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 Alfredo started playing the guitar at the age of 6 in Detroit, MI, where he lived with his family. His father (Jose Riojas) was a songwriter/player with a song on the Billboard Charts in Europe at the time. His grandmother played cello for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in her youth. Alfredo learned from his father the appreciation for song writing as well as fundamentals of guitar, while learning learning from his older brothers and sister (who all played instruments as well) the modern music of the times. What his mother instilled above all was the appreciation and love for classical music.
Alfredo has many musical influences from Bach to Bill Monroe to Bob Marley. As for electric guitar influences, they include but are not limited to: The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert, Bruce Bouillette, Allen Holdsworth, Frank Gambale and Mattias IA Eklundh to name a few. That, coupled with the belief that something can be learned from every player you see, gives Alfredo a truly refreshing and unique twist to the face of metal.
As a kid, Alfredo found himself gravitating toward guitar rock, learning Iron Man at the age of 6 by ear. Music programs through middle and high school helped to broaden his horizons as he excelled to first chair in stage band wind instruments. As none of these instruments proved to have the satisfaction of the guitar, they were put down for his first love, electric guitar. As fate would have it, at the age of 14, Alfredo met a friend at high school baseball practice by the name of Sean. This would prove to be one of Alfredo's longest and still running best friendships. The two became kindred spirits sharing playing as well as personal tips and pushing each other to go bigger and better in all facets of life. So, when you have a chance to see the two of them play together, it's a real treat to know the brotherly history therein. The smiles are always genuine, and so is the riffing!
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