Sitting across from Jon Redditt on a bleary Friday night, the sole member and creator of Sea of Is warms up the room with sincerity, exuberance and self-effacing charm. Redditt is busy promoting the first of four albums, each representing the seasons but there are no Vivaldi references during the coffee shop interview.

The first instalment, All the Little Things, is meant to convey the spectrum of emotions he associates with late-summer.

"I had tons of songs and I chose the ones that were more light-hearted. They're kind of little ditties and I thought it matched summer," he notes.

Indeed, the tracks are full of hope and the flush of newly appreciated love. His voice conveys a sensitivity and warmth that is bound to garner a large following. But he admits to struggling with his nerves.

Despite his background as front man for spooky rockers Beija Flor, he still suffers from stage-fright.

"I'm nervous, but excited. I still have the butterflies playing live shows. I started recording a few years ago, but it's only recently that people have been offering me shows," he says, nursing a hot chocolate. "It takes a lot out of me to make it up there and do it all alone."

As the espresso machine shrills in the background, Redditt talks about the influence of his father who plays part-time in several jazz bands and who provided the clarinet backup on the song Kathmandu.

"My dad listens to ragtime. When I was a kid, I'm sure that I kind of scoffed at it, but it's kind of nostalgic for me now," he says.

While he lists bossa nova and what he dubs trendy, freaky folk as influences, he is driven to forge his own musical path.

"Ever since I picked up a guitar I wanted to make my own songs. I didn't want to play other people's songs," he says.

Coming from a punk background, Redditt says he still loves his music loud and fast and supports a wide variety of Calgary bands whenever possible.

"I think it's awesome here and I don't know why we don't have the same recognition as other cities," he says.

Zed Music has already perked up and taken notice of Sea of Is and has posted his DIY video for "Complicated Man" on its website, along with gushy praise. As one of the founding seven members of local label Vulpine Records, Redditt is keen to help other artists whenever possible and is planning to spend the winter in Vancouver helping to promote the label and Sea of Is. Again, people are noticing and Chinese magazine EXMUSIC profiled the fresh new label in its July issue.

His vibrant enthusiasm is unfaltering as he talks about creating his own videos.

"I'm probably way too ahead of myself," he says, laughing nervously and playing with his mop of curly hair.

Genuinely modest, and at times painfully shy as he shifts his lanky frame to and fro in his chair, Redditt sees a future filled with music, art and travel.

"I guess I'll just see where it goes, you know? I'll just keep on writing songs and keep on keepin' on," he says.