Black Violin and Kendrick Lamar shut it down at Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, PA. Next stop….SXSW!! Posted by Instagrate to WordPress
From the blog
Sit back, relax and check out Kev Marcus and Wil B perform “Come Together” by the Beatles with Michelle Obama’s favorite choir The Soul Children of Chicago led by Walt Whitman at the 2013 Kids Inauguration in DC, hosted by Nick Cannon.
If you missed us on Broadway last November, here is a 2 minute recap of our Time Square TAKEOVER recorded by Brian Stollery. Be sure to share this…
From MTV Buzzworthy Blog 11/9/2012
We love a sparking pop record as much as the next music kid, but we love it even more when pop stars are brave enough to step out of the studio and and swap Auto-Tune and reverb for JUST PLAIN OL’ SINGING. Lucky for us, Neon Hitch has just done that very thing with an acoustic, no-frills rendition of her Tyga-assisted and Claude Kelly-cowritten record, “Gold.”
Pardon us, but did we say “no-frills”? Well, maybe there were a few frills present — Neon Hitch performed alongside Rahzel (of The Roots) who lent his beat box stylings to the mix (shouts to “If Your Mother Only Knew”) and strings duo Black Violin. Shot in Central Park just before Superstorm Sandy hit, Neon and her vibrant red hair plopped her posse right in the middle of Central Park’s vast greenery to deliver a totally raw rendition of her hit. Yeah, obvi we are super into this, but we have one more request: Can “Love You Betta” be next? That’s THE JAM.
Watch Here:
Spare Times for Children for Nov. 16-22
By LAUREL GRAEBER
BLACK VIOLIN
Partway through a set on Sunday, Wilner Baptiste, who performs as Wil B, announced, “I’m going to introduce my lady,” calling her “the baddest thing since sliced bread.” Then he proudly showed her off, asking, “Isn’t she gorgeous?”
Well, yes: classical elegance, shapely curves, lovely voice. An exquisite viola.
Wil B and Kevin Marcus Sylvester, a k a Kev Marcus, the duo known as Black Violin, love to play with audience expectations. Having worked with Kanye West and 50 Cent, they have plenty of hip-hop attitude, yet they’re classically trained. (Kev Marcus, above left, with Wil B, plays violin.) And since they were at the family-oriented New Victory Theater, many of Sunday’s listeners were children, who may have believed that Black Violin would introduce them to the classical canon. Wrong again.
“You probably thought that you were coming to a violin show,” Kev Marcus said after a few numbers. He quickly shouted, “Rule No. 1: This is a party!” Another rule: “You’re going to get up and dance.”
The kids caught on fast. Black Violin is neither hip-hop nor classical: it’s both. Onstage with David Gotay, a cellist; Dwayne Dayal, known as DJ TK, who busily works turntables; and Jermaine McQueen, or Beatdown, a percussionist, Wil B and Kev Marcus offer original compositions that can evoke styles as disparate as klezmer, Latin and rock. Sometimes they play with the intense seriousness of orchestral soloists; at others they fiddle as if at a hoedown; at still others they strum the violin and viola like guitars.
Since its last appearance at the New Victory in 2009 Black Violin has capitalized on another instrument: Wil B’s voice. Some numbers are actually songs, like “Tiffany,” a plaintive ballad, and the dreamy “End of the World.” Wil B, who has a smooth, R&B sound, puts down his viola to sing, but the other strings continue, taking these works beyond ordinary pop.
“The true point of the show is to get everybody here to think outside the box,” Kev Marcus said, as in “Brandenburg,” based on Bach’s “Brandenburg” Concertos, spiced with what Wil B calls “salt and vinegar.” But while you have to be original to succeed, Kev Marcus told the audience, you also have to “outwork everybody.” Black Violin works hard but makes it all look like play.
(Through Nov. 25. Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday at noon and 5 p.m.; 209 West 42nd Street, Manhattan, 646-223-3010, newvictory.org; $14 to $38; $9 to $25 for members.) LAUREL GRAEBER
Original Story at NYTIMES.com
Bach with a beat
By FRANK SCHECK
Last Updated: 11:13 PM, November 9, 2012
Posted: 10:32 PM, November 9, 2012
There’s a new music-appreciation class in town, and it’s not like anything you’ve ever seen at school.
Now in session at the New Victory Theater, it’s music the Black Violin way — a funky, hourlong mix of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and, yes, even Bach.
“Do you guys mind if we play some classical music?” asked violist Wilner Baptiste, a k a Wil B, halfway through a recent matinee.
Miraculously — and thrillingly — the young audience responded with loud cheers. Black Violin proceeded to whip through an instrumental inspired by Bach’s beloved Brandenburg concertos, soon funked up with heavy beats laid down by percussionist Jermaine McQueen, a k a Beatdown. Playing along were Kevin Sylvester (“Kev Marcus”) on violin, David Gotay (“Super Dave”) on cello and Dwayne Dayal (“DJ TK”) on turntables.
Whether strumming and waving their instruments guitar style, crooning or improvising an entire number — “We call it freestyling!” — the musicians show a winning ingenuity and spirit of inventiveness.
“Rule No. 1 for a Black Violin show — this is a party!” Marcus announced. And the kids responded in kind, eagerly waving their hands, clapping and getting up to dance as if they were at a Jay-Z concert.
Clad in jeans and baseball caps, the players are all excellent musicians. And, as indicated by the title of one of their songs, they’re on a “Mission” — to inspire their impressionable audiences (recommended ages: 6 and older).
“The real point of the show is to get you to think outside the box,” Wil B pointed out.
Judging by the rabidly enthusiastic response they got, Black Violin is succeeding. Now if only they can carry that momentum back into the schools and concert halls . . .
Read more: Music review: Kid-friendly group Black Violin mixes hip-hop with Bach at the New Victory Theater – NYPOST.com
Yes!!! After 5 years of hard work, Black Violin has released their sophomore album “Classically Trained” on iTunes, Amazon, Napster, eMusic, and Rhapsody.
2 parts Classical, 2 parts Pop, with a splash of hip-hop, served chilled–“Classically Trained” is a genre-busting collage that pushes the limits of music and dares listeners to think outside the box. For their sophomore release, Black Violin front men Kev Marcus (violin) and Wil B (viola), cleverly feature smooth verses and symphonic hooks underscored by an array of rhythmic grooves, ranging from pop-rock cadences to trunk rattling bass. Armed with stage experiences with Alicia Keys, Mike Shinoda, and Gym Class Heroes, this promising group is stretching the fabric of how music is interpreted. Add the spellbinding vocals of Wil B and the innovative approach to the violin and you are sure to be taken on an incredible journey.
Watch Back Violin LIVE as the perform on Arthur Ashe Court at the 2012 US Open Tennis Championships!
Black Violin with National Anthem singer Jordin Sparks:
Kev Marcus on the Big Screen…#stadiumstatus!
Black Violin had the honor of performing on VH1 Unplugged with pop/hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes. Performing along side GCH were special guests Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) and rising pop sensation Neon Hitch. Filmed in NYC, Black Violin performed on all but one of their hit records during the taping and provided our signature sultry strings on top of their hip hop/pop acoustic soundscape. Led by front man, Travie McCoy, GCH were as gracious as superstars come and were very easy to work with.
Gym Class Heroes featuring Black Violin and Patrick Stump:
VH1 Unplugged
Get More:
VH1 Unplugged, Gym Class Heroes, Gym Class Heroes Unplugged, Gym Class Heores Videos
Travie McCoy looks like he can play a mean fiddle.