I recently caught up with Will Hanza, the driving force behind NYC-based psych-jam explorers Escaper. With a new album, Still Time on the horizon, the band has dropped its first single “Chance” and is gearing up to hit the stage with a fresh wave of energy. We talked about the new record, the creative pulse behind it, their upcoming shows, and the ever-evolving rhythm of life on and off the stage.
Hanza brings a grounded yet expansive perspective, equal parts cosmic wanderer and streetwise New Yorker. Our conversation spanned the layers of Escaper’s sound, the meaning behind the music and what it means to keep pushing forward creatively in a world that rarely slows down. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just discovering the band, there’s plenty to dive into.
Pat Rogers: Hey Will, this is Pat Rogers with NYS Music. How are you today?
Will Hanza: Oh hey, Pat! I’m good, how about you?
PR: Doing great. Thanks for taking the time.
WH: No problem. Just wrapping up a few things here, but I’m all yours.
PR: Right on. Let’s deep dive into Escaper. You’ve built something unique. It’s genre-fluid, rooted in improvisation, yet full of intention. Beyond just sound, what defines the band spiritually, at its core?
WH: That word, intention. It is everything, musically and spiritually. Even in improvisation, there needs to be intention. It can’t just meander. You have to mean what you’re doing. A flurry of notes without purpose is meaningless.
I’m always listening, feeling out what works and what doesn’t. Sometimes you find that sweet spot and everyone locks in. It’s not just about one person soloing over changes; that’s dull. It’s about the entire band moving together, creating something in real time. We’ve joked before—“Good solo, everyone!”—but it’s true. We’re aiming for one collective voice.
PR: Right, the shared moment.
WH: Exactly. That’s where improv lives, it’s the most alive space you can be in. Full listening. Full presence. But we’ve also built in more structure over time. Earlier albums were looser, but now we’ve added vocal hooks, recurring themes. Even in a song that’s improvised live, we start with a shared intention, a message. That comes through in our lyrics too—like a spiritual call to action in some cases.
PR: That brings us to your new single, “Chance,” which dropped on July 11th and a new album, called Still Time, coming in September. Still Time, that title carries a sense of urgency. Is that a message to yourself, or others? Both?
WH: Both, absolutely. The album closes with a song called “There’s Still Time” and I liked shortening the title to Still Time because it can mean multiple things. Time standing still, that frozen-in-the-moment kind of feeling you get when you’re really in it. But also, “there’s still time”—to grow, to be better, to create, to connect. That’s the message.
Our last album was Apotheosis, which literally means reaching a higher self. This new one feels like a continuation. Much of it was written during the pandemic and it’s a reassurance, for me and others—that we still have time to do meaningful things.
PR: So, when someone listens to Still Time start to finish, what version of you or Escaper are they walking away with?
WH: The most refined version of ourselves. Every album we’ve made has felt like the best art I’ve ever been part of at the time and this one is no different. Phil, our keyboardist and my songwriting partner since 2017 and I have developed a strong, intuitive collaboration. We’ve reached a point where we’re writing with more purpose than ever.
These songs reflect what we do live but are distilled. For instance, “Chance” is three minutes on the album, but live it can stretch to 12. The recordings capture a moment in time, the clearest, most intentional form of the song. But live, the songs become launching pads.
PR: It’s tough to capture that live energy on a record, especially for jam-based acts. I talked to Vinnie Amico from moe., about that very thing several months back in an interview.
WH: Totally. I’ve crossed paths with the moe. guys a bit. At the Adirondack Music Fest and back in the original Mountain Jam days. Great musicians, great people. And yes, live is where it all breathes. You don’t know what’s going to happen, and that’s the thrill. That risk, that immersion, that now-ness—it’s spiritually powerful. In the studio, you can capture something special, but it’s a snapshot. Live, the door’s wide open.
PR: I’ve read how you’ve described Escaper’s sound as: “music for the mind and body.” In a world overstimulated with distraction, what does being truly present look like for you—onstage, in writing, in life?
WH: Great question. People talk to me about stage presence, and honestly, I’m not thinking about how I look or trying to put on a show. It’s not performative. If I swing the guitar down or crouch to the floor, it’s because the music took me there. I’m just a conduit.
I like to think of it like sailing. You’re not the wind, but you use it. Sometimes the wind shows up and you ride it. Other times, there’s nothing, and you’ve got to crank up the outboard to get moving. That’s the balance. It’s listening, adapting, staying tuned in.
PR: That fits perfectly with the name Escaper. Are you escaping into the music, or does it help keep you grounded?
WH: Kind of counter-intuitively, I see being an “escaper” as being grounded. Escapism, in the traditional sense, is about avoiding reality. But Escaper, to me, is about breaking free from the confines that prevent you from being your truest self. That’s a more real reality. It’s not about losing yourself; it’s about finding your most honest version.
PR: You’ve all been at this for quite a while now. The touring, releasing music, growing both personally and musically. What’s something you wish more up-and-coming artists understood about “making it”?
WH: Honestly, there is no such thing as “making it.” I mean, in some ways, I feel like I’ve made it. At least in the ways that really matter to me. I’ve got an original band that people come out to see. That, in itself, is a kind of success.
We’re self-financed. I invest my own money into the band, and we’ve reached a point where we generally break even. That’s a win in today’s landscape. But when I was younger, I wanted to “make it big.” I wanted the whole thing—the record deal, the tours, the spotlight. Eventually, I hit a wall. I burned out and gave up playing live music for three or four years. I thought, “It’s over. You’re not going to make it. Whatever that even means.”
Chasing that brass ring became like chasing a mythical dragon. So, I stopped worrying about it. I just wanted to feel that kind of joy as often as I could, with as many people as possible.
PR: What do you think has been the biggest creative risk of your career? And was it something that blew up in your face or blew something open?
WH: Starting Escaper, hands down. Just putting everything into it, especially those first few years. We were making records; spending money we weren’t making back. It felt risky financially. But emotionally? I had to do it. I couldn’t go through life and not do it. And it has paid off. I’ve gotten to make music I’m proud of with people I love. I’ve helped create moments and events, where people come together and just feel something. That’s the payoff for me. Emotionally, it’s been a win.
Being in Escaper is inherently risky. You’re putting yourself out there. You’re being vulnerable. But in doing that, I’ve grown and not just as a musician, but as a person. And yes, I think it was absolutely worth the risk. The worst thing that could’ve happened is nobody paid attention, and we called it quits. But even that would’ve been worth it, just to know I gave it a shot.
PR: Totally. That’s how I felt when I started doing concert photography and just photography full time in general. If I hadn’t tried, I’d still be beating myself up for it.
WH: Exactly. That’s the key. You redefine success once you realize the road there isn’t straight or easy. You might not make millions, or play to packed stadiums, but if you’re doing it, and it touches even a few people, then that’s success. That’s fulfillment.
PR: Well said Will. Wrapping things up, you’ve got some shows coming up in the next few weeks. Great South Bay Music Festival kicks off July 24th, Park Theater in Hudson on August 2nd, West Virginia on August 22nd, and then the big one—your album release party on September 4th, right?
WH: Yes we play the Great South Bay Festival on Saturday the 26th. We’ve got an evening set, around 8:25. We’re really excited for that.
With Park Theater, we played there a couple times before with Aaron Johnston—he was the drummer for Brazilian Girls. That’s how we got connected with Shannon, the owner who brought Park Theater back to life.
PR: That’s what I was about to bring up—you’re ahead of me, which is perfect. The Park Theater opened originally as a movie theater in 1921. Then literally one day shy of its 100th anniversary, you played its reopening and re-branding as a music venue for its inaugural show during the pandemic. That must have been wild?
WH: It was. We were kind of stationed in the front entryway of the building. Half inside, half out. The crowd was out on the sidewalk, and that was… you know, during a time when live music was hard to come by. It just felt amazing to be doing a show again.
PR: There was a hunger for it. People missed live music. I missed live music.
WH: Yes, and we’ve since played Park Theater again, and they also brought in another band I play in, The Breakneck Boys. That’s an Americana string band I’m in. It’s named after Breakneck Ridge. The frontman, Jesse Morandi, is from Cold Spring, and he writes songs inspired by the Hudson Valley. The mountains, rivers, all of it. It’s kind of a regional band in that way.
PR: I love that. It is a special room. For me, as a photographer, the lighting is great. I love shooting in there.
WH: It really is. Just a really inviting space. It’s always a pleasure to play there.
PR: Final thoughts—what do you hope people walk away with after coming out to one of your shows, whether it’s at Park Theater Hudson or one of the upcoming festivals?
WH: First and foremost, thank you for coming. We’re always grateful to everyone who shows up because it allows us to keep doing what we love. For me, the connection that happens during a show, the shared journey through sound and music—that’s one of the greatest things in life.
If someone leaves feeling like they just heard some great music, that’s awesome. But if they’ve opened a little, tapped into something deeper, and gone on a journey with us, that’s everything. That’s the goal.
PR: Amazing. Any last plugs before we wrap?
WH: Yes. Shout-out to WKZE Radio. On the day of our August 2nd show at Park Theater, we’ll be doing a live in-studio performance at 3 p.m. down at their station in Red Hook. Big thanks to them for having us.
Also, our second single from the album drops the day before on August 1st. It’s called “Sleepin”. And just—thank you, Pat. Appreciate the great questions and the time.
PR: Thanks again, Will. I’m looking forward to shooting for you guys, this is going to be a great one. Talk soon.
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