Words by Jennifer Jory
Fender guitars hang on the walls. Professional sound studios line the interior. Stage lighting illuminates the open floor plan, casting a glow throughout the 10,000-square-foot music club in downtown Redwood City. Sound Union, a new concept for making music and meeting musicians in a club-like atmosphere, is redefining the typical band practice.
The masterminds behind this marvel? Local entrepreneurs John Avilla and Tom Zazueta, who let their innovative spirits run wild, opening their longtime dream of a “health club” for musicians in March. “I had friends who went to country clubs to work out,” reflects John. “I realized there is not a club like that for musicians. We wanted to create a place where members build cohesive groups and further their skills.”
Say goodbye to jam sessions in dingy garages. Sound Union provides a number of comfy studio spaces where instrumentalists from folk to funk can play and meet with other artists. “A lot of musicians have been playing in their garages or bedrooms,” reflects Tom. “There was nowhere to go to meet other potential band members.” The partners also welcome the not-so-musically inclined for frequent house concerts held in the Loft space. “The big thing here is the community,” Tom emphasizes.
Sound Union’s crown jewels are its state-of-the-art sound studios and instruments. “People can pull off the shelf and play top-of-the-line equipment,” says John. The studios are kitted out with all types of guitars, amplifiers, drums, basses, ukuleles, pianos and keyboards. Members can play music and rehearse in one of three large recording-quality studios, two smaller music rooms or a songwriter’s collaboration studio. There’s also a podcast room, a cozy concert venue and even a full kitchen.
While the club is designed with members in mind, any music lover can check out the local talent when its studios open for monthly Third Thursday events. “We typically have all three studios jamming with members and prospective members,” shares John.
Tom and John created Sound Union to also serve as a music-inspired co-working space, offering an alternative to the kitchen table or the office. “When members want to take a break from work, they can go in and play music,” Tom explains. “Members enjoy ample places to mingle and often just come in to talk to other musicians.”
John and Tom first formed a friendship through their careers in branding and marketing. “It is a typical Silicon Valley story,” says John. “We worked on some of the first websites for Fortune 500 companies.” After decades of working together, the creative duo dreamed of creating a venue that would provide musicians with the connections and collaborations needed to take their talents to the next level.
Through developing Sound Union, John and Tom hope to make an impact on the Peninsula music scene. “I am a lifetime musician in my spare time and that’s how I recharge my batteries,” says John. “We wanted to affect people in a very positive way. We hope our members will go out into the world and make good things happen because their creative juices are flowing.” The two men see music as a cure for isolation. “When you talk about loneliness, music is a way to break that down,” John reflects. “You can step into a studio and let your hands do the talking and it is nonverbal, but it is community.”
John knows a little something about collaboration, having grown up in a musical household that Tom jokingly describes as the “Partridge Family.” Largely self-taught, John and his eight siblings would often make music together. At one point, he and six of his siblings played in the aptly named Avilla Family Band. “Music has always been a part of my well-being,” John says. “I started as an eight-year-old singing in the family band. We played for family and friends at parties for a few years. That experience ignited a lifelong passion for music.” In his Santa Clara County hometown of San Martin, he joined the high school jazz band, played the snare drum in the marching band and percussion in the orchestra. “I grew up with a very competitive school band experience. We won national band championships,” he reveals. “I also played in the jazz band at UCLA.”
Tom brings technical expertise to the partnership and focuses on sound engineering for Sound Union members. “We have a good yin and yang,” says John. “Tom is the guy who will figure out a tech solution faster than most people I know.” Having Apple Computer headquarters in his backyard inspired Tom to pursue his interest in computers, and he spent the early part of his career at Apple and eBay. “In our neighborhood, we were surrounded by tech entrepreneurs. I was playing with a Mac before it was released,” reflects Tom. “I got excited about what was happening in the Valley. I was hooked.”
Tom and John searched for 18 months until they found Sound Union’s current location in the heart of downtown Redwood City. They spent six months completely renovating the space and manufacturing the custom sound studios. “Our soundproof studios are the most impressive element in our clubhouse,” John adds. “They are the recording and broadcast industry standard used at KQED in San Francisco and SiriusXM in Florida and Nashville.”
While the founders completed the renovation and finishing touches, adding color, texture and soundproofing, they hosted soft-launch jam nightly sessions for new members. “We were putting the wings on the plane as it was taking off,” John laughs. “When we opened, we sold 10 lifetime memberships to people who believe in what we are doing and want to be a part of it.”
Since opening its doors just six months ago, Sound Union’s growing group of members and guests have enjoyed a number of live performances from touring professionals. “We’ve hosted several Grammy winners,” says Tom. “Members get to interact with and meet the band. You can sit three feet away and talk with the band members.” Traveling musicians, some who have toured internationally, are responding enthusiastically to Sound Union’s first-class hospitality. “When bands come here, it’s not a dive bar. They see what is going on and get the vibe. It’s fun to see their reaction.”
Sound Union musicians perform for the public as well. “The newly created musical alliances have taken on a life of their own,” says Tom. Members have created events to showcase the music they are working on, with more performances in the works. “We have started to create this community where our culture embraces all talent levels,” John explains. “We have people from 25 to 75. Everyone gets in a room and they jam together.” Both founders say they enjoy a broad range of musicians and genres but agree their favorite Spotify channel currently is “Sound Union Artists and Musical Performers.”
Through the expertise of the club’s sound engineers and musicians, founding member Andy Swanson recently achieved a lifelong goal of writing and recording an original song. “I started to think about my son going off to college and what I wanted to tell him,” explains Andy. “I had a riff and a chorus. I brought the idea to Sound Union and collaborated with vocals, eight guitar tracks, drums and a gold record-sound producer that helped for the love of making music.”
Andy’s wife Aimee Swanson praises the creative, inclusive environment. She describes a recent night at Sound Union after an event ended and an impromptu session began organically. “All of a sudden there were seven musicians, including a bongo player, jamming together with a small audience!” Patrick Murphy, a Sound Union drummer who practices regularly in the studios, also notes the welcoming feel: “If I was practicing solo and someone walked by and I recognized them, I would invite them to play.”
On most evenings, members can participate in workshops and discussions on topics such as personal performance style. A recent two-hour jazz masterclass was conducted by a multiple Grammy-nominated jazz trumpeter and music educator Mike Rocha. At the weekly acoustic guitar night, Sound Union staff create a campfire atmosphere, where the lights go down and twinkle lights sparkle with the music. There’s a Sound Union app to learn about events and find other members to round out an ensemble.
What’s next? John and Tom hope to introduce the Sound Union concept in other cities throughout California and the U.S. “We want to be the place where people make the best music of their lives,” John declares. “That is a seminal part of our mission. We hope to touch a lot of lives with this.”