Press Kit

Black Violin Biography, 2009
To most people, jazz, hip-hop, funk, and classical are musical genres.
But to revolutionary music group Black Violin; they're nothing but
ingredients.
Combining a daunting array of musical styles and influences to
produce a signature sound that is not quite maestro, not quite emcee,
this group of two classically trained violinists and their DJ is redefining
the music world-one string at a time. 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 rarea sound that nobody has ever heard, but that everybody wants to feel.
When the members of Black Violin first learned to play their signature instruments- Wil B 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. The two Florida
natives first met while attending the Dillard High School of Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, a
school whose exceptional music programs served to nurture their already budding talents.
But it was not until the two were exposed to the work of legendary violinist Stuff Smith that the
seeds that would one day become Black Violin were truly planted. Smith, born in Portsmouth, Ohio
in 1909, was one of preeminent jazz violinists of the swing era, who went onto perform with names
like Alphonse Trent, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Sun Ra throughout a
long and storied career. His final album and most soulful, entitled "Black Violin," so inspired and
influenced the young Kev Marcus and Wil B that they would eventually name their band in honor of
the man who had shown them that there were no limits to what the violin could do.
After graduating from high school, both Wil and Kev were granted full music scholarships to
college, Florida State and Florida International University respectively. It was at FIU that Kev first
encountered the group's future manager, Sam G, with whom he and Wil soon formed a production
company: DKNEX. Now they had a platform for their dream, and the talent and inspiration to back
it up. Black Violin was born.
Once formed, the group wasted no time in making a name for them, starting with the rigorous
touring that would become a trademark of the group. Black Violin was making ripples in the music
industry, but it wasn't long before these ripples became waves. In 2004, the group joined superstar
Alicia Keys on stage at the Billboard Music awards, delivering a performance that made the
tastemakers and music enthusiasts of America sit up and take notice. Not long after, in 2005, the
group was awarded the coveted title of Apollo Legend by the esteemed Apollo theatre in Harlem,
effectively confirming what many were beginning to suspect - Black Violin was on its way to the
top.
The next step in BV's journey came in the form of Mike Shinoda, lead singer of legendary rock act
Linkin Park, who had had his eye on the two virtuosos for a while. Impressed by their imaginative
composition and finely tuned musicianship, he invited them along on a world tour with his hip-hop
side project, Fort Minor. Finally granted the worldwide platform their talents deserved, the
members of Black Violin now introduced their own brand of genius to audiences across the globe.
1
Black Violin Biography, 2009
In addition to Shinoda, BV has worked with musicians as diverse as P.Diddy, Kanye West, Fifty
Cent, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Aretha Franklin and the Eagles-among many others.
Black Violin is only getting started. The group recently released its eponymous debut album - a
record whose top-notch production and musical cohesion make it feel like the work of seasoned
veterans rather than industry upstarts, as many patrons of the iTunes store and Amazon.com are
discovering for themselves. The group continues to tour far and wide, opening for hip hop
mainstays like Fat Joe, Akon, and the Wu-Tang Clan in locations as diverse, as Prague, Dubai,
and South Africa.
But beyond all the glitz and glamour, the members of Black Violin just want to give children the
same opportunities that they had. With school music programs being culled all across the country,
Kev Marcus and Wil B are concerned that urban youth will not have the benefit of music as a
positive alternative to other, more destructive pursuits. With this in mind, they have embarked upon
a campaign of social change - using youth orchestras and reinvigorated music programs to show
children and teens that they are capable of expressing themselves in ways they have never
dreamed. In an age where music is coming to be more and more defined by the labels given to it,
Black Violin shows that music does not exist within a box, but rather exists in another space-one as
open and unrestrained as the minds that produce it.
Black Violin’s Drummer: BEATDOWN
Profile: At the age of 15 Jermaine ‘Beatdown’ McQueen starting playing the club scene of New
York City with legendary and prominent musicians. Today, as a result of his hard work and natural
talents, Beatdown is often referred to as the “Soul Drummer” – because everything he plays comes
straight from his heart. Not only an accomplished musician, McQueen is also an aspiring producer.
He is fast becoming known as one of the best Hip Hop drummers on the scene, definitely helping
to introduce live instrumentation into the world of Hip Hop music.
Recordings: Spooks- Live, Every Little Thing, Blusyde- Overthere and Selonus- Untitled.
Influences: Jeff Davis, Gerald Heyward, Dennis Chambers, Dave West,
Gene Lake, Chris Daddy Dave, Nat Townsley and Chad Smith.
Tours: Jermaine is currently touring with Fort Minor and Black Violin. He
has also toured with Spooks, Soul IV Real and Al B. Sure.
Advice to Aspiring Musicians: "Don't fear yourself. Embrace change
and things that are different."
Favorite Movie: Office Space
2
THE NEW VICTORY 2008 / 09 SCHOOL TOOLSM resource guide
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: BEFORE THE SHOW
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Black Violin is a classically trained violin and viola duo originally from
Miami, Florida. Kev Marcus and Wil-B, along with their DJ TK, perform
arrangements of both classical and hip-hop pieces while adding their
own sense of style.
The two Florida natives first met while attending the Dillard High School
of Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, a school whose exceptional music
programs served to nurture their already budding talents. Although, it
was not until the two were exposed to the work of legendary violinist
Stuff Smith that the seeds that would one day become Black Violin were
truly planted.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
FX[1
unintentionally became a viola
player when he tried to join his school band,
but instead was placed into the school
string program. Wil-B’s musical abilities span multiple instruments from
the viola to trumpet, drums and bass
guitar. In addition to attending the
Dillard High School for the Performing
Arts in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, he has
also performed with many pop orchestras. His influences are
Chaka Khan, Talib
Kweli, George
Benson and
Jill Scott.
ABOUT THE SHOW
Improvisational elements create a unique performance targeted
at all age ranges. The show’s format is concert style consisting
of music being performed by DJ TK, Kev Marcus, and Wil-B. The
concert fuses classical, jazz, R&B and hip-hop.
Once formed, the group started with their rigorous touring schedule that
would become a trademark of the group.
Black Violin’s primary goal is to give young people the same opportunities
in music that they had. Kev and Wil have embarked on a campaign of
social change working with youth orchestras and music programs to
show children and teens that they are capable of expressing themselves
in ways they have never dreamed.
5D=502C)Stuff Smith was a jazz violinist
from the first half of the 20th century famous
for being one of the first violinists to use
electric amplification. His final album was
entitled “Black Violin,” inspiring the name for
this new ensemble.
:Te<PaRdb was born
in Florida, and began playing the violin at 9 years old.
He participated in local
orchestras and performing
ensembles in addition to
attending the Dillard High
School for the Performing
Arts. His influences as a
violin player have ranged
from Bach, Brahms,
Mozart and Herbie
Hancock to Nas,
Mos Def, Jay-Z and
Dr. Dre.
À8]P]PVTfWTaT\dbXRXb\^aTP]S
\^aT STÌ]TS Qh cWT [PQT[b VXeT]
c^Xc1[PRZEX^[X]bW^fbcWPc\dbXR
S^Tb ]^c TgXbc fXcWX] P Q^g Qdc
aPcWTa TgXbcb X] P]^cWTa b_PRT
^]TPb^_T]P]Sd]aTbcaPX]TSPb
cWT\X]SbcWPc_a^SdRTXcÁ
—Black Violin
3
Spare Times - For Children - Schedule - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/arts/20Kids.html?_r=2&sq=Spare%20Times&st=cse&scp=1&pagewa...
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March 20, 2009
Spare Times: For Children
By LAUREL GRAEBER
BLACK VIOLIN
Last Friday middle school students crammed the New Victory Theater, swaying in their seats, waving their arms high, cocking their heads in rhythm to the musicians onstage, who
included a busy D.J. and an enthusiastic drummer. With the stomping and the turntables, the electronic amplification and the velvety darkness, the limitless energy and the youthful
vibe, the setting could have been any pop concert, except for the piece being played: an excerpt from the “Brandenburg” Concertos.
But this wasn’t the “Brandenburg” as Bach envisioned it. “We’re going to spice it up a little bit,” Wilner Baptiste, known as Wil-B (above left), told the crowd. He and Kevin Sylvester,
a k a Kev Marcus (above right), look less likely to appear onstage with a symphony orchestra than with Alicia Keys or the Wu-Tang Clan (and in fact they have). But Wil-B, on acoustic
viola, and Kev Marcus, on electric violin, are both classically trained musicians, who, with the D.J. Dwayne Dayal and the percussionist Jermaine McQueen, make up Black Violin.
They borrowed the name from an old jazz album, but Black Violin also expresses their identities as young men who mix the brashness and beats of urban hip-hop with the soaring
lines and fleet finger work of orchestral virtuosos.
What’s most amazing is how great it sounds. In addition to the funky “Brandenburg,” during a one-hour set the group explores old Motown riffs from the Temptations (“Ain’t No
Words to This Song”), contemporary hip-hop (the Fugees’ “Ready or Not”) and its own genre-busting compositions like “Jammin’,” which pairs insistent drumbeats and rap with fast
and furious strings. The musicians finished with Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida,” as if to say, “Yeah, we can do the Brit thing too.”
Black Violin’s performances also include an improvisatory interlude and what you might call “Dueling Viols,” a competition that Wil-B and Kev Marcus ask the audience to judge.
Along the way they promote education and practice. “I could not have done anything without the fundamentals — classical,” Wil-B said. It seems they’ve managed another ingenious
combination: hipness and wholesomeness. (Friday at 7 p.m., with a postshow discussion; Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday at noon and 5 p.m.; 209 West 42nd Street, Manhattan,
646-223-3010, newvictory.org; $12.50, $25 and $35; $8.75 to $24.50 for members.) LAUREL GRAEBER
‘ADVENTURES WITH DORA AND DIEGO’ (Friday through Sunday, and Tuesday through Thursday) The young Latino stars of the Nickelodeon animated television series “Dora the
Explorer” and “Go, Diego, Go!” have taken their expeditions into new territory at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, whose exhibition has separate Dora and Diego environments,
including Diego’s Animal Rescue Center and Dora’s Fiesta. Intended for ages 2 to 6, the interactive, bilingual displays are designed to teach language, science and music skills, as well
as facts about Latin America. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tisch Building, 212 West 83rd Street, (212) 721-1223, cmom.org. Free with museum admission: $10; $7 for 65+; free for under 1
and members.
‘ANNA’S PERFECT PARTY AND THE AMAZING MAGICIAN’S MARVELOUS MISTAKE’ (Saturday and Sunday) Young Anna, the heroine of this new play by Karin Diann Williams,
is a perfectionist, and her determination to have everything just right tends to make many matters go all wrong. In this production for ages 3 to 10 at the Looking Glass Theater, Anna
meets a magician whose attempts to satisfy her desire for the perfect spell cause unexpected complications. (Through April 5.) Saturdays at noon and 2 p.m.; Sundays at 2 and 4 p.m.;
422 West 57th Street, Clinton, (212) 352-3101, lookingglasstheatrenyc.com; $15; $12 for 12 and under.
‘ARCHAEOLOGY ZONE: DISCOVERING TREASURES FROM PLAYGROUNDS TO PALACES’ (Sunday through Thursday) Children will step into the shoes of an explorer like
Indiana Jones in this exhibition at the Jewish Museum, but the adventures will be purely scholarly. Still, there is plenty of excitement in analyzing artifacts like a jar handle, a clay jug
and a bangle and figuring out the purpose behind ancient pieces like a Greek helmet and a bull-shaped vessel. This interactive show also includes a recreated room from the Ottoman
period (about 1900), where young archaeologists can dress in costume. (Through June 15.) From 11 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. (until 8 p.m. on Thursdays), the Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth
Avenue, at 92nd Street, (212) 423-3200, thejewishmuseum.org. Free with admission: $12; $10 for 65+; $7.50 for students; free for under 12 and members.
BIG MOVIES FOR LITTLE KIDS (Monday) This series is intended to introduce small children (though all ages are welcome) to classic films. The latest show, “Curly Top” (1935), also
stars a classic performer: Shirley Temple, singing “Animal Crackers in My Soup” and other melodies from a more innocent age. At 4 p.m., Cobble Hill Cinemas, 265 Court Street, at
Butler Street, Brooklyn, (718) 596-4995, bigmoviesforlittlekids.blogspot.com; $6.50.
‘BUILDING BRAINSTORM’ (Friday through Sunday, and Wednesday and Thursday) The next generation of budding architects can try out their designs at this new exhibition at the
Brooklyn Children’s Museum. The bilingual display (English and Spanish) invites children to build model high-rises, houses and crawl-through spaces while devising solutions to
architectural and engineering challenges. The fun also includes working with textures and materials. (Through May 3.) Hours: Friday, Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 5 p.m.;
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 145 Brooklyn Avenue, at St. Marks Avenue, Crown Heights, (718) 735-4400, brooklynkids.org. Free with admission: $7.50; free for members
and under 1.
‘LA CENERENTOLA’ (Saturday and Sunday) Every culture seems to have its “Cinderella.” In this opera by Rossini, the wicked adult is a stepfather instead of a stepmother; the
helping hand comes from a philosopher; and the prince does some masquerading of his own. Part of Dicapo Opera Theater’s Opera for Kids series, this one-hour version is geared to
ages 6 and older. At 11 a.m., Dicapo Opera Theater, St. Jean Baptiste Church, 184 East 76th Street, Manhattan, (212) 288-9438, Ext. 10, dicapo.com; $20; $10 for children.
‘CENICIENTA’ (‘CINDERELLA’) (Saturday) The heroine could easily lose her glass slipper dancing the tango in this Latin-flavored musical from Teatro SEA, presented in an easily
understood combination of English and Spanish. The production also features a surprise: an unexpected character who fills in for the ill fairy godmother. (Through March 28.) At 3
p.m., Los Kabayitos Puppet and Children’s Theater, Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center, 107 Suffolk Street, at Rivington Street, Lower East Side, (212) 529-1545, sea-online.info;
$15; $12.50 for 2 to 12; free for under 2.
‘CIRCUS INCOGNITUS’ (Saturday) How can one man be an entire circus? Jamie Adkins, an alumnus of Cirque Éloize and Cirque du Soleil, demonstrates in this show. He can juggle,
clown, perform acrobatics and walk on a wire — sometimes simultaneously. At 1:30 p.m., TriBeCa Performing Arts Center, Borough of Manhattan Community College, 199 Chambers
Street, (212) 220-1460, tribecapac.org; $25.
‘DEAR EDWINA’ (Friday through Sunday, and Monday, Wednesday and Thursday) What if Ann Landers had been a child — and she could sing? Then she might have been Edwina
Spoonapple, the young heroine of this charming new musical by Zina Goldrich and Marcy Heisler (“Junie B. Jones”). Edwina is an advice columnist who delivers her counsel
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tunefully, and this show details her quest to be in a festival. (Through April 19.) Friday at 1 and 4 p.m.; Saturday at 1, 4 and 7 p.m.; Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1 and 4 p.m.; Monday at 1
and 4 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday at 1 p.m.; DR2 Theater, 103 East 15th Street, Manhattan, (212) 239-6200, dearedwina.com; $39.
‘THE FROG & THE WITCH’ (Saturday and Sunday) Pyx, the frog of the title, has a frog in his throat. Formerly a fantastic singer, he desperately consults a witch to cure his croaking.
Presented by Vital Children’s Theater in honor of Environmental Awareness Month (April), the show, with book and lyrics by Sammy Buck and music by Daniel S. Acquisto, also
encourages the witch to do something about her industrial-strength potions. (Through April 26.) At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., with a 2 p.m. art workshop to make frog sculptures this
Saturday; McGinn/Cazale Theater, 2162 Broadway, at 76th Street, fourth floor, (212) 579-0528, vitaltheatre.org; $20 for the show; $20 for children only in the workshop.
‘FROM STUDIO TO STAGE’ (Saturday) That’s the dance studio, and the stage where American Ballet Theater performs. On Saturday it will be found at the Lovinger Theater at the
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, where advanced students of the School of American Ballet will show balletomanes 4 and older just how this transition unfolds. Led by Katrina
Killian, a member of the faculty, the students will perform training exercises interspersed with ballet excerpts. At 5:30 p.m., 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, at Goulden Avenue,
Bedford Park, the Bronx, (212) 769-6600, abt.org; free.
‘THE HEY-YA BROTHERS’ (Sunday) Joel Jeske and Christopher Lueck are clowns, but you won’t see them donning red noses and frolicking around a circus ring. They’re clowns in
the tradition of Charlie Chaplin and the Three Stooges, and this 45-minute show, part of the Family Series at Urban Stages, includes a giant game of three-card monte, a battle waged
with balloons and a less-than-operatic rendition of “Musetta’s Waltz” from “La Bohème.” (Through April 5.) At 2 p.m., 259 West 30th Street, Manhattan, (212) 421-1380,
heyyabrothers.com; $10.
‘HOUSE ABOUT IT!’ (Friday through Sunday, and Tuesday through Thursday) This exhibition gives new meaning to playing house. Created by the Staten Island Children’s Museum,
the show, whose centerpiece is a child-size house under construction, introduces young visitors to all aspects of the building trades. Activity stations include an architect’s office, a
space to examine foundation materials and a workbench to practice sawing and drilling. The house offers opportunities for tiling and shingling, and a dollhouse lets young decorators
ponder fabrics and furnishings. Hours: Friday, and Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 1000 Richmond Terrace, Livingston, (718)
273-2060, statenislandkids.org. Free with admission: $5; free for members.
‘IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PARTY’ (Saturday and Sunday) Well, you probably already know what happens if you give a mouse a cookie. Manhattan Children’s Theater is continuing its
adaptations of Laura Joffe Numeroff’s best-selling “If” books with this new musical by Nancy Schaeffer (script) and B. Wolf (music and lyrics). (Through April 12.) At noon and 2
p.m., 52 White Street, near Church Street, TriBeCa,, (212) 352-3101, theatermania.com; $20; $50 for priority seating (first row), a signed program and a preshow meeting with the
cast.
‘MONKEY KING: JOURNEY TO THE WEST’ (Friday through Sunday) Diane Wolkstein and her fellow professional storytellers are prodigious masters of narrative, and in this case
you could say that they’re going head to head with Scheherazade: in 18 hours over 3 days they will offer a quasi-marathon account of “Monkey King: Journey to the West,” the
16th-century Chinese epic. Monkey King’s mystical powers rival those of a comic-book superhero, and he has lots of adventures during his travels with a monk, so it isn’t necessary to
experience the entire event, recommended for ages 8 and older, to enjoy it. Reservations are advised for one or more of the three days, in which Ms. Wolkstein and 25 other
storytellers take turns. Friday from 7 to 10 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; La Salle Academy, 44 East Second Street, East Village, (212)
929-6871, monkeykingepic.com; $40 for three-day admission; $25 for one day.
NEW YORK ROAD RUNNERS YOUTH JAMBOREE (Saturday) All young runners and jumpers, no matter what their ability, are invited to show their stuff in this competition, which
promises a ribbon and a T-shirt to each participant. It even offers rewards for spectators: an accompanying health fair, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with information on fitness, nutrition
and safety. Events for ages 4 to 10 are in the morning; those for 11 to 15 are in the afternoon. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (registration is at 8 a.m.), New Balance Track & Field Center at the
Armory, 216 Fort Washington Avenue, at 168th Street, Washington Heights, (646) 758-9675, nyrr.org; free for ages 15 and under; $2 for adults.
‘NIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLY: A MUSICAL FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR ADULTS’ (Sunday) A real encounter among a beetle, a caterpillar and a scorpion might easily lead to
someone’s being someone else’s dinner. But this trio is bound by friendship in this hourlong show about a quest, written by Zach Friedman, with music and lyrics by Dan Kitrosser
and additional material by Evan Green. (Through April 26.) At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., 45 Bleecker Street Theater, Greenwich Village, (212) 239-6200, nightofthebutterfly.com; $25.
‘PETER PAN AND ADVENTURES IN NEVERLAND’ (Friday through Sunday, and Tuesday through Thursday) New York might seem like a Neverland to many, and it is indeed the
setting of Zakiyyah Alexander’s new, Americanized adaptation of J. M. Barrie’s classic. Presented by the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater as a puppet musical (Daryl Kojak
composed the score), it also features a Tiger Lily who’s a native of India. (Through June.) Friday, and Tuesday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. and noon (with an additional 2:30 p.m.
show on Wednesday); Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.; 79th Street and the West Drive, Central Park, (212) 988-9093, cityparksfoundation.org; $8; $5 for 18 and under. Reservations
required.
‘PINKALICIOUS, THE MUSICAL’ (Saturday and Sunday) It’s time to think pink again. This show for ages 4 to 12, from Vital Children’s Theater, is in yet another revival, so if you
missed it earlier, you can catch it now at the Bleecker Street Theater. Elizabeth and Victoria Kann have adapted their children’s book, in which the pink-obsessed title character finds
out that sometimes being in the pink can be too much of a good thing. (John Gregor wrote the score and some of the lyrics.) (Through April 26.) At 1 p.m.; 45 Bleecker Street, at
Lafayette Street, East Village, (212) 239-6200, vitaltheatre.org; $29.50.
PRESERVATION DETECTIVES’ FAMILY TOURS (Sunday) The Lower East Side has transformed over the last century, but the past still comes vibrantly alive in many of its corners.
One is the Eldridge Street Synagogue, the landmark 1887 building where many Jewish immigrants worshiped. Now the Museum at Eldridge Street, the organization that restored the
synagogue, is leading a family tour every Sunday. Children 5 to 10 can view artifacts, investigate neighborhood and cultural lore and this month learn about Jewish heroes. At 1 p.m.,
12 Eldridge Street, between Canal and Division Streets, (212) 219-0302, eldridgestreet.org; $10; $8 for students and 62+; $6 for ages 5 through 18.
‘A SEASON IN THE CONGO’ (Friday through Sunday) This rarely produced play by Aimé Césaire, the Surrealist poet from Martinique, details the turbulent history of Congo’s first
year of independence and the actions of its leader Patrice Lumumba. Presented by teenage actors for an adolescent audience, it is intended to help foster an understanding of
contemporary crises in Africa. (Through April 5.) Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2:30 p.m.; Castillo Theater, 543 West 42nd Street, Clinton,, (212) 356-8449,
castillo.org; $25; $10 for students and 65+.
TAP PROJECT WATER WALK(Sunday) Children in the United States usually take clean water for granted; those in the third world often can’t. This Unicef-sponsored walk for young
people and their families, on World Water Day, is to raise awareness of the problem, and funds for its solution. The distance is only a mile, but participants will carry up to one gallon
of water to express solidarity with those who must seek and transport it every day. Registration for the walk, which begins and ends in front of the Castle Clinton National Monument
in Battery Park, Lower Manhattan, is at 9 a.m.; walk begins at 10.(877) 776-5827, tapproject.org/nywalk; free, but a minimum of $10 in donations or pledges is suggested.
TENNIS LESSONS(Saturdays and Sundays) Aspiring Venus Williamses and Andy Roddicks can get into the swing of things long before summer at this free program, sponsored by
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the New York Junior Tennis League. Open to children ages 6 through 18, the sessions, held in all five boroughs through March, include not only tennis instruction but also special
events and a concluding tournament. Tennis equipment is available for loan; parents must register their children onsite. More information and a full list of locations:(347) 417-8157,
nyjtl.org.
‘TREASURE ISLAND’ (Saturday and Sunday) Yo, ho ho and a bottle of rum. Well, this production won’t emphasize rum, but it will offer plenty of pirate antics. A musical adaptation
by Michael Sgouros and Brenda Bell, the show, recommended for ages 5 and older, is presented by Literally Alive Children’s Theater. A preshow workshop includes a discussion of
Stevenson’s novel and an art project. (Through May 10.) Workshop at 10 a.m., show at 11; Players Theater, 115 Macdougal Street, near Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, (212)
352-3101, literallyalive.com; $25; $20 for children; workshop, $5 for children, free for adults.
‘YO, JONAH!’ (Sunday) In this biblical musical, Jonah is like a defiant child. Steve Brennan, who wrote the book (the music and lyrics are by Clay Zambo), plays on the idea of God
the Father and God the father: the all-knowing deity and the ultimate parent. Geared to children 4 through 10, the production, by the Poppy Seed Players, also features plenty of
humor: the whale is played by a seven-foot pool toy. At 11 a.m., Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street, Manhattan, (212) 501-3330, kaufman-center.org; $20.
Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
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3/26/09 10:59 AM
Review of Black Violin at the New Victory Theater - Time Out New York Kids
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Time Out New York Kids / Issue 41 : Mar 1–31, 2009
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http://www.timeout.com/newyork/kids/articles/things-to-do/72602/review-of-black-violin-at-the-new-victory-...
New Victory Theater. Conceived and designed by Wilner Baptiste and Kevin
Sylvester. 60 min. No intermission.
The seats at the New Victory
really get in the way during
Black Violin, a raucous,
rousing, genre-busting
performance piece that dares
the audience to get up and
dance—assuming you can find
the space. (Security won’t let
you on stage, so don’t even
try.) The band, particularly
frontmen Wilner Baptiste and
Kevin Sylvester, encourage
everyone to defy convention
and follow their instincts, just
as the two men did when they Black Violin
decided to combine their
Photo by Colin Brennan
virtuosic violin and viola skills
with their love of hip-hop. The Miami-based duo has played with the likes of P. Diddy and
Alicia Keys and is one of the few groups out there that fuses seemingly incongruous musical
styles, from reggae to rap, jazz to classical. They count Shostakovich and Jay-Z among their
influences, and during this hour-long set they cover the Fugees, J.S. Bach and Cold Play.
But their self-titled show is more than just a concert. Decked out in jeans and oversize tees,
the guys—who met at a Florida public high school where they began to develop their
signature stylistic mash-up—engage in adorably goofy banter, freestyle and even do battle
just as rappers do, only with strings instead of stinging remarks. They also chat about their
humble beginnings, and share the cliché but clearly heartfelt message that kids should follow
their dreams, no matter how offbeat.
It should be noted that a number of folks walked out during the show, so it’s definitely not for
everyone. (If the subway’s too loud for you, bring earplugs.) Then again, there were a lot of
adult fans there sans kids. Black Violin is not your parents’ kids’ show—unless mom and dad
happen to have Nas on their iPod. If you’re a parent like me, you probably do.—Raven Snook
Black Violin is playing at the New Victory Theater through Mar 22. Tickets: $12.50—$35.
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3/26/09 10:57 AM
Black Violin
http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/showrevprint.php?t=blac7201
Black Violin
nytheatre.com review
Rohana Elias-Reyes ! March 14, 2009
Kids have no expectations about what a violin should or should not do; neither do Kev Marcus and Wil-B of Black Violin. They move comfortably between genres: from jazz to rap,
from hip-hop to classical, and since they have the chops to back it up, this is a beautiful thing.
The New Victory Theater is another beautiful thing. It's a gorgeous little theater, and more than that, it's an organization that gets kids and their parents. I arrived juggling a bag of
swim class gear with a sleeping kid slung over my shoulder and another in desperate need of a bathroom. No problem. The bathroom was clean and complete with a stool, the
theater has lockers where you can stow your kid's stuff free of charge, and no fewer than three staff members asked me if they could help. "That's ok," I said, as I gently placed my
son on the ground, loaded up the locker, and then stepped back...on to my son's hand. Amazingly he woke up in a good mood and ready to hear some music.
So in we went to my kids' first hip-hop concert experience complete with smoke machine, body-vibrating beats from drummer Beatdown, and scratching and mixing from DJ TK. My
five-year-old daughter was instantly mesmerized and shortly busting moves that she must've learned in her Brooklyn kindergarten. Her three-year-old little brother was throwing his
hands in the air and clapping along to the irresistible beat. That being said, do heed the recommendation that the show is best for kids six and up; though my kids had a great time,
they were really too young and sticking out the last 15 minutes was tough for them.
I would have liked more consistent balance during the performance. There were moments when the tracks from DJ TK and the rhythm from Beatdown were so powerful, and just so
loud, that I could barely hear Kev or Wil-B. Whenever I could hear the strings, they were great. Will-B played his viola "Tiffany" to great effect on the Fugees "Ready or Not" and both
shone in an interpretation of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, though they neglected to mention the composer or work, and simply announced they were going to play "some
classical." A fun part of the show was a playing contest between the two musicians.
In the end, Black Violin is not an edgier more urban Little Einsteins and its mission is not to teach kids that allegro means fast or adagio means slow. However, the kids may learn that
freestyle is another way to say improvise; that old-school can mean the Temptations, Slick Rick and Doug E Fresh, or someone really old school—like Johann Sebastian Bach; and that
all of these things and more are fair game for a couple of string players, a DJ, and a drummer. In fact, if the kids are really paying attention, they may notice that members of Black
Violin don't just make music—they are constantly listening and responding to each other through music. So while the set the group played is probably identical to what they do for an
adult audience, there is a great takeaway for kids: if you work hard and you love what you do, not only can playing the violin be really cool, it is also a lot of fun.
Copyright ©2009 The New York Theatre Experience, Inc. All rights reserved.
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3/26/09 11:00 AM