By Winner Tracee Bond, NDG Special Entertainment Contributor
Black Violin, simply stated, is just what it says it is. The problem is there was nothing simple about this duo of classically trained instrumentalists who were so high strung on their violins that the audience was left with a complex state of emotions driven by the innocence of the music that shattered every single stereotype known to man given this situation. What situation? The situation whereby two young black males meet in a seventh grade orchestra class in Miami, Florida and spend the next 20 years honing their craft into an international success playing to standing-room only crowds as the Headliner at sold out venues.
The Kessler Theater, an amazing sound studio, was the perfect venue for the acoustical tribute with arrangements featuring Bach, Bruno Mars, Sam Smith/Marvin Gay and classical selections such as Ava Maria and Virtuoso. When it seemed there could be absolutely no more surprises, Wil B starting belting out his own notes, in a deep, sexy voice that could make a run for his money with his diverse instrumental talent. Special highlights were his solo serenading his violin Tiffany, and of course, other selections from Black Violin’s own CD which included Addiction and Stereotypes. Their final gift to the crowd was an amazing musical tribute to Prince and the crowd was in full party mode at that time.
Wilner Baptiste (Wil B) and Kevin Sylvester (Kev Marcus) are equally talented, thirty-something musicians who shared the stage with a genuine respect for one another during individual and collective collaborations. Their mission is positive and their talent is undeniable. In addition, there’s much to be said about the drummer, Nat Stokes and DJ Espy whose raw talent solidified the entire presence of the group. From the moment the lights went down, Kev Marcus played his violin with a smile that never broke regardless of the genre of music he played, and Wil B spoke with the bass of a community activist who communicated his frustrations and appreciation of life through melodic temperaments. Beyond the music, these young, black brothers have a message that is loud and clear. They want young people to realize that they earned full scholarships to college by thinking outside the box, breaking stereotypes and doing things in a way that no one has ever done. This path has allowed them to pay their own bills, travel around the world, be musical guests for President Barack Obama and share the stage with other famous musicians such as Alicia Keyes, Kanye West and Linkin Park. In their own words, they took on a classical foundation and added their own spices, sauce and stank. It seems to be a true recipe for success.
With so much energy and enthusiasm, it is hard to believe this was their 69th show of the year. Call it youthfulness if you want, but I’m afraid it has to be attributed to a strong sense of self and the positive message Black Violin is giving back to the community that surrounds them. DFW should be grateful for the opportunity to have witnessed the rare treat and hopefully after touring internationally to Berlin, Milan, London and Brussels, we’ll be put back on the calendar for another chance to be woefully and appreciatively, strung along once again. In the meantime, the wise thing to do would be to grab any or all of their CD’s which include titles such as Classically Trained, Unleashed I and II, Ringtones and Stereotypes.
