Endoxi

Earthbound is easily one of the most ambitious local discs to ever pass through the demo-review grinder. Endoxi mastermind Chris Wilson, who also produced the record, covers a lot of musical ground on this outing. Pristinely recorded and performed, it seems a surefire hit.....It’s pretty easy to imagine these guys having a video played on whichever VH-1 station actually still plays videos. - San Diego Citybeat - Dryw Keltz

Endoxi headlines NBC San Diego's "Sound Diego" Event - NBC

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2009/07/03/news/coastal/del_mar/z37b1e16392f8e943882575e9000f4b61.txt - North County Times

Local favorites Josh Damigo and Endoxi rocked the Belly Up Tavern's Facebook party. The performers were selected by fans on Belly Up's Facebook page. Josh, a 2010 San Diego Music Award recipient who recently moved to West Hollywood, opened the show with a holiday standard and then launched into some of his better-known songs, such as “Pocket Change” and “Crazy.” His band joined him onstage halfway through new song “L.A. Is Not My Home.” Josh and his band finished their set with Damigo’s homage to older women, “The Cougar Song.”

Endoxi took the stage with a rousing rendition of a Trans Siberian Orchestra holiday medley and then proceeded to rock the Santa-hat-wearing crowd of Endoxi fans known as “Lovers of Endoxi.” It's easy to see why the quartet has such a loyal following. They are a band that is best experienced live. Saxophones, keyboards, and the sometimes-acrobatic guitar playing of lead singer-guitarist Chris Wilson make for a show that’s as much fun to watch as it is to hear. Endoxi finished the show with Wilson and sax player Joe Cardillo jumping into the crowd playing the song especially written for the Lovers of Endoxi. Santa joined the band onstage and proceeded to dance and play air guitar as the crowd danced and sang along.
- John Hancock - San Diego Reader

“There are many sides of Endoxi ,” says singer-guitarist Chris Wilson. “There’s the Mozart got drunk on Metallica’s wine and flew to space on a rock ’n’ roll rocket ship side. Then there’s the 1940’s big-band Black Crowes meets Dave Matthews at Woodstock and lit Jimi Hendrix on fire side. Last, there’s the timeless Queen meets the late-era Beatles in Central Park for an anthemic acoustic piano-driven explosion side.”

The band was nominated for San Diego Music Awards in 2009 for Best Alternative Album and 2010 for Best Alternative Band, and their full-length Earthbound was released in August.

“The theme of the entire album,” says sax player Joe Cardillo, “is to find one’s purpose in life. While on the journey, you go through internal and external struggles, dealing with all the challenges and rewards that are part of that journey. This art and this album is about that journey.” The foursome is rounded out by drummer Matt Caskitt and bassist Wally.

Endoxi performs at the Belly Up Tavern on Wednesday, December 22.

WHAT’S IN YOUR CD PLAYER?

Chris Wilson:

1) Manu Chao, Clandestino. “He’s so different from anything I’ve ever heard, so it takes my mind off life.”

2) No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom. “This record has some of the raddest tones ever, with hot drums, hot bass, hot guitar, and a smokin’ B3 organ.”

Joe Cardillo:

1) Morphine, Cure for Pain. “This Boston trio’s album has been one of my favorites since ninth grade.”

2) Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. “After their sax player LeRoi Moore’s death, you could tell DMB was motivated to make this album one of their best.”

3) Lettuce, Live at Blue Note Tokyo. “All are amazing musicians, and they really know how to bring the funk.”

4) Dispatch, Silent Steeples. “When I want to mellow out, this acoustic album by the biggest unsigned act ever really does the trick.”

Wally:

1) Flaming Lips, The Soft Bulletin. “The best art-rock album.”

2) Frank Zappa, Make a Jazz Noise Here. “I’m a Huge Zappa nut, and this is my favorite live album of his.”

3) Maceo Parker, Mo’ Roots. “He is, in my opinion, the new godfather of funk.”

4) Mars Volta, De-Loused in the Comatorium. “These guys have just the right amount of good songwriting and freak-out noise.”

5) Lettuce, Outta Here. “Hands down, the funkiest band working.”

Matt Caskitt:

1) Dredg, Catch Without Arms. “An all-around amazing album.”

2) The Bouncing Souls, Hopeless Romantic. “My daily dose of nostalgia.”

3) The Gaslight Anthem, American Slang. “You can feel every word Brian Fallon sings.”

4) Against Me!, White Crosses. “Every song on this album tells a story, with a pop anthem backing it up.”

5) Lawrence Arms, Apathy and Exhaustion. “Chicago’s most underrated band of social misfits.”

WHAT SONG BEST DESCRIBES YOUR LIFE?

Cardillo: “‘Eye of the Tiger,’” Survivor. “‘Face to face, out in the heat, hangin’ tough, staying hungry/ They stack the odds till we take to the street, for we kill with the skill to survive.’”

Wally: “‘Reelin’ in the Years,’” Steely Dan. “‘Are you reelin’ in the years, are you stowing away the time?’”

Caskitt: “‘Born to Run,’” Bruce Springsteen. “‘We gotta get out while were young, ’cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run.’”

MOST BROKE YOU’VE EVER BEEN?

Wilson: “Being overdrawn a couple hundred in the bank, no checks coming in, no gas in car, for long periods of time. The McDonald’s dollar menu was helpful.”

Cardillo: “The summer right after I graduated from college, I had $1.04 in my checking account. I took a picture of the statement ’cause it cracked me up.”

Wally: “When I lived in San Francisco, it wasn’t uncommon for me to go two weeks on 20 bucks. When you like to smoke cigs and drink beer, you have to get real creative.”

Caskitt: “One year after I moved here, I lost my job, my apartment, and was overdrawn $500 in my bank account, all in one week.”

WHERE DO YOU TAKE OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS?

Wally: “The Yard House, downtown. I mean, they have, like, 300 beers on tap. Seriously.”

Caskitt: “Sipz Fusion Cafe in Clairemont. I like to show my guests you don’t have to sacrifice taste when it comes to vegan cuisine.”

BIGGEST REGRET?

Wally: “Not finishing my Bachelors of Music degree.”

UGLIEST THING IN YOUR CLOSET?

Wilson: “A purple-and-blue sequined button-down collared shirt.”

Wally: “Ugg Boots. Shut up, they’re comfy!”

Caskitt: “A pair of leopard-print spandex leggings.”

FOUR THINGS WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Wilson: “I hate reading.”

Cardillo: “Two of the saxes I play were my grandfather’s.”

Wally: “I can’t sleep unless there’s a fan on.”

Caskitt: “If you live in the SDSU area, chances are I’ve delivered you a pizza.” - San Diego Reader by Jay Allen Sanford

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if a reincarnated Mozart got drunk, went to Woodstock to play a set of Black Crowes covers with the heroin laced Dave Matthews? Neither have I, but north county rockers Endoxi promise to deliver a mashup of this kind this Saturday, August 28, 2010! Join Endoxi and their lucky lovers at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA to hear and purchase the band's first full-length album, Earthbound. Released on August 3rd, the album tracks will be performed live during the 21+ cd release event.

Harmoniously cultivated, Earthbound delivers 12 beautifully composed cream-of-the-crop tracks that prove to be an artful, emotive, and passionate exhibit of the idyllic flavors this band is known for producing. in 2008 the San Diego quartet released, New Blood, Old Soul, an EP with 5 tunes that set a prescience of anticipation for the next release, and bred a following of Endoxi lovers.

Chris Wilson, front man for Endoxi, shared at the all-ages cd release at Epicenter in Mira Mesa, CA, that Earthbound is about finding yourself and becoming who you are meant to be. When Chris talks about the future of Endoxi there is a prudence that accompanies his confidence, a passionate dialect inherent in his tone, and a maelstrom of quiet fatigue and fervor that reflect his dedication.

The first track, Into the World, is an epochal birth to the musical journey your ears will embark upon; manic movement from emotive to energetic and back again. Paralleling the unpredictability of life for those of us that don't live on the party planet with Ke$ha or Asher, Endoxi enigmatically draw out resonant emotions. From acoustic, raw tracks such as Tidal Waves to laid-back California beach tunes like Lovers of Endoxi, Earthbound represents the genre ambivalence and stylistic voyeurism that make Endoxi one of my favorite bands. - Examiner

"This man is persistent, so make sure you get it right the first time and check this young band out! Chris Wilson, the driving force behind the experience, not only writes great songs, but tells good stories too! As I've witnessed several times! Good songs that make you feel good! Nothing wrong with feeling good, is there? Endoxi can be your musical savior!"

-Tim Pyles 94.9 San Diego Radio
- Tim Pyles

"Upon first listen, Chris Wilson of Endoxi, gives a simple air of disregard...the "I don't give a damn" necessary to write good tunes....going a little deeper you hear his true caring, in that his songs will be honest and never half-assed."

Astra Kelly - The 102.1 KPRI Homegrown Hour
- Astra Kelly

After seeing a few of his shows it’s clear that Endoxi is the next big thing... As a band, they have an organic, strolling, punchy style and they just click. - Bridget Brigitte President of San Diego Songwriters Guild
- Bridget Brigitte - President San Diego Songwriters Guild

Should San Diego's Endoxi go on to become rich and famous, there's a house in Clairemont that's likely to become a shrine or museum. More specifically, a room in that house, which led to the band's current lineup.

But let them explain it:

"When I was 17, I moved out of my parents' house into a house in Clairemont," lead singer and guitarist Chris Wilson said during a conference call last week. "My landlord invited me to play an acoustic performance, (drummer) Mike (Monsivaiz) saw the performance and stopped me and we started playing together.

"I moved out at 20, and (saxophonist) Joe (Cardillo) moved into my old room. I went back a few months later to get some gear, and he was in the studio out back. We jammed and started playing right away together, and I decided it was a relationship I wanted to establish and maintain."

With the addition of a bass player, the musicians started playing together around town, and headed back into that backyard studio to record a five-song EP (being released Feb. 27 at a show at Winston's in Ocean Beach). While recording their CD, though, their bass player left the band.

Once again, kismet.

Kevin Wall was moving from San Diego to San Francisco. He'd given notice, had his stuff packed. Two days before he was to drive north, his boss persuaded him to go to an audition with a local band looking for a bassist.

"We got in there and just had magic happen," Wall said.

Like fellow San Diego rock band Guava Belly (with whom it's sharing Friday's bill), Endoxi displays a wide stylistic range on its CD: classic rock, soul, R&B, reggae, punk.

"Our influences are so diverse," Wilson said. "You would never think that a guy who likes Zappa or death metal would also like Hanson ---- so we like everything, and we bring everything we have to the group."

Besides the melding of musical tastes, the band's members said their personalities also mix well.

"Everyone's got their temperaments," Wilson said. "I'm kind of a wacky, kick-the-ball-in-the-backyard artsy kid. Joe adds structure to the group from growing up in militant hockey training.

"Wally adds a lot of expansion to the creativity, and Mike ---- he's just here to play drums. It's a great balance of attitudes and demeanors, so we blend pretty well together."

While they're just now releasing their debut, the next CD ---- a full-length album ---- is already in the works.

"It's interesting that one of the things about our EP is that people say, 'We love the EP, but we want more songs,' " Cardillo said. "Like Wilson says, he's got about 25, maybe 30 songs that are 80 percent there; they just need a little structuring or finalizing. Between all of his songs that he's created, and the ideas we all collaborate on for the band now since Wally's joined the band, the diversity within the songs is just endless. As far as writing songs, it's never going to be a problem for this band."

"We're at a point that so many people have heard this EP and love it and are ready for more," Wilson said. "We're really excited about finishing the record we'll have by May. It's a priority for us to get our songs to people."

The band's members said they're ready to devote themselves to trying to establish Endoxi. All said they have jobs that offer them the flexibility to go out on tours, and ranging in age from 22 to 28 and all unmarried, they don't have the responsibilities or obligations that would keep them off the road.

"We actually sat down a few weeks ago and didn't pick up our instruments," Cardillo said. "We had an eight-hour meeting, just the four of us in a room, and said, what are we doing here, what do we want from this band, where do we want to go with it. Although we all have jobs to pay bills, we're all working on making this band our full-time job." - Jim Trageser - NCT

Maybe it’s the weather, but there is no doubt that San Diego has become a major draw for musicians at all levels of their career. Some retire here, some build a second home. Yet others kickstart their careers here after arriving from locations far and wide. Such is the case with Endoxi.

On Friday, Feb. 27, the four-piece group hosts a CD-release party at Winston’s for its debut EP, “New Blood Old Soul.” The group is chameleon-like in its ability to effortlessly shift its sound from song to song, going from indie rock to jam band musings.

Although they are a local group, their individual roots are from across the country. Guitarist and frontman Chris Wilson originally hails from the Bay Area, while saxophonist Joe Cardillo is a native of Rhode Island; drummer Mike Monsivaiz was a resident from Sacramento and bassist Kevin Wall learned his craft in New Orleans.

Wilson considers the fact that all four members are from such contrasting areas to be crucial to the quartet’s sound.

“No matter how solid an idea is, when it’s originally created in my mind, or someone else’s, it always changes when it’s brought to practice and reconstructed by the band,” Wilson said. “Not just the flavor of the song or the style, but also the attitude, the direction and the dynamics.”

Though Endoxi has been known to jam on the occasional Led Zeppelin or Dobie Gray cover, the group focuses on original music. According to Wilson, the tunes in the group’s set list were chosen for pragmatic reasons.

“The songs we play now, most were recorded or almost completed when we started,” he said. “We wanted to learn these so we could start playing ASAP. Having recordings of most of the material, we could have very productive practices.”

While the band itself is a fairly new proposition, Endoxi’s members have already been endorsed by a wide range of instrument manufacturers, including Washburn Guitars, Randall Amps and Morley Pedals. While those relationships are new for Cardillo, Wall and Monsivaiz, Wilson had already made these connections by the time he was a teenager. The introduction was made through his musical mentor, Eric Martin, of ’90s hitmakers Mr. Big.

“When I was 11, my family moved to Mill Valley where I met him in a park,” Wilson said. “We became friends and he mentored me from age 12 to 17,” Wilson said.

Wilson was soon performing in front of thousands of people a month in the Bay Area, sitting in with multiple adult bands.

“My parents drove me to every show,” he said.

During this time he picked up songwriting tips collaborating with Andre Pessis, best known as the composer for such artists as Al Green, Santana and Bonnie Raitt. Almost immediately his playing drew attention.

“When I was 13, in the 8th grade, a friend snuck me into the annual NAMM (National Association of Music Merchandisers) show and introduced me to the people with Dean Markley Strings and Washburn Guitars,” Wilson said.

“My exposure and passion was appealing to these companies,” he said. ”They told me if I kept my grades up they would keep supporting me.”

Since then, Wilson’s six-string prowess has earned him endorsements for just about every part of his chosen instrument, from the pedals to the guitar strap.

Though Endoxi is a relatively new group, in a way it’s the culmination of a lifelong philosophy for Wilson. He’s had the name since he was a teen.

“For the greater part of the developmental years of my life, my grandmother raised me,” Wilson said. “One day when she was sick in bed she taught me this Greek word, ‘endoxi,’ meaning ‘everything is in its place.’

“When you’re sitting at the dinner table with friends, family or loved ones and you feel that ‘everything is in its place,’ you raise your glass, feel that love and yell, ‘Endoxi!’”

It took a few years, but Wilson has finally worked the word into his musical projects.

“I drew the logo on the back of a schoolbook and got it tattooed on my 17th birthday,” Wilson said. “And I’ve lived it ever since.” - Bart Mendoza - sdnews.com

Campfire music that really rocks…Endoxi’s first EP New Blood, Old Soul is exactly what it says it is. They bring life to music with a timeless energy that sounds like everything and nothing you’ve ever heard before. They capture the sense of nostalgia, much like O.A.R. does, but with more of a west coast style. It’s evident that they don’t just throw words together to fit their music, but instead, craft them in such a way as to bring out the emotion that’s already so present in every note. If you took the music out of the equation, these are lyrics that could stand alone and still tell a story of love, hurt and a lot of self-discovery.

I always say that it’s not where you are, but who you’re with that really matters (ok, so Dave Matthews said it too), and if you were with those people that really matter, just laughing, having a few beers, and throwin’ some burgers on the BBQ, this is the music you’d want to listen to. On another note, if you see them live, you really get a sense of the ability they have to bring up the intensity of the music and really rock out (and if you’re someone who get’s into drummers…this one is pretty f’n amazing).

You’ve gotta give the sax a lot of credit for distinguishing their sound, but that’s just the icing on the cake. These are 4 very talented musicians that all bring something to the table, and the band just wouldn’t be the same without any of them. This is one of those CDs that keeps finding itself back into the rotation, even though I listened to it a ridiculous amount of times after seeing them peform an accoustic act at 710 Beach Club. So why only 4 thongs? Although the music leaves a delcious aftertaste, the EP is only 5 songs…and it only makes you hungry for more. - rockangelmusic.com

This EP features acoustically driven pop with traces of reggae, Bradley Nowell-soundalike vocals and some nice horn bursts. It’s a soulful, upbeat blend that’s more straight-ahead rock than rasta, which suits these light-skinned groovers just fine! - Adam Gimbel - City Beat