Our photographer, Joe Louis Sandoval, aka "The Commissioner" was born in the far east - East L.A. that is. At the tender age of seven he developed an interest in music and began studying guitar. As the years progressed, Sandoval became proficient on a variety of instruments. While attending Belvedere Jr. High School, he began his first band with Conrad Lozano of Grammy award winning "Los Lobos" fame. Sandoval performed in all the school bands at Belvedere, Roosevelt High School, East Los Angeles College and one semester at the University Of Southern California (U.S.C.)

At East L.A. College he became student body vice-president and developed a very successful program of concerts and dances. This led to the development of the Music Commission, an artist management company and talent booking agency that produced community concerts, dances, tradeshows, parades, festivals and launched the lowrider car show phenomenon. Sandoval's influence was so great with the early development of the Lowrider culture he is mentioned in the current Lowrider exhibit titled "La Vida Lowrider: Cruising The City Of Angels" at the Peterson Automotive Museum. He also helped to develop Lowrider Magazine when publisher Sonny Madrid and photographer El Larry came to L.A. from San Jose to get connected with the lowrider scene down here in East L.A. Had it not been for Sandoval's input and direction the magazine may not have survived and become the international success that it is today.

As Sandoval's agency grew, he became heavily involved with the nightclub scene. From 1975 to 1990, his nightclub positions were: owner, manager, publicist, booking agent, promoter, emcee, dance instructor, consultant and everything else in between. While still active in the club business, Sandoval created the L.A. Hustle Disco Dance Company which was the #1 disco dance company in the country. His dance troupe performed on the very popular TV show the Midnight Special, hosted by the late Wolfman Jack where the other two acts on that show were Rick James and Gallager the "smashing fruit" comedian.

Sandoval's disco dance company transitioned into a theatre production company where he wrote, directed, produced and starred in the theatrical comedy Zoot Suit II - The Next Generation which toured throughout the southwest for about 3 years.

After that Sandoval launched an independent record label, Royal Family Records where he was the executive producer for the Grammy Award winning Latino rock band El Chicano and released a remake of the Rascals "Groovin" which was a local radio hit and was responsible for resurrecting the group that had been dormant for over 10 years at the time he signed them to his management company. His biggest concert production was at the East L.A. College Stadium and featured the world famous group Chicago along with El Chicano. At this concert he introduced a new up and coming radio personality - Rick Dees who became the staple for one of Los Angeles' top radio stations, KIIS FM from 1981 until 2004.

In 1982, Sandoval launched The Party Paper, an exclusive nightclub newspaper dedicated to the L.A. nightclub scene. He then developed this publication into the Niteguide, the Official Los Angeles Nightclub Directory which he still publishes to this day.

Sandoval has had a diversified career in management, advertising, promotion and public relations. He also was the promotions director for Starline and Grayline Siteseeing Tours, the largest tourbus operation in the world. Following that assignment he was recruited to be the promotions director for Stevie Wonder's local R & B radio station KJLH.

Sandoval is now settled down (slightly) with his French/Italian wife Caroline and has four children, two boys and two girls who currently attend Malabar Elementary School, Belvedere Middle School in Boyle Heights of which he was a student of both schools many years ago. His oldest son currently attends Cathedral High School.

Currently he is a realtor with Afford.A.Home Realty and a loan officer with Cimax Home Mortgage in Montebello but due to the housing market slump he is concentrating on graphics, photography, website design and publishing projects until the market comes back. So if you or anyone you know needs anything designed or printed give him a call. To contact Joe "The Commissioner" Sandoval you can email him at commish@pacbell.net or call him at 323.466.6666 anytime 24/7.

After everything Sandoval has done he is asked, "what are you going to do next?" He replies, "well you have Niteguide, the publication so I think we will develop Niteguide -The Movie." And we can only guess who will be playing the role of The Commissioner. The community is very proud to have a seasoned professional like Sandoval who shares his God given talents with so many and thus making our world a little bit better for all of us.