Crossing Sarnoff

It's fitting that a band from Tucson has a roadrunner to thank for inspiration.

Jeremy Williams is the frontman of Crossing Sarnoff, one of Tucson's young A-list bands. Williams grew up near North Sarnoff Drive in Tucson's Eastside, where he had an interesting experience years ago. He witnessed, on two consecutive days, a roadrunner crossing the road in the same place. Perplexed by the sighting, Crossing Sarnoff became his band's name.

"Most of our songs are about being stuck in Arizona," Williams said.

The songs that Williams refers to are straightforward, yet engaging combinations of acoustic and electric guitar rock. Not surprisingly, Crossing Sarnoff draws on the sound of another youthful Arizona band, Jimmy Eat World.

Williams describes the band's sound as "a crazy kind of mix" of influences. While he cites Jimmy Eat World as an influence, his bandmates lean towards jam bands like Phish.

"Pneumonia" is currently one of the band's featured songs and for good reason. It packs a punch with raw emotion and energy from beginning to end. Such a radio-worthy track is reason alone to rethink the stigma placed on local bands.

3 Q's:
Favorite place to play music in Tucson? Club Congress
Favorite local band? No comment.
Favorite food in Tucson? Jimmy John's


Williams said he believes that Crossing Sarnoff is ready for more opportunities in the music industry than just playing local shows as "a bar band."

"We're at the point that we need to play with bands that are better than us," Williams said.

Crossing Sarnoff's next two scheduled shows are both as openers: one for The B Foundation and the other for New York indie rockers Steel Train.

When playing a show, opening or not, the band always attempts to remain honest, Williams said.

"We try to be ourselves," he said. "Music really isn't music unless you're honest with yourself and with your audience."

Williams said he hopes to write songs that make people feel better no matter what their interpretation of the lyrics may be. In fact, Williams said, band members often argues over their interpretations of his lyrics.

Williams has come a long way since he wrote his first song, which he described as "the most sad, most pathetic song you'd ever want to hear." Fast-forward to the present where Crossing Sarnoff is turning heads and making new fans all over Tucson.

The band plans to enter a studio soon and record a small set of songs it hopes to ship out to record labels.

"I think our music can take us across the country," Williams said.

Crossing Sarnoff is playing Friday night at The Hut, 305 N. Fourth Ave. Other performing bands include headliners The B Foundation and Hecker. The 21-and-over show begins at 9. - Patrick Valenzuela Arizona Daily Wildcat 8/30/07

Crossing Sarnoff’s carefully crafted musicianship seamlessly fuses rock and folk, with Jeremy on vocals and guitar, Brad on drums and vocals, Mike on bass and violin, and Lindsay on guitar and piano. Jazzy riffs will have you dancing and smooth as silk lyrics will have you singing along. - Tucson Pima Arts Council

Crossing Sarnoff to open for Steel Train
The Tucson acoustic act Crossing Sarnoff is opening a show at Club Congress Tuesday.
The band has a really low-key, sometimes delicate vibe that can instantly flash into thunder with the strong voice of front man Jeremy Williams on top of it all.
The night's headline act is the college pop-rock of New Jersey's Steel Train, who released its new album, "Trampoline,"on Oct. 16 .
Also playing are Kings for Queens, and Socratic. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.
Show begins at 6:30 p.m. - Arizona Daily Star 10-7-2006

"It's just a really amazing studio. The acoustics are perfect."

Jeremy Williams, guitarist and vocalist for local acoustic rock act Crossing Sarnoff, on Jim Brady Recording Studios.


Jim Brady Recording Studios
25 E. Glenn St.
• Owner: Jim Brady.
• Specialties: Big band, jazz, classical, acoustic-based music.
• Does: Recording, mixing, mastering. "We do it all," Brady said.
• History: Opened in 1984, this could be the oldest recording studio in Arizona, Brady says.
The unassuming building, behind a convenience store on North Stone Avenue, was built in 1975 as a music studio. Brady purchased the space in 1984, after working in various music endeavors, including home recording and radio, since the late '60s.
Brady did some refurbishing. As it is now, there's a sheen to the the studio, with shiny wood paneling, computers, various electronics, and high ceilings in the recording room.
Brady has done everything from album and song production, to advertising jingles, to voice-overs for TV commercials and shows like "The West Wing," "The Young Riders" and "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman."
• VIP alums: Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, Cracker, Steve Earle, Scorpions, Machines of Loving Grace, Gene Hackman (for United Airlines commercials when he was in town filming "The Quick and the Dead"), Christian Slater (doing dialogue replacement for "Tales from the Darkside: The Movie"), George C. Scott, Macho Man Randy Savage.
• Locals: Everyone from Howe Gelb to The Bled to members of the the Tucson Symphony Orchestra to Crossing Sarnoff.
• Studio rate: $80 an hour.
• In-house producer?: Yes. Brady said it varies from project to project, depending on what, if any, assistance the musicians need. "If people want me to throw my two-cents in, I'm more than happy," he said.
• Any music genres Brady doesn't accept?: No.
• Advice for musicians looking to record around town: "I'm always leery of whoever had the biggest ad in the yellow pages," Brady said. - Arizona Daily Star 10-11-2007