Saturday, January 31st, 1-3pm at Indian Wells Resort Hotel
by Lisa Morgan
The name Chase Huna has been a bit of a buzz throughout the valley for a couple of years now. I had been hearing about the 15 year old, “killer saxophone player with straight A’s and near perfect attendance” for a long time before I finally had the chance to catch him at a show. I had no doubts that the young phenom obviously owned his craft and had incredible playing skills. I’d seen him on YouTube. But I wasn’t quite prepared to become a fan…not just yet. There is a whole list of things that come into play (so to speak) for anyone to have a shot at a music career.
Chase Huna is a very nice young guy. His manners are impeccable. His attitude is gracious. But best of all, he is genuine. He’s not that guy who is pretending to be something he is not, or needs to be the center of attention. He has a calm and gentle manner about him that is immediately endearing. But to be honest, after I met him, I kind of wondered if he had…well, you know – “the stuff”. He was just so…NICE. Maybe he was too nice?
Finally, my schedule aligned with his, and I was able to see Chase Huna perform for the first time, with the Gand Band at the Purple Room in Palm Springs. I was invited by Carl Davis, a well-known and popular local dance instructor and obvious fan doing what he can to help Huna’s career. Thanks to Davis, I got to sit at Huna’s table with his father and younger brother, Peyton. The 15 year old took to the stage and won me over. Looking at the faces of his father and brother, they were fans too. Huna never lost an ounce of his graciousness or gentle, calm demeanor, but he sure did light up the stage and the room. He played flawlessly, careful to watch, follow and even lead the band with total confidence and not one drop of arrogance.
He pulled the guitar player, Gary Gand, off stage with him and played table to table. Suddenly, he stood towering over me as he and the lead guitar traded solos back and forth from on top of two empty chairs. Even his dad looked shocked at his sudden use of the venue’s furniture. It was stellar. Best of all, you could see and feel the joy coming from him as he played. It was as if he was right where he was always supposed to be, playing music for the people from his black lacquer, Cannon Ball, alto sax. I heard someone next to me say, “It looks like it came out of a classic Chevy”. It is a very cool looking instrument that, if the kid gets any hotter, may have some real scorch marks on it by the end of the year.
I had a chance to talk to Huna, and ask him where the inspiration to play came from, and apparently, he was just born with it. “My parents have always told me that I’ve loved listening to jazz since I was two years old. It was all I’d want to listen to,” he shared. “When I was 7, and started seeing people play saxophone at jazz concerts around the valley, and I thought that maybe it’d be cool to play it one day. When I was 9 1/2, I asked my dad for a saxophone for my 10th birthday, and he said yes.”
I also asked Huna how he managed to do so well in school, and if it was true that he’d only missed one day of school his entire life. “Yes, it’s true. I think it comes from my parents (Tom and Leanne Huna). They make sure I’m in line. They guide me the right way – to be a great person, and a good student at school.”
Regarding his training, Huna explained, “I had a private teacher, Erv Schawacker, for the first 3 years. But after that, I was able to work with a great saxophonist, Will Donato. He’s been helping me out for the past 2 years and it’s been great. We just play together, and he shows me new things. It’s not like a formal lesson. People always tell me they see a little bit of Will in me. I watch what he does…he walks all over the place with his sax, stands on tables and stuff like that. Before I met Will, I didn’t have stage presence really. Watching him over the past two years has really helped.”
Huna has played many cool venues for such a young musician. He’s been featured at Backstreet Bistro, in Palm Desert, Woody’s Burgers and The Riviera Hotel in Palm Springs, the Desert Lexus Jazz Fest in Indian Wells, the KSBR Birthday Bash in Mission Viejo, the Hyatt Regency Resort in Indian Wells, Vitello’s in Studio City, Spaghettini in Seal Beach, HOME in Beverly Hills, and the Koni Kai Jazz Fest in San Diego, and that’s the short list. The list of influential musicians he’s shared the stage with is even longer.
This week, Chase Huna will be representing Cannon Ball Saxophones at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, January 22-25th, a very cool and very big deal by any musician’s standard. But at the end of this month, Chase Huna may have one of the most important shows of his young career.
Saturday, January 31st, from1-3pm at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel, Huna will be performing with a live band to raise money so his new radio single, “On the Chase” can get played on the radio. “We need to raise about $2500,” shared Huna. “The song is ready, we just need to get it out there.” The song was co-written and produced by Steve Oliver, who is also working with Chase on his first full album. Getting his first single on the radio could be pivotal in making big things happen for Huna.
Wherever Huna’s career goes, he has the strong support of his family around him. Even his younger brother, 13 year old Peyton, is always somewhere nearby, taking pictures and being mentored by the other professional photographers attending the high profile events his brother plays at. “He’s becoming quite the photographer. The photographers at these events help him like Will Donato helps me.” With a little luck added to the mix, Chase Huna has the work ethic, the character and the temperament to chase down a long, healthy career doing what he loves – playing music with and for the people. You might want to make sure you are part of this musician’s success story, and make a point to be at his show January 31st, or any show for that matter, while you still can. I have a feeling, as do many others, this kid is going places.
