“I knew music was what I was supposed to be doing.” Damon had found himself upside-down facing the wrong direction on I-5 with his drummer, J.J., and saxophonist, Larry Kim, after a tire blowout caused their touring van to roll several times. The scene of the crash was littered with glass and band equipment. "I found my vocal mic out in the middle of the freeway; still works. I sing on it every show." Like the band's gear, they were beat-up but still working. "I wanted to play even more that night. We were trying to figure out a way to make the shows, but the tow truck driver talked us out of it, right before he hauled the wreck away." Damon’s music uses no formula at all. Instead he offers a blend of abilities, styles and enthusiasms that are uniquely his own, delivered by a charismatic band with a singular voice. His inspiration draws from everything he’s absorbed: love, loss, and of course music. Born and raised in California, Damon fell in love with music early, receiving his first guitar at age 7 when his mother took him and twin brother, Dominic, down to the local guitar shop. “There was this sweet old lady named Marge; her store was called Guitar Party. We had these group lessons with a bunch of other kids. I can still play a rockin’ rendition of ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’!” Damon’s mother kept him and his brother in lessons while they filled the garage up with their signature blend of teenage noise. What Damon didn’t realize was that his mother’s Jazz and R&B albums and his older brother’s Punk and Reggae hand-me-downs were influencing how he made music. Out of high school, Damon chased these inspirations all the way to Boston, honing his Jazz chops at Berklee College of Music. However, in between all those countless hours of woodshedding with only his guitar and a Real Book, Damon would steal away a little time to write a pop song. “I love the freedom of improvising that Jazz offers, there’s nothing like it, but I have always been mesmerized by the beauty of a perfectly crafted song, whether it’s by the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Prince or any of my heroes.” On his return to California’s Central Coast, Damon set to work writing more songs and finding the musicians to help him play them right. The search brought him to the local jazz jams around San Luis Obispo where he met bassist Matt Taylor. “When I first heard Matt, I knew I wanted to jam with him. His chops on the bass absolutely floored me.” It didn’t take long before the two found the rest of the band: drummer Jennings Jacobsen, saxophonist Larry Kim, and keyboardist Kristian Ducharme. The lineup established, Damon set about realizing their sound and assembling a busy schedule of performances and recording. However, the band suffered its most serious heartbreak with the loss of founding member, bassist, and friend, Matt Taylor. Damon and the band were devastated. “When Matt told me he had cancer, I couldn’t believe it. He was so young and so alive. We were all fans of his before we got the band together, and his life is an inspiration for how and why we still make music.” Determined to carry on, Damon and his band have kept their music alive, passionately developing their sound while touring the western states. Now joined by Brian Lanzone on bass, their inspiring dedication and hard work delivers an intense show that moves effortlessly from emotionally intimate to explosively uplifting. The recently released EP Revolving Door introduces the rest of the world to an artist whose talent and charisma are already well known to his fans. The five-song collection is a remarkably accomplished effort, offering the same combination of raw emotion and polished songcraft that initially drew hometown fans to the singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer's live shows. Currently, Damon and his band are working on the follow-up to Revolving Door in their studio in San Luis Obispo, CA. It is obvious, even in the rough mixes, that Damon Castillo is an artist coming into his own. Expect to love it. Damon and the band also have some new wheels for the next tour. “After the accident, Larry took a picture of the wreck. We now have a ‘commemorative van crash’ T-shirt that the fans really love.” Don’t expect a follow up...