Rockstar Violinist Podcast

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.