On May 17, artist and producer Flamingosis will be kicking off his “Better Will Come” Tour in Salt Lake City, Utah. Flamingosis will be traveling with his band and visiting 14 different cities, including a stop in Portland, at The Get Down Music Venue on May 23. Flamingosis, known for his DJing and saxophone performances, will be joined by The Bodega Groove Collective with a stellar ensemble, featuring Nico Jimenez on percussion, Ian Gilley on keys, Drew Birch on guitar and Nate Miller on trumpet, Jeff Franca, Drew Sayers and Scott Flynn.

Aaron Velasquez was based in Brooklyn and New Jersey raised where he started his passion project Flamingosis that fuses soul, funk, jazz, hip-hop and electronic music all into one. Velasquez started making music in 2008 and started producing professionally right out of college, pursuing his dreams in the music industry.

“It started with me just being curious and wanting to delve deeper because you know, everyone knows Earth Wind & Fire and Sugar Hill Gang, so they were kind of the tip of the iceberg,” Velasquez said. “My curiosity drove me to explore other groups that were similar but kind of more obscure and lesser known genres of funk, soul and groove records.” While in New Jersey, Velasquez noticed a lack of a scene of these genres and took trips to New York to draw inspiration from electronic shows, bringing that exposure back to his town.

Along with his tour, Flamingosis will be releasing his sixth studio album, “Better Will Come,” combining all of his favorite genres and funk-style samples. This eclectic record cohesively mixes all types of sounds and styles, reaching a new level of sound design and production with a deep message from start to finish.

“It’s all about being better for yourself first and foremost, and if you can do that, then life can change around you for the better as well,” Velasquez said. “It was definitely art imitates life moments making the record because while I was doing stuff behind the scenes, personally trying to get better, that reflected a lot in the music as well. I was really being intentional with improving myself and trying to elevate my quality of life and come out on the other side better.”

Velasquez is ecstatic for his upcoming tour, specifically the show in Portland, and is anticipating tickets to sell out before the show. In the past, he and the band have had positive experiences with Portland crowds and are looking forward to being in the electric atmosphere again.

“I’m just excited — it’s a new era of music in my opinion,” he said. “I also love having something for people to get excited about, especially when our live performances are something new and different. It’s going to be a new experience for the fans in general.”

After his tour and the release of his new album, Velasquez plans to keep transcribing his past music and working to do the best live shows with the band. If you’re looking for an electric and inspiring live performance of funky, groovy tracks, the “Better Will Come” tour is for you.