click to enlarge Photo: Mark Clennon
Black Violin
“It’s a gumbo of sorts.” That is how one-half of the
Black Violin duo describes their sound.
In a phone interview with
Pittsburgh City Paper, Kev Marcus explains that what he and partner Wil Baptiste play isn’t just hip-hop beats fused with classical music. “There’s some jazz, blues, R&B, and some country in it. We really try to blend it together in a way to make something that tastes good for everybody.”
The Black Violin Experience Tour promises to break stereotypes in several cities throughout the U.S., and Pittsburgh happens to be one of them. On Sun., March 12, the two-time Grammy-nominated duo and their genre-bending performance will transform the
Byham Theater into a space that is outside the box. Marcus gives his word that the show is “something that you’ve never seen before on stage.”
Classical music fans may look at Marcus and Baptiste, both Black men, and not immediately see them as representing the genre. "The number-one reason I play violin," says Marcus, "is because I'm not 'supposed to.'"
For that reason, what they do is more than entertainment: it’s necessary.
“The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture,” Baptiste, who plays the viola, says in a press statement. “Just by nature of our existence we challenge those ideas. It’s a unique thing that brings people together who aren’t usually in the same room, and in the current climate, it’s good to bring people together.”
Their efforts have seemingly paid off.
Stereotypes, the duo's major label debut
featuring Black Thought of The Roots and MC Pharoahe Monch, topped the Billboard Classical Crossover and R&B charts. Their 2019 album
Take the Stairs earned them their first Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.
They have also collaborated with the Wu-Tang Clan, Alicia Keys, 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, and Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda.
For the Byham performance, Marcus and Baptiste will be accompanied by Nat Stokes on drums, DJ SPS on the turntable, and Liston Gregory on keys. The musical selection will range from Mozart and Bach to Cardi B to Charlie Daniels, all fused with their classical training to create a unique sound.
“It’s a very unifying sound and feeling meant to hopefully inspire everyone that comes across it," says Marcus.
The pair, who both grew up in Broward County, Fla., met in an orchestra class on the first day of school at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale. They discovered a “natural bond” and became fast friends. It wasn’t long before they joined forces and began performing as Black Violin.
Their act began with the two covering hip-hop songs on their violins, which became popular in local clubs. After sending in a tape to the TV variety series
Showtime at the Apollo in 2005, they were invited to appear on the show. Wowing the crowd with their electrifying performance, they won, several times.
As they weave through genres, the classically trained musicians insist upon being respectful to the originals with a “clean classical thread.” Marcus can thank his mother for setting him on the path to becoming an instrumentalist. In an attempt to keep young Marcus from finding trouble out in the streets, his mother enrolled him in a musical program. They were a few months late to enroll, so the violin was his only option left to learn.
“I was kind of mad about it,” Marcus laughs. He eventually came to accept and love the violin, enough to continue through high school. That’s when he met Baptiste.
In addition to their musical careers, Black Violin started the Black Violin Foundation as a way to provide access for Black and Brown children to enroll in quality music programs. Their work is focused on getting more diversity, equity, and inclusion in the genre. “It’s the legacy that we leave for the kids,” Marcus remarks. “Our long-term goal is to empower youth to color outside of the lines and push the boundaries of music through innovation.”
Not only will the music inspire you to get out of your seat to dance, but the performers encourage it. Wear comfortable footwear and be dressed to move, because Black Violin wants full audience participation. They want a party atmosphere.
Black Violin Experience Tour. 7 p.m. Byham Theater. 101 Sixth St., Downtown. $57. trustarts.org