My path to finding music is much different than most. I took piano lessons for a few weeks when I was about 6 years old, but was force fed classical pieces with a metronome that failed to capture my interest. From then on, sports captivated my life and took up almost all of my free time. I loved listening to music and went through all the stages of a 90’s kid. My tastes varied from Eminem and ODB, to Alan Jackson and Kenny Chesney, String Cheese Incident and Phish, Green Day and The Offspring, and everything in between.  I grew a deep appreciation for music and lyrics, but didn’t have time to dedicate to the craft. It wasn’t until I turned 18, upon realizing that I didn’t have a future in sports, that I bought a used guitar from Marc’s Guitars on Central and began my journey. I started spending time with an old friend Jerel Garcia and we learned some Pink Floyd, Beatles, and Grateful Dead songs together. Playing together with someone felt similar to sports in that you have to work as a team, share responsibility, and be creative in order to be successful. 

While my interest in music was sparked, I knew I had a long ways to go in order to become a performing musician. As I packed my bags the summer after my senior year and headed to South Bend, Indiana, to start a new chapter in my life, my guitar became my best friend and my way to make new friends. The advantage to picking up music relatively late in life was that I soaked up everything I could from the brilliant musicians around me at Notre Dame. From bar chords, to soloing, to keeping rhythm with the drums, I practiced relentlessly while my counterparts seemed to be just going through the motions. I am eternally grateful for each of them who taught me something unique to their own skill set, and that was my first important lesson from music: it brings people from all different backgrounds, religions, races, and skill sets together.

I may have never started playing live in front of an audience, had it not been for my friends signing me up for a gig at a bar in Australia without my notice. They gave me a half pint of Jack Daniel’s and told me to meet them at the Orient Bar, where my guitar was set up on stage unbeknownst to me. I played horribly, but at least got the feel for how to perform.  We eventually started a college rock band King Kake and had a blast playing the parties and events on campus, and I knew that music was something I wanted to do in the future.

Reviva: Beginnings

After graduating and coming home, I was blessed to reunite with Jerel and his cousin Buddha, forming the core of what eventually would become Reviva. Music has been a part of my life for over a decade now, and I can’t imagine being without it. Music has helped me immensely on my own journey to peace. The best thing I enjoy about songwriting is that it allows me to express my anger over injustices in a positive way. When I became close friends with an Afghani national, I was able to write “Afghani Man” to tell his story of redemption. After reading the book What is the What? by Dave Eggers, I composed the lyrics to the song “Sudan” which is a focus of the book. Hearing about the conditions in the refugee camp Kakuma in Sudan left me feeling depressed and hopeless.

Writing about what I heard and putting it to music was healing for me, showing me another lesson of music: It can be used to heal pain, whether emotional, physical, or social. I have continued to write songs about injustice as a way for my own anger to dissipate, as well as to speak up for those who are impacted by it in our society. Our song “Fiya Way” names the innocent people who have been killed in Albuquerque due to police brutality, from a homeless man camping in the mountains, to an unarmed 19 year old woman running away gunned down in the back. I feel grateful to be able to express my frustrations and anger and not let it consume me by using music as a tool for peace. 

We each have our own favorite artists, genres, and styles, but most people across the world can enjoy some type of music. Some music brings joy or comfort, while other songs help us deal with loss and sadness. Much of it reflects the eyes and reality of the artist and their experience on this earth. Music is a way for us to pass down information from generation to generation, as documented in one of my favorite books The World in Six Songs by Daniel Levitin. Reggae music has become my oasis and rock to depend on. Once I heard Bob Marley and Lucky Dube, there was no going back for me. Each of these legends has told the story of oppression in their respective countries with deep insight and forethought. There is something about the guitar and keys on the upbeat that clears my mind and fills me with happiness like no other genre.

The Times They Are A-Changin’

While the music world has changed and we can not currently sing along with our fans or favorite artists, I have a feeling that music will become more important than ever during this time. Whether listening from home and dancing on a quick break from work or teaching children how to sing and memorize lessons, music is a vehicle that has gotten many through tough times before. I have no doubt that as we musicians work from home and find ways to record ourselves during these chaotic times, some of the best music written in our lifetimes will spring up in the upcoming months. Keep your ears ready, ‘cuz the times they are changin’!.

"Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’" 
Written by Bob Dylan: All Rights Reserved

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