Jason Rivera is a Puerto Rican, Los Angeles-based composer and multi-instrumentalist. Born to a musical family, his dad was an upright bassist in a Salsa band and his grandfather a guitarist. His dad’s basses and upright piano were fixtures in Jason’s house growing up. Occasionally, his dad would dust off a bass and jam with him as he learned to play drums and guitar. In his dad’s record and 8-track tape collection, he discovered everything from John Williams to the Salsa classics of Fania All-Stars. Because of these influences, he started playing and writing music at four years old and has not stopped since.
Recently Jason’s focus has been on writing music for media. In 2020, he was invited to score music for Liberty Mutual’s employee Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program. In 2021, a project he scored, the e-Learning course Disarming Microaggressions, won 3 Telly Awards.
Prior to working as a solo artist, Jason enjoyed his earlier musical successes as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with the band Some Go Haunting – culminating when he, along with bandmate Aria Pullman Ostrander, won the beIN the Beat competition, and was flown to Miami to record at the legendary Hit Factory Criteria studio. This live recording was broadcast worldwide during the Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona El Clásico pre-game show in 2014. During this time Some Go Haunting also collaborated with Wu-Tang Clan affiliates, the hip-hop duo Black Knights, on the song “Kids of Summer’.
Jason’s music has received radio play on KCSN (88.5 FM) and The Independent FM. His achievements have been profiled in Buzzbands.LA, The Deli Magazine, Arena Music, Voyage LA Magazine, WeHeartMusic, Care2Rock, and Skillshare.
Jason says, “Music is an agent of alchemy. Every single note holds the potential to transform the differences that separate us into commonalities that unite us. Through my journey in music I have learned this lesson firsthand. And I look for every opportunity to conjure that alchemy.”
Film Credits - Composer
Promises: dir. Jessica Hernandez Wynn, 2024 (in production)
Caught!: dir. Conor Geary, 2023
Corruption: dir. Blanca Samperio, 2023
Nina: dir. Jessica Mei Gershen, 2023
Tip: dir. Anthony Rory Tran, 2023
Help Wanted: dir. Conor Geary, 2022
Stolen Goods: dir. Sharieff Walters, 2022
Way Out: dir. Colette Phair, 2022
Disarming Microaggressions (e-Learning course) *winner of 3 Telly Awards: dir. Joel Lesko, 2021
Harper Quinn (trailer): Liberty Mutual Insurance, 2020
#Cancelled: dir. Bryan Ibo, 2019
Backpack: dir. Alex Campbell, 2019 (additional music)
Chasing Eagle Rock: dir. Erick Avari, 2015 (additional music)
Forest Fire in Tandem: dir. Michael Woody, 2006
Awards
Best Music - “Tip”, Scream Queen Shockathon Film Festival, Nashville, TN, 2024
Best Original Score in a Short Film - “Tip”, ICE Cinefest Film Festival, Cincinnati, OH, 2024
Semi-Finalist, International Songwriting Competition, Nashville, TN, 2015
First Prize, beIN Sports beIN the Beat Songwriting Competition, Miami, FL, 2014
Affiliations
ASCAP
Composers Diversity Collective
Hipgnosis Songs Group
Teaching
Private Composition/Piano/Guitar Instruction, 2012-PRESENT
Digital Music Courses, 2018-PRESENT
Education
UCLA Extension, Los Angeles – Film Scoring Certificate (Earned with Distinction) 2016
New Jersey City University – B.F.A., Painting & Drawing 2003
Private Study
Hollywood Film Music Seminars with Dr. Norman Ludwin
Orchestration I & II with Dr. Norman Ludwin, AFM Local 47
Classical Guitar at Silverlake Conservatory of Music
Composition/Orchestration/Piano with David Rhodes
Guitar/Composition with Jared Barkan
Drums/Percussion with Michael Advensky
Technical Skills
Cubase 10.5 – Live Audio Recording, MIDI Sequencing, Scoring to Picture, Mixing
Logic Pro X – Live Audio Recording, MIDI Sequencing, Scoring to Picture, Mixing
Sibelius 7.5 – Professional Score and Part Preparation