Young Coachella Valley Saxophonist, "Chase Huna" is Blowing His Way Up The Smooth Jazz Ladder!

Interview By: Gina Sedman

Are you from the Coachella Valley? Yes, I was born and raised in La Quinta, CA., and went to Palm Desert High School. I started playing saxophone at age 10.

How did you get started in the music business? I started playing in bars and restaurants ever since I was 10 years old. Since then, I’ve made connections through the various places I’ve performed.

Do you write your songs? Yes, I write my music. I currently have three albums out to date.

What instrument do you play? I play the saxophone.

What was the most memorable moment in your career? I would say the first time I heard one of my songs on the radio. I was driving to school; I think I was a sophomore in high school at the time (15 years old). It was a feeling I will never forget.

Favorite song you like to perform and why? There’s a song of mine called “Dance” that I love to perform live. Just the energy that comes from the song that is then given to the audience is electric!

What was the most challenging moment of your career? When everyone lost their shows last year it was a huge blow. Not having much to look forward to in terms of shows is pretty challenging.

Who are your influences? here’s a saxophonist by the name of Mindi Abair who has always been my favorite since age 10.

Who are some of the people you’ve recorded with? I had a chance to do my entire first album with Billboard #1 guitarist Steve Oliver.

How was your first experience performing live? It was exciting! It was at a little restaurant in Palm Desert, and I remember getting up there and just feeling happy to be playing for people.

How do you prepare yourself for a performance? I’m usually pretty relaxed when it comes to preparing for shows. I’ll usually get all dressed up, have a coffee before, and then hit the stage.

How important is having strong moral values in this business? Having moral values is important because it makes you who you are as a person and as an artist. For me, I like to be unique, and having those values makes me that.

If you could perform with your favorite artist, who would it be? I always tell people I would love to perform with a band like Justin Timberlake‘s or Bruno Mars. Their energy on stage is unlike anything else.

Where’s the inspiration behind the songs you write? When I write songs, I think of what my friends would like to listen to as well as what I like to listen to. They have a more youthful feel to them, and I love it!

Has there ever been a time you wanted to quit music and do something else? Music is who I am. There’s never been a time I ever thought of stopping.

What other talents do you have? I’m a pretty good skater and hockey player.

What was your most embarrassing moment while performing live or in an interview? Everyone always has an embarrassing moment either on stage or during an interview. For me, I would say missing some notes is pretty embarrassing for me because I always know that I can do better than that.

How has COVID-19 positively affected your career? Covid 19 has affected my career in a positive way where I’ve met new people and I’ve had new opportunities to do things I never thought I would be a part of.

Tell us about your current and future projects. Currently, I tour the U.S. playing shows and festivals with different cover bands as well as shows performing music from my three albums.

What advice would you like to give those seeking to be in the entertainment industry? Be you! Make music that you enjoy! Play what is in your heart!

Welcome To The Party (chasehuna.com)

END OF INTERVIEW