrari and leaves a lot of space between his buzzy, often wah-filtered bends and melody stabs. It's a slick display of restrained seduction.”
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