
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.” Endoxi performs at Winston’s, 1921 Bacon St., on Friday, Feb. 27 at 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.winstonsob.com or www.myspace.com/endoxi.