Who We Are

Having grown up in a household where his parents on both sides were closely involved with the Latin entertainment business in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and later in the US. They were friends with many leading musical artists and composers in Latin music, it was a natural vocation for Herman Rodriguez-Bajandas to follow.

Herman began his music career as a songwriter with recordings by some top names in Latin music, most on the famed Fania label considered the Motown of Latin Music. 

His songs have appeared on Grammy nominated and Latin Gold & Platinum releases. He has written and/or translated songs into Spanish for artists and composers as diverse as Composer Charles Fox (Killing Me Softly, I Got A Name, Ready to Take a Chance Again, TV, themes, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Love Boat, Wonder Woman, Love American Style), Salsa Star & Fania All Star Larry Harlow, Famed studio musician Alan (Mr. Fabulous of Blues Brothers fame) Rubin, respected Swedish studio musician and arranger (Solar Plexus, ABBA, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Steely Dan, Made in Sweden, Saturday Night Live Band) Georg Wadenius, Producer and Coco Records Founder Harvey Averne, Soca Superstar Arrow, and a number of radio advertising campaigns. 

As Billboard's Latin Music Data Coordinator, he was instrumental in the creation of Billboard's first and subsequent International Latin Music Directories. A first in the industry from a major and prestigious music entertainment trade publication.

He was Operations Manager for RMM Records then the leading independent Tropical Latin music label in the US. He  worked closely with its founder famed Latin music concert and label impresario Ralph Mercado and its large roster of artists. The RMM label sold millions of units, billing $16 to 22 million dollars gross at its height from worldwide sales by artists Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, India, Tito Nieves, Manny Manuel, Tony Vega, Jose Alberto El Canario, and over 40 other artists.

Herman served as SGAE (Sociedad General de Autores y Editores [Spain's Performing and Mechanical Rights Society) as US and Caribbean Membership Representative where he interacted not only with US & Caribbean artists, but also artists from Spain, Mexico, and South America. These included songwriters, composers, filmmakers, or their heirs, including; Julio Iglesias, Juan Luis Guerra, Alejandro Sanz, Lenine, Albert Hammond, Pedro Almodovar, Fernando Trueba, The Estates of Beny More, Ernesto Lecuona, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Jean Baptiste Nemours, and others. 

Herman served as a paid membership consultant to SoundExchange in its early days, signing up and servicing leading Latin recording artists including Los Tigres del Norte, Jose Jose, Willie Colon, Juan Gabriel, Joe Cuba, Michel Camilo, Cachao, Larry Harlow, Dave Valentin, Bronco, and many others. 

In 2000, Herman became Partner & General Manager of Nuevo Mundo Music, an independent Latin music label and publishing company co-founded with noted entertainment attorney and venture capitalist Michael Tannen (John Lennon, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Stephen Stills, Merle Haggard, Lily Tomlin, and others) legendary music producer Phil Ramone (Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, etc) and Johnny Pacheco (Legendary Latin musician, composer, producer, and founder of Fania Records). Nuevo Mundo was instrumental in signing and promoting the still influential Dominican Rock/Pop en Español band Aljadaqui. 

He later served for three years as GM/VP of Mexican based label Navarro Music, who's artist Brandon de Sinaloa had over 10 million views on YouTube and was later signed to a label deal through Machete/Universal Records. 

In 2016, he revamped Nuevo Mundo and founded a new entity Fonico, LLC, a music publishing and administration, artist services company servicing the growing Latin music market. Among his clients are iconic legacy artists Willie Colon, Bobby Valentin, Ricardo Ray & Bobby Cruz, Papo Lucca, and the estates of Johnny Pacheco, Tito Rodriguez, Ray Barretto, Larry Harlow, Roberto Roena, Cheo Feliciano, Santos Colon, Celia Cruz, Cachao, Rolando La Serie, and others.

In addition, Herman is an advisor for numerous recording artists and businesses in the music, entertainment, internet, financial, and technology related fields. 

Herman has an extensive history working in all aspects of the music industry including music publishing, audio production, label management, financial planning and data analysis, and creative A&R functions.