Fishbear more than new kids on the block

The upbeat brassy ska sounds of Sonoma County band Fishbear propel dozens of young people onto the dance floor, elbows shooting skyward.

Onstage the band, some members dressed in suit vests and rakish hats, blasts out a unique blend of klezmer-accented ska tunes, with influences ranging from bluegrass to classical to reggae.

Soon a conga line forms, and dozens of concert-goers, arms on one another’s shoulders, parade through Hopmonk Tavern’s Abbey in Sebastopol like a dragon at a Chinese New Year celebration.

In the back of the room older fans sip cocktails and ales, but the young men onstage just gulp water or soda — they’re not old enough to drink. And a couple of them, though they play with the poise and command of studio session men, aren’t old enough to vote.

The six members of Fishbear started jamming together two years ago in the music room of ArtQuest, an arts program at Santa Rosa High School.

“We met because we’d rather play music than socialize,” says keyboardist and sax player Travis Hendrix, 18. “This was our recess.”

The band started as a loose collection of friends, then crystallized.

“The ones who didn’t show up for practice didn’t make it into the band,” says drummer Ben Weiner, 17. The six who stuck with it have the attitude of professional musicians. The band meets every weekday afternoon and practices for at least four hours.

Fishbear’s music is catchy and original with great hooks, and while there are myriad influences, it’s clear they’re not trying to replicate another band’s sound.

“There are no bands that we idolize,” Hendrix says. “We all listen to different music.” Fishbear’s sax player says he picked up the instrument in fifth grade and the more he played, “the more it became what I did.”

Bassist Gaven Hayden-Town says he chose bass because everyone else was playing guitar and because “the low end of music has always been very attractive to me.”

All six members of Fishbear, who are 17 and 18, are taking time away from full-time school to pursue their musical passions. Some have graduated high school and are attending junior college part-time; others have taken a high-school equivalency exam so they can pursue music full-time.

And they’re not angry young men; they even appreciate their parents. A post-show interview began to sound like an Academy Awards acceptance speech as the teens thanked their parents and even a grandparent for helping them launch their musical careers.

“My parents got me a tiny drum set when I was seven. I played everyday,” says Weiner, whose mother is a jazz singer. “Since then, I haven’t been able to imagine anything for my life except taking over the world or playing music.”

“What about accounting?” trumpet player Josh Jackson joked.

“Wow!” says trombone player Seb Shader, feigning excitement. “It all adds up!”

Speaking seriously, 18-year-old Jackson says, “I realized what I wanted to do late. I slaved away at an academic career till I realized what’s more important, what makes me happy, is to be a musician. I’m hoping this will be self-sustaining. I wouldn’t mind being on the poverty line for a couple of years if we can pull this off.”

The band members’ choices would be “nightmares” for most parents, Weiner says. Yet these teens’ parents support their musical careers, provide guidance and attend shows.

“The one thing we wanted to do as parents is help our son find his passion,” says Catherine Couch, mother of lead guitarist Hadley Black.

Couch counseled him about how to choose bandmates: “I said to him: ‘You have to like each other, respect each other and like to play the same kind of music.’”

They do, and that’s abundantly clear onstage. Fishbear members appear to coax one another to musical heights and smile, for example, when Black rips a sizzling solo or a horn player hits just the right note. And they all say their creative process is a group effort.

“Usually one person comes in with a chord progression, and someone else writes a melody,” Shader says.

“We consult on every detail,” Hendrix says.

“And nitpick every note,” Weiner says.

“Then we rehearse till we say, ‘That was awesome,’” says Hayden-Town.

Yet the songs are never done; they evolve. “Someone will say, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we just did this,’” Black says, and the band will add a new twist, making every song a collaborative effort.

“So every Fishbear song is a Fishbear song,” Hendrix concludes.

Fishbear recorded a five-song EP at Skywalker Ranch in Marin in June; the disc, called “Theep,” comes out this month. The band has about 20 original songs but is known for closing its shows with medleys of covers. At a September show, they encored with a medley that went from Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” to songs by the Jonas Brothers, Black Eyed Peas, Linkin Park, and girl-group Destiny’s Child. Whether Fishbear is bound for the big time is anybody’s guess. But one thing is clear: These young men are committed to their craft.

“I can’t see myself doing anything else,” said Hayden-Town, whose love of music grew from his father’s eclectic record collection. “I can’t stand not playing music.”

Adds Weiner: “I can’t imagine any work that would be as satisfying.”

Michael Shapiro is a travel writer and entertainment correspondent for The Press Democrat. Contact: michaelshapiro@yahoo.com.