The international toe-tapping, hand-clapping, soul-stirring theatrical experience highlights the range and artistry of virtuoso string musicians.
With St. Patrick’s Day just weeks away, classically-trained jazz violinist Lenny Solomon is bringing the Celtic-tinged Bowfire to Symphony Hall on Thursday.
The international toe-tapping, hand-clapping, soul-stirring theatrical experience highlights the range and artistry of virtuoso string musicians, who with one sweep of the bow bring audiences on a journey across musical time and styles from a Celtic rhythm to a hip-hop beat or seamlessly sliding from Led Zeppelin to Brahms.
“This is really a new direction in string performance. At one point a number of years ago, the concept of a fiddle player on stage with a violinist was not looked upon very favorably. But the level of fiddle playing has risen in the past number of years to a high level of sophistication and expertise,” said Solomon, the show’s creator.
“That combined with the ability for classical musicians to be flexible and open to other possibilities has made for a beautiful playing field where I can bring two worlds together, not just fiddle and classical music, but introducing some great rock and jazz exponents to it, as well,” he added.
Each of the performers in Bowfire is renowned as a leading interpreter of their respective violin and fiddle styles. “They are all soloists in their own right and the level of performance is incredibly high,” said Solomon.
Several are also blessed with incredible voices and can tap and step dance, talents amply displayed throughout the string showcase. They’ve attended prestigious music schools such as Julliard and McGill, competed in – and won – respected international music, voice and dance competitions and conquered a vast range of genres, from classical to Celtic, from bluegrass to jazz, from rock to klezmer, and virtually everything in between. On stage, equally gifted musicians on cello, bass, percussion, guitar and piano back up the violinists and fiddlers.
“We’re very much a mutual admiration society on stage. We are all learning from one another. And, if you were backstage, you would always find something going on in our dressing rooms, whether it is rehearsing or just holding an informal workshop sharing our different styles,” said Solomon.
The musical mash-up in a Bowfire performance can include a Brahms Hungarian dance, a Stevie Wonder medley, an Astor Piazzollo tango, klezmer, traditional and bluegrass fiddle tunes,Texas swing, pop, rock, jazz and hip hop, as well as original works by Solomon. Instead of remaining sedentary behind music stands, the players move energetically throughout the show, taking turns in the spotlight – their musical performance being further highlighted by special lighting, choreography and costumes. And when the fiddle players simultaneously show their step-dancing prowess, the audience will often find themselves rising to their feet and clapping along.
Bowfire have released several CDs including their latest, “New Flame,” on the FrostByte Media label, featuring many of the selections currently in the Bowfire live show, including a rousing “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme song and three songs written by Solomon. Other releases include “Bowfire Holiday Heart Strings” from 2010 and “Highlights from Bowfire Live in Concert” from 2008.
Solomon noted that their inclusion of the “James Bond Theme” on their new CD had a “cute” story behind it.
“A couple of years ago we got a call from one of Sean Connery’s sons. It turns out that Bowfire is one of Sean’s favorite groups. So, his son flew us down to the Bahamas to celebrate the James Bond actor’s 80th birthday. He was up step dancing with us and it was just a fabulous night. He was so warm and generous, and we just had the best time there,” said Solomon.