Nicholas Sainato is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance at Youngstown State University. He is also currently writing and performing with his band The Strange Familiar, as well as The Funkes, The Vindy’s, GTFO, and The Dennis Drummond Group

Originally from Boardman, OH, Nicholas graduated from Boardman High School in 2006. He toured and recorded with the band Another Found Self from 2004-2009, being featured on NBC’s StarTomorrow as well as winning the Cleveland.com High School Rock-Off.

After moving to LA in 2009, Nicholas joined the Strange Familiar. Since then, the band was featured on Season 5 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Shortly after, they signed with NYC-based label Krian Music Group and released their debut album Chasing Shadows in April of 2012. The first single “Being Me” reached #1 on mtvU. Several songs from the album have been featured on ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars, Switched At Birth, and the CW’s Vampire Diaries. The Strange Familiar has been a featured performer at SXSW in Austin, TX and the CMJ Music Marathon in NYC, as well as a feature article Billboard Magazine. Their new album The Day The Light Went Out is set for release on April 8th which will include “Except To You”.

While attending YSU, Nicholas has been part of the YSU Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Ensembles 1 & 2, and Jazz Combos. As a part of the Youngstown Percussion Collective, Nicholas participated in the preparation and recording of Forms of Things Unknown by Dave Morgan. YPC now has plans to recorded Nicholas’s “Tub Thumper” this month for an upcoming album. He can also be heard on the Youngstown Jazz Collective’s Absent Dreamers album which was released last Fall. Prior to YSU, Nicholas also attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, CA.