A Few Minutes With Black Violin

Not to mention that Black Violin breaks the conventional mold of what you’d expect a couple of violinists to sound like, thanks to the group’s blend of hip hop and classical music. To be more specific, Kev Marcus plays the violin and Baptiste is on viola and vocals. The musicians are joined on tour by a drummer and DJ. Baptist says the duo’s heavy tour schedule, between 150-200 shows a year, is what’s helped the group continue to evolve.

He and Marcus first met in high school orchestra class at Dillard High School of the Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. After attending different colleges and then reconnecting to produce other artists, they formed Black Violin over 10 years ago. Since then they’ve won “Showtime at the Apollo,” worked with a range of artists including Kanye West, Tom Petty and Aerosmith; performed at President Obama’s 2013 inauguration. But they haven’t forgotten the importance of high school orchestra class. The duo gives back by regularly putting on special shows and workshops for students while on tour.  

Black Violin’s latest LP and major label debut, Stereotypes, is due out Sept. 18 on Universal Music Classics. Produced by Eli Wolf, the album features special guests MCs Pharoahe Monche and Black Thought, along with singers Melanie Fiona and Kandace Springs, guitarist Eric Krasno (Soulive), pianist Robert Glasper, drummer Daru Jones (Jack White), and string arranger Rob Moose.

You played New York last night. How’s the tour been going? 

Tour’s been going great. We’ve been playing the new material on the album and we actually debuted eight new songs in Cleveland Heights. It was received very, very well. We have a huge amount of fans in Cleveland so it was just great. We’re in New York doing a whole bunch of press stuff and we just did a little album release performance last night in Rockwood in New York. 

Let’s take a look at a bit of the band’s history. Can you talk about the decision to concentrate on Black Violin rather than producing other artists? 

We had the whole label thing going and we had two artists, a rapper and a singer that we were pushing  … we started noticing how receptive the crowd was when we performed with our artist, just Kev and I [backing] the artist, just playing violins. We noticed as soon as we starting playing the way that the energy changed. When we tried to sign our artist to this production deal, they [declined] to sign the contract. It’s funny, it’s something that we talk about to this day because they’re our good friends; we’ve known them for years. When they declined it, we were just like, “OK, well let’s just try this – just me and you, Kev. Let’s do this Black Violin artist thing.” And that’s literally how it started.

From then we really just started putting medleys together and performing in all the clubs in Miami. Our first big thing I guess back then was Timbaland’s birthday party. And we just went to the club and we’re like, “Listen, we want to perform at this party.” And obviously the promoter turned us down. We wouldn’t take no for an answer. So our manager at the time, he pumped his trunk and he played the music out and we just [got] the violins out and played right in front of the club. This was like around 6 p.m., 7 p.m. so no one was at the club at the time. But we created a crowd around the club while we were just playing. [The promoter] noticed that [and] he was like, “Aw, that’s kind of cool. Come back around 9:30. Let’s see what we can do.” We would do a whole bunch of that kind of stuff in the very beginning of our career, like literally 12-13 years ago.

Winning at “Showtime at the Apollo” also had an affect on your career.

Oh yeah, I mean, Apollo’s the Apollo. (laughs) … Just being on that stage and rubbing that log. I mean, I was watching Apollo since I knew what TV was. You know what I’m saying? And to be on that show and compete, it was just incredible. We were definitely nervous, though. I remember being downstairs and three acts got booed off stage before we got on stage. So we were looking at these violins and were just, “Oh man, I don’t know.”  But it’s funny, everyone that was working there gave us confidence. … We sound checked and they saw the sound check. … One of the guys was like, “You have nothing to worry about. Trust me, you guys are going to win every single show.” And that’s exactly what happened.

You had the chance to perform at President Obama’s inauguration in 2013. How did that come about and what was that experience like?

Aw, man. That was one of the highlights of our career, for sure. Actually, one of the guys that was in charge of putting the inaugurations together came to one of our Broadway shows in 2012 and brought his kids and he really enjoyed the show so when they were putting everything together he wanted us to perform for the kids’ inauguration, and that was incredible by itself. And then he asked us to perform at the actual inauguration, the day after show. And that’s kind of how that came out.

It was just an incredible event … just being there backstage with Alicia Keys and Smokey Robinson and Jamie Foxx and all these celebrities and being able to meet the President and shake his hand and tell him, “Thank you for making this night special.” It was just incredible to be in that same room.

Stereotypes is your major label debut. What made you decide to sign with Universal?

Well, we had a few offers on the table from Universal, Sony and some other independent labels and we just felt like Universal Classic had this family-oriented type of vibe. It’s very personable, I can call anyone from the President to the intern and everyone’s just very, very cool. It’s made up of a majority [of] women. But you know what they say, women rule the world. I mean, if there was a woman president I think there would be less issues in the world, particularly in this country.

So I mean, it’s a really, really great vibe here. We just felt really comfortable from the very beginning and we met with different labels trying to figure out exactly what our next step was going to be. And it wasn’t even a question, just how they welcomed us, and not only that. They allowed us to completely be who we are and they didn’t want to change us in any way. They wanted to accept us the way that we are, which is huge for us. Because we’ve been doing this for 10-11 years and we’ve been successful –150 shows a year and touring around the world. We know what it takes. So to have a label come approach us, they had to approach us in that manner. That’s the main reason we decided to go Universal Classic because they allowed us to just be who we are.

That’s great because sometimes you hear about the indie labels having a more family vibe or giving artists more freedom so that’s nice you got that with a major.  

Yeah, obviously I can’t speak for everybody but we’ve definitely been having a really great experience with this label. I’m actually at the office right now because we have another video interview. We just stopped by to just talk to them and figure out some things. It’s been pretty good so far. The album comes out Sept. 18. They’re working their butts off, you know. And we’re here to help them in any way. It just feels good.

The new album has been described as the release where you “graduate from multi-genre curiosity to ambitious innovators.” What can you tell us about the evolution of Black Violin over the past few years?

It really comes down to just performance. We’ve performed consistently 150 to 200 shows a year. Doing that, as an artist, you’re able to grow in a way that you can’t if you’re in the studio every day. So it’s a very, very unique way to grow and it’s the best way, to me, to grow. As far as [being] the vocalist in the group, I had to really come out of my shell and I had no choice (laughs) because I had 150 shows [per year]. … The growth and where we are right now with this album from the previous, I mean you can just hear the difference, sonically and just in every way. It’s a natural evolution. And [it’s] mainly because of the performances and the shows that we’ve done and the confidence that we have in what we’re doing. We’re so blessed to be able to grow as artists in that way. Not a lot of artists can tour like we do. But people love us (laughs) and we’re able to tour. 

What’s your live show like? You tour with a drummer and also somehow on a turntable.

Yes, we tour with a drummer, Nat Stokes, and our DJ is DJ SPS. And obviously Kev on the violin. Our show is high-energy. It’s basically a rock concert where we’re playing violins. We tell people all the time, our show is just about leaving all the issues and problems at home and coming to a Black Violin concert and completely [being] free.

It’s incredible that we’re able to do that because that’s what music is all about. It’s about expression, obviously. If we can play a song and it brings out some emotion, whether it’s sadness or happiness or whatever, we feel like we’ve done our job. That’s what coming to a Black Violin concert is all about, having a great time and bringing the whole family, whether it’s your cousin, your father, your mother, your kids, bring them all. Even that uncle or that cousin that you really don’t like, bring him too and you guys can have a good time together and have a good conversation after the show.

We encourage the crowd to stand up and dance and just be free. (laughs) Don’t do anything too crazy; they might kick you out of the theatre. But it’s just about having a good time and being free to be who you are. For an hour and a half, cut loose.   

You’ve been quoted as saying your goal as a performer is for people to return home and be better people. Can you talk about your vision for Stereotypes? Right off the bat with the first few tracks, the album includes positive messages and social commentary.

Absolutely. We understand as artists we have responsibilities, we have a lot of fans, a lot of kids who really, really look up to us. This album is called Stereotypes and one of the main reasons why is because, you know, we’re two big black guys playing the violin. I mean, we’re breaking stereotypes every time we step on stage. The violin is our vehicle to change perspectives and to do something different that nobody has even done. We tell the kids and adults alike the same thing. We tell them, “Listen, it’s not necessarily about the violin, It’s about doing something different with your passion, whatever that thing is that you cannot stop thinking about.” … So, that’s pretty much our message – think outside the box, reach for the stars and be who you are, don’t be afraid to be different. I think our album really embodies and empowers that message. 

What was it like working with producer Eli Wolf?

It was great working with him. When the label suggested Eli Wolf, we were like, “Definitely.” He worked with Norah Jones and Robert Glasper, artists that we’re definitely fans of. We thought it would be a really, really great pairing because he’s worked with a lot of diverse artists. We’re as diverse as you can get. … I think we both kind of approached the project [as a] blank canvas. It worked out.

Do you have any favorite tracks from Stereotypes?

Definitely the first one, “Stereotypes.” I love performing that one. “Another Chance” is dope; I like that. I like all of them (laughs). Let’s see … “Runnin’” is one of my favorites too. And … “Magic,” for sure. (laughs) If I keep going I’ll mention the whole album.

Stereotypes features several special guests on the album. I love the song “Invisible,” with Pharoahe Monch.  

I mean, he just completely destroyed that record. He completely embodied what the song is about. When we started thinking about an MC that we wanted on that song it was just a no-brainer. Like, I knew he would have done that. (laughs) I’m not even surprised that he killed it.

You and Kev are really passionate about music education. You’ve visited with thousands of kids over the years. Do you still make time to visit schools?

Definitely. A lot of times what happens is the theatres [will] put that in their program. We’ll get there and we’ll do a morning show and we’ll do a workshop maybe after the show. And then do the night show. We definitely try and encourage the theatres to bring the community out, not only that but bring the kids out. … If there’s no time to do an actual show [for the kids], we’re open to going to one of the schools and doing a workshop. It’s something that we not only enjoy but we feel like it’s needed. We’ve got to build these younger kids that probably don’t really like classical music, probably don’t even really understand what it is. We can approach it in a different way. They can see the instrument in a different way. And open their minds. [They won’t] necessarily pick up the violin, but maybe listen to a classical piece.

Do you have any advice for kids who are just starting out with music?

The key for us is just to be yourself because no one can really express what I’m expressing or play the way that I’m playing. They can, I guess, be better than me but they can’t necessarily express what I’m expressing. We’ve been blessed to be able to just be ourselves and people are really, really receptive to it. So that’s one of the main things I would tell a young kid that’s playing an instrument. Also, patience. Particularly the violin, it’s one of those instruments that we come across so many people who played it in fourth grade or fifth grade and quit. You get frustrated very, very easily picking up an instrument because you’re listening to professional musicians play really well and you’re like, “Argh! I want to get to their level.” So it takes a lot of patience. … You learn how to be patient so you can be patient with everything else in your life.

Upcoming dates for Black Violin:

Sept. 10 – Beacon, N.Y., Towne Crier Cafe
Sept. 11 – Natick, Mass., The Center For Arts In Natick     
Sept. 25 – Flint, Mich., Flint Cultural Center            
Sept. 26 – Oxford, Ohio, Miami University  
Sept. 30 – Lawrence, Kan., Lied Center Of Kansas
Oct. 2 – St. Louis, Mo., Sheldon Concert Hall         
Oct. 6 – Madison, Wis.,  Private Function         
Oct. 7 – Eau Claire, Wis., Univ. Of Wisconsin         
Oct. 8 – Wausau, Wis., Grand Theater          
Oct. 10 – Minneapolis, Minn., Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant        
Oct. 15 – Fort Wayne, Ind., Embassy Theatre          
Oct. 17 – Bloomington, Ind., Buskirk-Chumley Theater      
Oct. 18 – Chicago, Ill, City Winery Chicago
Oct. 20 – Twin Falls, Idaho, Fine Arts Auditorium  
Oct. 21 – Hailey, Idaho, Private Function     
Oct. 24 – Fort Collins, Colo., Lincoln Center
Oct. 25 – Denver, Colo., The Oriental Theater          
Nov. 1 – Coral Gables, Fla., University Of Miami    
Nov. 5 – Bethlehem, Pa., Musikfest Cafe At ArtsQuest Center       
Nov. 6 – York, Pa., Strand-Capitol Perf. Arts Center           
Nov. 7 – Cheverly, Md., Publick Playhouse  
Nov. 8 – Philadelphia, Pa., World Cafe Live            
Nov. 14 – Brooklyn, N.Y., Brooklyn Ctr. For Performing Arts       
Nov. 15 – Purchase, N.Y., Performing Arts Center  
Nov. 17 – Red Bank, N.J., Count Basie Theatre       
Nov. 19 – Old Saybrook, Conn., Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center
Nov. 20 – Galloway, N.J., Stockton Performing Arts Center           
Jan. 12 – Sarasota, Fla., Van Wezel Perf. Arts Hall  
Jan. 15 – Chandler, Ariz., Chandler Center For The Arts     
Jan. 16 – Saratoga, Calif., Carriage House Theatre   
Jan. 19 – Lancaster, Calif., Lancaster Performing Arts Center         
Jan. 21 – Goldsboro, N.C., Paramount Theatre         
Jan. 22 – Durham, N.C., Carolina Theatre     
Jan. 23 – Greenville, N.C., East Carolina University
Feb. 3 – Tampa, Fla., Ferguson Hall  
Feb. 5 – Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Parker Playhouse
Feb. 9 – Lufkin, Texas, Middle School Auditorium
Feb. 12 – Lubbock, Texas, Allen Theater      
Feb. 20 – San Diego, Calif., Jacobs Center For Neighborhood Innovation  
Feb. 22 – Santa Rosa, Calif., Wells Fargo Center For The Arts        
Feb. 23 – Santa Rosa, Calif., Wells Fargo Center For The Arts        
Feb. 24 – Portland, Ore., Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall      
Feb. 25 – Tacoma, Wash., Broadway Center For The Perf. Arts      
March 3 – Jacksonville, Fla., The Ritz Theatre
March 6 – Tallahassee, Fla., Ruby Diamond Auditorium     
March 11 – Dayton, Ohio, Victoria Theatre  
March 12 – Evanston, Ill., SPACE    
March 24 – Charlotte, N.C., Knight Theater
March 26 – High Point, N.C., High Point Theatre    
April 4 – Blue Bell, Pa., Science Center Theatre
April 9 – Memphis, Tenn., Orpheum Theatre            
April 22 – Belle Glade, Fla., Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center

For more information please visit BlackViolin.net, along with the duo’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages.