The eASTERN sEABOARD fuse the rugged, jagged, hard-edged rock and creative improvised music of the past four decades into a new style that has been hard to pigeonhole accurately.
Formed in the Brooklyn, NY, neighborhood of Williamsburg in 2002, the eASTERN sEABOARD linked their connections with the art, punk, and free jazz scenes in a way few other bands have. The style of the eASTERN sEABOARD has been described as a cross-pollination of the punk stance of the Clash, acid rock of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, new wave, Impulse! Records modern jazz of the '60s, and the alternative rock of Sonic Youth. They have recorded one CD for the prestigious Italian-based Black Saint label, followed by a string of independent and self-produced recordings.
Drummer Seth Nanaa came to New York from Oakland, CA, where he was a member of the emocore/screamo band Indian Summer, and played his share of minimalist, progressive, garage, and experimental musics. Saxophonist Brent Bagwell comes directly from the latter-period John Coltrane/Albert Ayler school of freedom music, upon taking private lessons with Bob Feldman. A product of the Charlotte, NC, scene, Bagwell played with experimental bands Project Bluebird and Fool's Brigade before coming to New York to collaborate with a variety of noise, rock, and collective improvising ensembles, most prominently Pyramid. Bassist Jordon Schranz is likely to be just as well known for his painting and visual artwork as his musicianship. Growing up in Las Cruces, NM, he moved east, then studied and earned a B.F.A. at the Maryland Institutional College of Art before heading to N.Y.C. in 1999. He has been a participant in fine arts online training programs since 2001, has exhibited at the Black & White Gallery, and was a member of Quivers and La Otracina before co-founding the eASTERN sEABOARD. Schranz also works with several different artists including Blaise Siwula, collaborates in duets with guitarist Ninni Morgia, and has been the owner and operator of Tiger Asylum Records since 2003. ~ Michael G. Nastos