When the Indio band Whitewater opened for former Kyuss frontman John Garcia in July at Pappy and Harriet’s, the crowd went home buzzing about a group they couldn’t find on Apple Music or Spotify. That’s because Whitewater hasn’t released an official recording — and that’s exactly how members want it, for now.
During a recent interview in Indio, frontman and guitarist Jason Zembo said Whitewater’s momentum has grown entirely through “word of mouth” after live performances. The band has spent the past two years writing and rehearsing. Drummer Daniel Duardo added, “It’s not laziness or that we’re unwilling,” noting Whitewater has about 20 songs written.
“We’re pushing ourselves to get better,” Zembo said. “We’ve gone into the studio before, and the decision was made that it would be best if our first release were special, not just the first thing we write, put it out, and rush it. We wanted to figure ourselves out as a band first — what our identity was, what our sound was — and strategically grow a fan base. We wanted to do all those steps first so we could deliver the best we can do.”
When Whitewater performed at Pappy and Harriet’s, the band’s sound carried the raw intensity of Seattle’s late ’80s and early ’90s underground music scene, before it reached mainstream success. The quartet’s style fused elements of Soundgarden, Nirvana and Screaming Trees with touches of alternative acts like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But despite the blend of influences, the sound was consistent, not a mix of multiple genres.
Many of Garcia’s fans approached Whitewater afterward — some traveling from as far as Washington — and bought T-shirts and other merchandise. But the band didn’t have music to sell beyond a few low-quality demos posted on its website.
“It was cool to connect with these people that aren’t even from the desert,” Zembo said. “They came all the way here to see John and thought we were cool too, and just wanted to talk to us. The fact it felt like we were doing something bigger than just local do-it-yourself shows like we were used to, it was like, ‘Wow … they liked us and thought it was a good show!’”
Most Whitewater members are former AMP students
Three of the members — Zembo, Duardo and bassist Emanuel Torres — are alumni of the Academy of Musical Performance (AMP), a music education program in Indio for young musicians in the Coachella Valley. Zembo credited AMP with teaching him how to play in a group after years of “bedroom guitar.” Before Whitewater, he played in the now-defunct local teen band Pescaterritory, which performed several local shows until disbanding in 2023.
“AMP helped me get comfortable playing in front of people. Pescaterritory taught me how to get tighter with a small group, and now Whitewater has been about songwriting and singing. Every step has had a purpose,” Zembo said.
Duardo and Torres met through AMP and later played together in the Indio rock band Volatile. Torres eventually left the program, but continued to hone his musical skills independently.
When the three reunited as the Jason Zembo Band, the band needed another guitarist. That’s when Ryan Priest joined, though at first he wasn’t interested. He had previously played in an acoustic duo, and while Nirvana inspired him to start on electric guitar, he eventually shifted to acoustic guitar and singing instead of “screaming into a mic.”
Whitewater finally brought Priest in during 2023, while still performing under the Jason Zembo Band name.
“I started playing electric guitar, and I was hooked, especially the first time we played on stage, because it was the first time we played a gig together,” Priest said. “I knew how good Jason was because I was friends with him and he was the guitar God. But there was also the drummer God (Duardo) and the bass God (Torres), and being with these three, it was like ‘This isn’t just a fun band, this is a good band. I need to step up my game.’ If it weren’t for them, I don’t think I’d like guitar as much as I do now.”
When asked if Priest was tricked into joining, he laughed.
“Jason said, ‘We’re going to play one gig with covers.’ Then he brought in an original, then another original, and I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I’m in it,’” Priest said.
Whitewater rocked Rancho Mirage battle of the bands
In 2024, Whitewater competed in a battle of the bands at The River at Rancho Mirage. First prize included radio support, cash and a recording studio package. The band won the first round, with Garcia at the judge’s table, but lost the second. Still, Whitewater walked away with prize money and exposure to the local music scene.
“We wanted to win, of course,” Zembo said. “But more than anything, we wanted to show people what we could do. We tightened our songs, pushed our performances and came away with new fans.”
Garcia praised their set and later invited Whitewater to open his Pappy and Harriet’s show, alongside fellow local band Empty Seat.
“It was surreal,” Duardo said. “We’d seen legends like Jerry Cantrell (of Alice in Chains) play on that stage, and then suddenly we were up there.”
Whitewater’s songwriting is ‘getting more sophisticated’
Whitewater plans to record in the fall, followed by an official release. Discussing lyrical themes, Zembo said many songs reflect his 21-year-old perspective on politics, religion and spirituality.
“I feel like my lyrics are getting better, all of us are getting more comfortable with our instruments, and we’re writing parts that fit the songs better,” Zembo said. “It’s easy when you’re a young band to just try and show off, but I feel like our writing is getting more sophisticated. Everybody is writing stuff that fits the songs perfectly. We’re maturing as musicians together and influencing each other.”
“That’s a big reason why we’ve waited to release music,” Priest said. “We feel like the first six or eight months of being a band, you haven’t written your best stuff or found out who you are. Every song we write gets better.”
Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment for the Desert Sun. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Rising Indio rock band Whitewater is making waves, but they’ve yet to release any music
Reporting by Brian Blueskye, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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