by Lorie Lewis Ham
There is a lot of talent in Fresno–theatre, art, music. KRL likes to spotlight as much of that talent as we can. This week we are profiling local band Sea of Sound, an alternative rock band who came together just a little over a year ago and is already being considered by many as one of the top bands in Fresno.
Left to right Seth Jordan Warren Whitehurst Zach Schuh.
Sea of Sound consists of Zach Schuh–Guitar Keyboard and Vocals, Warren Whitehurst–Lead Guitar and Backup Vocals, Ryan Garcia–Bass and Backup Vocals, and Seth Jordan–Drums. According to Seth, Warren and Zach met through mutual friends and started a project called Nova. “A couple of years later I moved back to Fresno, and started playing with them,” said Seth. “At the time we had just figured out that the name Nova was taken by a metal band, so we just came up with the Moniker Sea of Sound from one of our songs and began to roll with it. Most recently our friend Ryan Garcia joined the group, and needless to say we are excited about everything he brings to the table.”
“We like to think we sound like a lot of things,” continued Seth, “but we are most often compared to Coldplay, Radiohead, and The Killers.” The band plays all original songs, though once in awhile they can be talked into throwing a cover or two in at their concerts.
Originally, they came together as a band simply because they love to create music, but Seth says as time went on they met every day because they became best friends. “After we played our first show we were hooked, there’s nothing quite like playing a show.”
Most of the band members got involved in music at a young age. Zach started playing piano when he was just two and picked up the guitar when he was eleven. “Both of my parents have performed professionally and I learned a lot from observing them.”
“I started playing drums around the age of two, and have been playing music ever since,” shared Seth.
Warren began playing in punk rock bands when he was 13 and saw it primarily as a hobby. “I started taking music more seriously while studying it in college.”
The newest member of the band, Ryan, began playing music five years ago. Currently, he volunteers to play at his church and plays in multiple ensembles at Fresno Pacific.
Though currently they all have day jobs, ranging from grocer to barista, they all hope to make this their career. “We have been truly fortunate to have such supportive family, friends and fans. It really gives us the courage to give it a shot,” said Seth.
“I love how much [they] seem to enjoy performing together,” shared local fan Claire O’Neil. “It makes it that much easier to enjoy their music – which is easy to enjoy in the first place.”
“Sea of Sound has a killer sound and a really diverse arsenal of songs,” shared Ross Cade, another local fan. “I really enjoy how energetic the band is live.”
They practice as a band three to four times a week and performed pretty consistently their first year. This year they are trying to strategically condense when they play shows to allow themselves time to write, record and spruce up their set. Up until now, they have played all over California, but later this May they will be going on tour in Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Nevada.
“Sea of Sound is a great band,” shared Clayton Miears, President of Miears Music Management who has booked some of Sea of Sound’s local shows. “The guys are super cool and plus they are really good people. They are one of the best local bands in the Central Valley music scene. I see them going way further in the music industry and I wish them nothing but the best.”
Left to right is Jeremiah Poytress, Zach Schuh(singing) Seth Jordan(drums Warren Whitehurst far right
When asked what was the best part about being in a band, their answers varied. “I like the intimate events where you get to hang out and talk to everyone you just played for,” said Ryan.
For Zach the best part is having the opportunity to do something that he is truly passionate about. “Writing songs is something I’ll never stop doing, even if nobody listens to them.”
“The best part of being in a band is the beginning of the creative process where three or four different ideas come together to result in one product,” shared Warren. “Seeing something we all put so much time into come together is an incredibly rewarding experience.”
“What I like most about being in a band is playing live, but what I like most about playing music is having the freedom to create whatever you want,” said Seth.
As to the hardest part, finding time to practice and meshing all the different opinions and perspectives were the top answers–though they feel they have managed well. “I’ll answer with this: music is the easy part,” shared Warren.
Seth believes that one thing that makes them unique from the myriad of bands out there, are Zach’s vocals. “His falsetto is quickly recognizable and has been a staple in our sound. As a group we have such diverse tastes in music, that when we write we have elements of R&B, Rock, and even Jazz which help keep our sound fresh and unique; but Zach has always been that glue that has kept us Sea of Sound.”
Sea of Sound has one EP out so far called Criavia. It can be purchased on iTunes and CD Baby. “We are currently recording a ton of songs which will either be a full length album or split up into a couple of Ep’s,” said Seth.
You can get info on Sea of Sound’s upcoming concerts on their website, and you can hear samples of their music on their Facebook page. They are also on Twitter @seaofsoundband
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