La Verne’s Janitors of Justice Ready to Sweep Hollywood Off Its Feet

Erick Mahood isn't one to blow his own horn, but the kid is talented.

On Thursday night at the legendary Whisky a Go Go — where Led Zeppelin and Jim Morrison and The Doors once rocked the house – La Verne’s Janitors of Justice are ready to sweep the crowd off its feet at the celebrated and sometimes notorious Sunset Strip hangout.

“I don’t think I’ll be nervous until they open the curtain,” said Devin Hollister, the group’s alto saxophonist and lead vocalist who helped form the eight-member band back at Ramona Middle School. “Right now, I’m just pretty exciting. Everybody is groovin’.”

In high school, seven of the band members played together in the Bonita High School (BHS) Jazz and Marching Band. Over time, the band has gotten tighter and tighter, as friends and musically. They got so good, in fact, that the Whisky came calling.

Devin Hollister is a double threat singing and playing guitar.

“Some random booking agency heard some of our stuff, saw us on My Space, and just contacted us,” Hollister said humbly, playing down the fact that the Whisky doesn’t just call anybody.

Janitors of Justice members include Holister (BHS ’10), trumpeter Eric Mahood (BHS ’10), tenor saxophonist Esteban Salcido (BHS ‘-08), saxophonist Marty Dumaual (BHS ’10), bass guitarist Chandler “Tito” Kikunaga (BHS ’09), drummer Steven Hennig (BHS ’10), guitarist Bryan Mitchell (BHS ’10) and Lindsey Kunisaki (BHS ’11).

As for that name?

“We liked the name and the notion of ‘Justice; so then we starting looking for another word that began with ‘J.’” Hollister recalled

That’s how great minds work, and these young adults have great minds and resumes to match.

Chandler "Tito" Kikinagu, who plays base guitar, joined the Janitors of Justice two years ago.

After a few more gigs this summer, Hollister and Mahood will room together at UC Berkeley. Bonita’s 2010 co-valedictorian, Hollister plans to major in molecular and environmental biology. Salcido, a Gates Scholarship winner, attends Azusa Pacific University. In the fall, Dumaual will attend UCLA on a music scholarship. Kikunaga and Hennig now attend Cal Poly Pomona. Mitchell will continue his music career in the marching band or drum corps at Pasadena City College.

As the band’s youngest performer (also the group’s only female), Kunisaki will be a senior at Bonita, but no doubt will have her pick of schools recruiting and competing for her academic and musical talents.

In fact, asked about the band’s braniac reputation, she saw it as a positive.

“You always hear about the correlation between musical talent and math skills and the ability to memorize things,” she said shyly. “I think it really helps when we’re trying to learn new things. Everyone catches on quickly and memorizes their parts really easily.”

Stephen "Goodbye Piano" Hennig found his calling on drums at age 10.

As the band’s newest member, she has been quickly embraced by her male brethren. When another band, “Saving Andy,” with whom she played disbanded, she jumped at the chance to join the Janitors.

“There’s definitely a different atmosphere playing with these guys, more than with any other musical group I’ve played with,” she said. “Because a lot of these guys are jazz musicians, there’s a lot of room to improvise. Once in a while, someone will throw in a lick and change things up. So there’s a lot of fun, a lot of creative freedom.”

Between songs during rehearsal in the garage of Hollister’s Baseline Avenue home in La Verne, there’s also a lot of easy give-and-take among the band members.

Esteban Salcido plays the sax and yes, that's a sandwich he is serenading. The Janitors play for money and for food.

Salcido, for instance, said he didn’t join the band until he was a junior at Bonita. Did he take the younger guys under his wing, he was asked. “No, I think I lowered their quality,” he replied.

Mahood, the tallest member of the band, said part of him wishes he had been more athletic in high school. “People were always asking why aren’t you playing basketball; I tried man,” he said smiling.

Hennig played several youth sports, but he just loved the drums more. “I started off with the piano, but I didn’t like that at all,” Hennig said. “Then for my 10th birthday, my parents paid for a drum lesson. That was it!”

In essence, the music never stopped. The Janitors of Justice (or JOJ, “It sounds more manly,” noted Kikunaga) have really been jamming and enjoying the summer, putting on concerts at local parties or playing at The Wire in Upland, where they will also be August 14.

Keyboardist Lindsey Kunisaki may be the newest band member but her vocals and musical talents have helped take the band to an even higher level.

“I think we have gotten so much better,” said Kikunaga. “I remember I‘d always forget the base parts, and the horns would sound kind of squeaky and now everything sounds so tight. I’m really excited.”

The band has evolved from playing primarily ska/reggae/punk to focusing mainly on reggae. They also found time to get into the recording studio, where they recorded four songs.

“The demo should be out in a couple of weeks,” Hennig said. “We’ll probably just sell ‘em for a buck or give them out.”

Why wait a couple of weeks. You can hear the Janitors of Justice live on Thursday at 7 p.m. For more information, go on the Whisky site at http://www.whiskyagogo.com/ Tickets are $12.

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