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Oka Road can be described as an acoustic/electric alternative rock band with fluid, melodic songs fused with jazz colors. Based in the Santa Cruz/San Francisco Bay area, Oka Road has performed at coffee shops to college campuses, to audiences aged 6 to 60 years old, and has yet to get a negative response.
MTV has recently taken footage of Oka Road to be aired on their reality show “Fraternity Life” in September, and has been invited to play the send-off show for the series in June. Oka Road has also appeared twice on the KMBY radio show “Acoustic Breakfast,” played KMBY's Super Bowl Party halftime show, and has received (to date) 30 plays for their song “Become” on KMBY 103.9 FM. Oka Road was also a finalist in the MARS Music Songwriter's Showcase, chosen out of about 80 songwriters. Oka Road has recently recorded their first album, and have released it with rave reviews, from fans old and new. As a result of their performance at their CD release party they were offered a production/management deal with the promise of a record deal with a major label. They have performed in various venues in Santa Cruz, San Jose, Campbell, Los Gatos, Cupertino, Gilroy, Monterey, Aptos, and as far north as Sonoma and Rohnert Park.
Since its release in November 2002, Oka Road's album is already part of the house music at 120 Union, Rosie McCann's Pub, Annie Glass, and College Eight Café in Santa Cruz, at Circuit City in Soquel (as a demo to sell stereo equipment), and in the juke box of The Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. Their CD is available online from CDBaby.com and Amazon.com, and from record stores in Santa Cruz, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Rhonert Park. Currently the band is preparing to record their next EP and is looking to expand its fan base throughout California. |
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Damon Orion, Good Times November 14-20, 2002
With a radio-friendly electric/acoustic rock sound and a front man whose mastered the gravelly, side-of-the-mouth singing style that's dominated modern music since the Age of Eddie Vedder, the guys in Oka Road sound like they're aiming their darts at the top of the charts. The band's arrival on the Santa Cruz music scene neatly coincides with the completion of their self-titled debut album, for which this gig is a free release party.
S. Olivera, Street Light Records February 15, 2003
Excellent alterna-rock band. I gave this CD a few listens before I knew that this was really good music. In general, the path that the songs take are not so unpredictable that you don't know what's going on or like you have to have a degree in music history to understand—while at the same time, they are far from ordinary. This is hard to pull off, and Oka Road does it successfully.
David Lee, River City Rockets March 4, 2003
(This) CD just rocks. If I had to review it with one word, I would say "Haunting"...and by that I mean the melodies stick in your mind long after the CD is done playing. (These) guys have successfully interwoven a number of different stylings and yet at the same time kept it consistent throughout, (they) have got (their) signature sound right out of the bag, and that can be one of the hardest things to do!
(They) have proven (themselves) to be excellent musicians and songwriters and have a distinctive sound that just goes hand in hand with the band's name.
(There's) a lot of songs for a first CD, and for a first effort it is as professional as anything you can buy off the shelf in a store. The guitar work is awesome!
Excellent excellent excellent. Oka Road rocks.
Amanda Martinez, Good Times May 14-20, 2003
If you've spent any time listening to baby, burgeoning rock bands that are desperately hoping to mature, you must be familiar with the chaotic mish-mash of musically well-meant intentions. You must also be familiar with the incredible satisfaction that comes from hearing a band synthesize its music into a cohesive and desirable sound. Oka Road will stir up your nostalgia for the latter with its wholesome alternative rock. The lead singer's voice has all of the endearing, gritty sensitivity found in the sexy lead voice of the band Creed. The instrumentals combine the frequent use of popular rock devices with original melodies for a comfortably, captivating blend of known and new. See them while they're local and free because these guys may be well on their way to having faraway tour commitments and their own CD place card in record stores everywhere. |
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Location:
Santa Cruz CA, USA
Will Oka Road Website
info@okaroad.com
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