The first song on Black Violin’s 2021 Grammy-nominated album “Take the Stairs” is lyrical and lovely. “Rise” showcases the classical music chops of violist Wil Baptiste and violinist Kev Marcus, professional string musicians who have been playing together since meeting more than 18 years ago in an orchestra class at the Dillard Center for the Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
If a listener didn’t know the duo was renowned for merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals, the second song on the album, “One Step,” would come as a welcome surprise. Starting with the line “Standing on a land mine, singing hallelujah” and continuing with instrumental ingenuity and lyrics that point to overcoming obstacles and reaching for a better future, the composition varies mightily from what came before it.
Throughout the album, the music Baptiste and Marcus have created defies categorization (although others have referred to it as “classical boom”). Elements of hip-hop share space with classical music riffs, impossibly high notes are hit on a regular basis, and the duo make their respective instruments earn their keep in songs such as “Showoff” and “Unbreakable.”
Another thing that stands out about “Take the Stairs” are the messages of hope layered within pieces such as “One Step,” “Dreamers,” “Lost in the Garden” and “Impossible is Possible” — a song that seems to be aimed at young people who aren’t aware their talent can take them places, and that the lyrics “we can do anything, we can go anywhere” apply to everyone willing to take a chance on themselves.
Marcus and Baptiste are themselves prime examples of how hard work, ingenuity and self-confidence can change the trajectory of one’s life. Although neither musician had the inclination to play stringed instruments when they met — Baptiste wanted to master the saxophone, and Marcus was forced to take the class by his mother — it wasn’t long before they both became enamored of what happened when they connected bows with strings.
Early collaborations provided clues they had something special, but it wasn’t until Marcus and Baptiste reconvened after college to produce beats for South Florida rappers that their careers really took off. In 2005, Black Violin won “Showtime at the Apollo,” and the band went on to sell out stages across the country.
Pre-pandemic, Black Violin was playing more than 200 shows a year. But in addition to bringing their genre-defying sounds to big-name venues and far-flung locales, many of their performances were for young, low-income students in urban communities. In 2019 alone, the group played for more than 100,000 students. The shows were meant to entertain, but they also existed to challenge preconceived notions of what a classical musician looks and sounds like.
“The stereotypes are always there, embedded so deep in our culture,” Baptiste said. “Just by the 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.”
During the pandemic lockdown, Baptiste and Marcus continued to make connections with their fans and burgeoning musicians. They performed through the live-streaming platform StageIt, and provided musical education outreach by hosting a free Masterclass Series on their YouTube channel. Meanwhile, they continued to raise funds for their nonprofit, the Black Violin Foundation, which provides scholarships and grants to youth who are eager to continue their musical education.
For now, Baptiste, Marcus and their bandmates — drummer Nat Stokes and DJ SPS — are back on the road, bringing their “Impossible Tour” to venues across the United States, including a stop in Bellingham on Friday, March 11 at the Mount Baker Theatre. In addition to hearing hits from “Take the Stairs,” the audience should also expect to be thoroughly entertained, energized and yes, even enlightened.
“We’re big Black guys,” Marcus said during a recent televised interview on CBS This Morning. “We should be playing basketball and football. Like, no one ever expected us to play violin. When you do something that you’re not supposed to, it can change the way people see you.”
In addition to Black Violin’s performance, the Mount Baker Theatre will play host to talented trios throughout the weekend. “An Evening with The Wailin’ Jennys” brings longtime collaborators Nicky Mehta, Ruth Moody and Heather Masse to the MBT stage at 7:30 p.m Saturday, March 12 to showcase the Americana folk-pop that has been their trademark for more than 15 years. In addition to hearing the singers’ classically trained voices, instruments such as guitar, banjo, bodhran, drums, ukulele and upright bass will also make appearances.
At 3 p.m. Sunday, March 12, “Bessie, Billie, & Nina: Pioneering Women in Jazz” will celebrate the longtime legacies of Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone.
Following the trajectories of their respective careers from the Jim Crow-era South through the 1960s — where they wielded their talents to combat racial prejudice, sexism and poverty — vocalists Charenee Wade, Vanisha Gould and Tahira Clayton will bring the women back to vibrant life for a memorable afternoon. Backed by an all-female band and produced by Grammy award-winning Eli Wolf, the tribute promises to be something special.
Black Violin performs at 7:30 p.m Friday, March 11 at the Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. Tickets are $25-$42. Info: mountbakertheatre.com
