Off Course finds its direction in CHS music scene

Published March 4, 2026

BY OLIVIA FORT

Off Course has become one of the more consistent bands in Carmel High School’s music scene, made up of seniors Will Drumright and Nathan Savoie, as well as juniors Matt David and Niko Rachuna. What started as a loose collection of jazz kids jamming after class has evolved into a year-round group—one that reflects the longstanding CHS tradition of band shows, jazz cafes and singer-songwriters carving out their own space to play.

The students’ inspirations range from guitarists Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Jimi Hendrix to vocalists like Gordon Lightfoot, Cat Stevens and Jim Croce. This year, Off Course performed Croce’s “I’ve Got a Name” at the visual and performing arts show alongside CHS jazz band juniors Emerson Knight and Skyler Madson. And on Feb. 27, they performed two originals and covers of Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” and Pink Floyd’s “Time” at the CHS band show.

Together, the members pull from a wide range of influences—blues, classic rock, jazz, funk and ’70s singer‑songwriters—creating a sound that blends their individual histories. 

“It’s interesting to see how we merge our styles together in the songwriting process,” Rachuna says. “Everyone brings something different.”

The band didn’t form in a single moment. Instead, they gradually grew out of a series of smaller groups, jam sessions and short-lived projects that cycled through the CHS music room long before the group had a name. 

“We started out playing because one of our old friends was trying to organize a band,” explains Drumright, the guitarist and lead vocalist. “That band didn’t really go anywhere, but we kept jamming.”

David plays the keys and has been a part of Carmel’s Singer-Songwriters’ Club since 8th grade, through which he’s performed in a number of singer-songwriter shows. He traces the group’s earliest version back to the CHS band show.

“My freshman year I wanted to do a song for the band show and for the first time it brought everyone together into our first band, The Wet Willies,” explains David. “It was a success, and that’s kind of how we started.”

Over the years, members have rotated, graduated and at some points briefly split up into two nearly identical groups—a smaller version called Short Stack and the fuller Off Course.

For Rachuna, the band’s bassist, the story starts early on. He first picked up the instrument at age 11, right at the start of COVID.

“I saw some Youtubers playing bass and thought, I should do that,” says Rachuna, whose dad played in his own rock band.

From there, Rachuna played in the Carmel Middle School band, later joining Jazz Workshop his freshman year and participating in the CHS band show—where he once played in six different performances in a single night. 

Drumright started even earlier. He was 9 when he started taking guitar lessons and learning a broad range of genres.

“I learned the blues first,” Drumright says. “I played gigs with my teacher, even performed at the Monterey Blues Festival back when it still existed.” 

By the time he reached high school, jazz became the next frontier. Jazz Workshop introduced him to new styles—and to Niko, the bassist who would become one of the band’s core collaborators. 

The two clicked immediately. They played in early bands together, backed student films by CHS filmmaker Dorian Jeffers, and eventually found themselves rehearsing year‑round even when they weren’t preparing for a specific performance. Off Course became the natural extension of that momentum. 

Drummer Savoie anchors the group rhythmically. His background in percussion and his interest in rock and jazz drumming give Off Course its backbone, tying together the band’s shifting influences and keeping their originals grounded even as the group experiments with new styles.

The band’s path hasn’t always been linear, but the group that once drifted together has definitely found its direction.