OUR STORY
East Valley Road traces their name from the winding California highway, but their sound roams further—through Memphis soul, Delta blues and coastal Americana. At the heart of the band are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Brandi Rose, Fabio Cesar, Jack Keough and Maxton Hunter.
Early affiliations with guitarist Cameron Nichoson and the Santa Barbara Blues Society earned them a spot at the International Blues Challenge, and opening for blues powerhouse Sugaray Rayford soon after. In 2024, the band found sanctuary at Alan Parsons' tranquil ParSonics Studio, where producer and house engineer Noah Bruskin helped shape their evolving sound. With six singles already released, the band are actively introducing their debut works, with a wave of new music arriving next year.
MEET THE BAND
Brandi Rose
Fabio Cesar
Maxton Hunter
Jack Keough
East Valley Road Band Talks Beginnings, Inspirations, and Their Upcoming SOhO Show
Harmonizing with her dad at the piano before most kids could read, Brandi Rose grew up in a house full of melody. By the age of seven, she began performing with the Young Singers Club, started guitar lessons at ten, and soon stepped into the role of frontwoman just two years later. Drawing from her soul and R&B roots, she channels the power of Aretha Franklin, the expressive phrasing of Amy Winehouse, and vulnerability of Lauryn Hill.
As her career progressed, her voice led to collaborations with Grammy-nominated songwriters Brandon Rogers, Richard Harris, Daniel Seef and Pam Sheyne, as well as featured appearances in masterclasses led by Alan Parsons’ ParSonics Studio. Most recently, she was the featured vocalist on Miles Hard’s single “Sleepless,” which found a global audience through its placement on Netflix’s Perfect Match. With a voice that can both soothe and stun, she brings heart and grit to every stage she steps on.
Fabio Cesar carries a quiet confidence that speaks loudest through his guitar. Growing up, he first fell in love with music through the sounds echoing through his childhood home—from the smooth grooves of Parliament and The Temptations to the heavy riffs of Slipknot and Wolfmother. Inspired by his older brother, he patiently waited until age nine to start guitar lessons, eventually studying under Mike Shiflett and Hector Hurtado. Guided by the soulful restraint of Duane Allman, Dickie Betts, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Derek Trucks, his playing is a study in tasteful expression.
With an additional deep understanding of bass, he offers a refined musicality shaped by years performing live with the renowned Rent Party Blues Band. Though he remains relatively still on stage, his dynamic presence and expressive playing have an undeniable ability to move the crowd, capturing their attention and commanding the room with every note.
Jack Keough’s musical journey began on childhood road trips, where the sounds of the Grateful Dead, ZZ Top, and John Mayer sparked a lifelong love for American music. He began on cello in a school ensemble led by Jane Barton, then later gravitated toward bass and the rich, genre-blending world of Americana.
Blending a passion for gypsy jazz with a composer’s mindset, Django Reinhardt and Howard Shore have encouraged more emotionally rich, story-driven music. The Lord of the Rings theme was the first piece he ever transcribed – an early sign of his cinematic ear. As a bassist, he draws from Pino Palladino, James Jamerson and Joe Dart, crafting lines that groove with intention and sing with melody.
With his debut solo album now released, Keough stands at a new beginning, eager to keep carving songs from the places that move him.
Raised on a secluded ranch north of Goleta, Maxton Hunter’s imagination ran free, ultimately leading him to music at a very young age. By the age of nine, he channeled Angus Young with weekly concerts in his family’s living room. Rather than identify with a single instrument, his truest voice was soon found in the studio—blending psychedelia, folk-rock, ambient soundscapes and now Indian-fusion, following studies with sitar virtuoso Rajib Karmakar.
Behind his sparkling Ludwig, you’ll hear Maxton Hunter’s earthy grooves and swelling cymbals propelling the music forward. Drawing inspiration from intuitive drummers Levon Helm, Mitch Mitchell and Tony Allen, he creates a soulful rhythm section that can breathe.
Further creative efforts include overseeing Alan Parsons and ParSonics Studio’s visual identity, as well as performing with Academy of Light, Cecilia James and Evan Blix. Formerly at Ari’s Take, he co-produced the Webby Award-winning podcast and shepherded marketing efforts for the third edition of How to Make It in the New Music Business.
Photography