Bryant Del Toro

Local singer-songwriter Bryant Del Toro’s debut EP, “Things That Used To Be,” made its digital release Sept. 4. Now available on most digital stores including iTunes, Spotify and Amazon Music, this EP is worth checking out.

Del Toro, 26, is Miami through and through. Despite his Venezuelan and Hispanic background, Del Toro was raised listening to mostly American influences. Like many of today’s guitarists, he says his biggest inspiration was John Mayer, who motivated him to pick up a guitar and figure it out on his own during a boring summer with family in North Carolina.

Without formal training, Del Toro continued to progress his skills through friends and YouTube lessons. Whatever is said about YouTube, it has worked out for Del Toro, whose axe skills shine through every track on “Things That Used To Be.”

This EP is a retrospective of much of Del Toro’s previous work from his early 20s, which was never recorded. He says these songs have resonated with a lot of his fans, so he decided to hard press them as a memento to “who [he]was at the time.”

His live sets are usually acoustic, but “Things That Used To Be” is fully arranged and produced. Songs like “Red Light District” and “Heard You Wrong,” which feature a full horn section, benefit hugely from the recording process. “Optimistic Reggae” also shines with its stacked guitar lines and a nice Hammond organ part.

If these songs become part of a full length LP, it would be nice to see Del Toro continue adding parts, and continue using session artists to bring in a real string section on “Invisible Man.”

Del Toro definitely carries a Bruno Mars vibe. His voice is in the same, high-for-men register and tambour. His song subjects and lyrical style are also pretty similar. “Optimistic Reggae” is Del Toro’s “Lazy Song” with that snappy, off-beat guitar and “don’t-care” attitude. He’s pop-y, but not too pop-y.

The songs have their catchy riffs and choruses, and they all fit the radio play time frame, but it’s clear that isn’t Del Toro’s main goal. He’s above that. He wants to write music that allows him to connect to people and make a living, but the fame isn’t all that important, which allows the music to be the focus.

Check out bryantdeltoro.com and Bryant Del Toro’s Facebook page for upcoming events. He is planning a tour for this spring, but no dates have been announced. - Miami hurricane Magazine

Local singer and musician Bryant Del Toro gives us a sneak peek of his sound and where you can catch his next South Florida gig. - NBC south Florida

WSVN -- Bryant del Toro is prepping for an audience much different than his usual gigs at bars or club. Every song the young musician is getting ready to belt out has been carefully chosen.

Bryant Del Toro: "It has to be positive Bob Marley, Jason Mraz, The Beatles."

Positive because today his listeners are sick, bedridden some even facing life-threatening illnesses.

Bryant Del Toro: "These people are dealing with very difficult situations. I want to be that three minutes that makes them forget."

Bryant is part of Musicians on Call. It's a non-profit group of volunteer musicians who give their time and talent to play for patients in local hospitals.

Michelle Klinger: "Studies have shown that music actually heals. It lowers blood pressure, it reduces anxiety, it helps with pain management."

While spending a day with the musicians, we witnessed how music can move through a room and touch those who need it most.

Jimmy is a long term patient who can not speak. Turns out it doesn't matter music has it's own language.

Bryant Del Toro: "He talks with eyes, he blinks, and he moves his head around when he likes something."

This elderly woman surprises us all as we watch the music transport her back to a time when Elvis was King'.

One visit even turns into a jam session with the patient and his visitors joining in. All the fun aside what we really saw is how music can help shed light on dark days.

Dawn Ivy-Mom: "We've been in the hospital for almost 12 to 13 days now. It gets a little depressing being stuck here."

Dawn Ivy's young daughter a singer herself is facing an uncertain future.

Dawn Ivy: "One of her vocal chords is paralyzed. Right now she can't sing or talk. It's kind of scary, but we're hoping for the best."

A few minutes of music changed her whole day.

Dawn Ivy: "She's been having a low day, this was just what the doctor ordered."

Six-year-old Natalie was also having a rough day after getting a dose of chemo for cancer, but when this singer serenaded her a smile lit up her face she even followed us down the hall to hear more melodies.

Ledwis Guzman: "She was dancing, she was loving it. When they leave, she asks when they are coming back, she wants them to come back."

And it's not just the patients who are moved by these musical visits.

Melinda Aberman: "We see a lot of very sad things and it's very uplifting for us as staff, as nurses, to have music to listen and enjoy."

At the end of the day everyone is left feeling a lot better including us.

Right now Musicians on Call visit South Miami Hospital and Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital. They hope to be able to include more local hospitals soon - WSVN FOX channel 7

Bryant Del Toro the special musical guest - El Show de George Harris