An intense melody perks up the audience's energy. No one can sit still; fans cry for more. The music creeps its way into the heads of the listeners as they rise from their seats and begin to groove, keeping in beat with the tune.
Shea Marshall, the saxophonist of Soaking Fused, hops off the stage, strolls through the dance floor and carelessly leans against a wall as he unravels his soul.
Marshall, a 19-year-old engineering junior, joined the quartet one year ago and leads the band through baritone, alto, tenor or soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet, harmonica and other instruments of the moment.
He began his musical exploration with the organ when he was five years old. He picked up the saxophone at nine and began playing in jam sessions, finding an interest in the Blues around the age of 12.
Marshall explained that "the central driving force behind the creation of [our music] is the bands' sense of communication within the band, between the band and audience, and as an expression of the conflict within each musician."
The sounds of Soaking Fused are unique and incorporate any and every fashion of music from Jazz to Emo. Their goal is "to make a new, cohesive, experimental sound and vibe," said drummer Mike Bell.
Their sound deviates from the norm of the ever-prominent pop music. They take it to another level and find their grooves in anything but conventional styles. Their music is complex, in depth and it engages the listeners' minds.
"The point of our group is that it's a way for us to experiment with our creativity," said Ben Marcus, the bassist. "We're not trying to be catchy. We're just trying to be creative with our instruments."
Back on the stage, the music settles in anticipation for one of the members to take the lead. They make eye contact with each other briefly, as fans holler and continue to move to the persistent beat which has calmed down for a moment of recovery.
Guitarist, Steve Himmelstein, jams a few chords and goes into a fervid solo, acquiring loud compliments from fans in the back of the bar as everyone starts dancing again.
Himmelstein, 22, joined Soaking Fused in 2002 and toured Arizona and California with the group playing five songs they had composed and improvising the rest of their shows. He began playing the guitar when he was 15 years old in his high school's jazz band.
Soaking Fused was formed in September, 2002, after Bell, Marcus and Himmelstein played with each other at a party. Originally the band had its roots over eight years ago when Bell and Marcus first began jamming together in a high school rock band.
Bell, 23, studied jazz at New York University where he played in jam sessions and practiced. His beginnings were with the saxophone in fourth grade but he switched to the drums at the age of 12. His captivation with music, however, the drums in particular, started much earlier.
He used to watch his babysitter play the drums in fascination and "even when I was young, I used to bang on pots and pans," said Bell. "The rhythmic aspect was embedded in me and I needed to bring it out."
Marcus, 23, initially played the trumpet and picked up the electric bass in seventh grade. He got into jazz in 2001 when he took some of ASU's music classes, after studying in Spain for a semester and listening to Flamenco music.
"I play the music I play because I love it," said Marcus. "It is meditative in that it is so consuming that I can't think about anything [but the music]."
As the set comes to an end and the bar lights flash on, the audience stands motionless, pondering the chaos that had just happened. Some scream for more, others approach the band in congratulations, and some remain in a daze, lost in the moment.
The expressions on the members' faces are those of accomplishment and satisfaction.
"Satisfaction of a job well done," said Marshall. "[The audience] is happy and I had a lot of fun."
Soaking Fused play Tuesday nights at the Sail Inn or check them out at their website www.soakingfused.com.
Reach the reporter at shaina.levee@asu.edu
