Episode 6: Black Violin

When the members of Black Violin first learned to play their signature instruments--Wil Baptiste at the viola 14 years old and Kev Marcus the violin at the tender age of 9--neither could have foreseen that it would become their livelihood, though it was already becoming their passion. With influences ranging from Shostakovich and Bach to Nas and Jay-Z, Black Violin breaks all the rules, blending the classical with the modern to create something rare-a sound that nobody has ever heard, but that everybody wants to feel. In this interview: Intro Music: “Stereotypes” from the album “Stereotypes” 0:45 - Sponsor shoutout - D’Addario and Codabow 1:45 - How they got started playing 9:00 - How they got known before the age of social media 9:45 - The “Showtime at the Apollo” story 11:00 - Shows with Alicia Keys, Linking Park, P. Diddy, Kanye, Jay-Z 12:12 - Writing original music 13:20 - Kev talks gear and tone 19:45 - Wil talks gear and tone 23:00 - Discussion on improv 24:40 - Live improv - from Portland, Oregon. April 3, 2017. From YouTube 27:00 - More on improv 30:30 - How to make the instrument your own 34:00 - How to inspire young kids to practice 37:54 - Tour life 41:12 - What’s after this tour? 44:40 - Vivaldi 4 Seasons Remix 45:00 - D’Addario giveaway info 46:35 - Endorsements - CodaBow info 48:50 - How to put on a great show 53:00 - Authenticity 55:25 - “We got arrested in China” 1:00:00 - Adventures in Thailand 1:02:00 - Traveling with family 1:03:30 - “A-Flat” from the “Classically Trained” Album. For tour and other info, please visit http://blackviolin.net/. A big thanks to our sponsors D'Addario, a manufacturer of the finest in strings for violin, viola, cello, and upright bass, and CodaBow, pioneers of carbon fiber bows serving a worldwide network of professional artists and teachers. D’Addario is giving away a set of Zyex strings to a lucky Rockstar Violinist listener! Debbie Roper, Anatoliy Khomenko, and Mia Herlinger were randomly selected as winners of the first giveaway. To enter in the new giveaway go to https://daddario.formstack.com/forms/rv2. Visit daddario.com/orchestral and http://www.codabow.com to learn more, or visit https://www.electricviolinshop.com to purchase their fine products!