This Sunday (October 6), new uptown multi-media arts space and bar, Gasa Gasa is hosting perhaps one of the most unique little shows to hit a neighborhood haunt in a minute. Though New Orleans is not wont for intimate music sets with big musicians in say, tradtitional jazz, funk, brass or rock, it is rare to find an evening of string music that is neither a Louisiana Philharmonic chamber performance nor R&B pop concert. But on October 6, five classically trained but urban-dwelling and genre-defying boundary pushers come together for a show dubbed “Strung Out: A Night of Eclectic String Things.”

The roster of musicians appearing Sunday is an impressive crew of Julliard grads and local progressives, including recent University of New Orleans alumni and NOCCA student, Trenton Thomas. In a city bathed in horns and drums, too often it seems some of the rising prodigies of instruments like the violin get overlooked, especially if they do not fit neatly into one specific box — such as classical or pop. Flying under the radar there is clearly an experimental scene happening in New Orleans, one that finds orchestral players touring with the likes of Jay-Z and producing their own music more fit for art galleries or even dance floors.

Sunday’s show will feat five artists, two of whom are visiting the Crescent City while on tour and three local musicians. Mazz Swift is an acoustic and electric violinist from New York who has performed and recorded with icons like Whitney Houston, Perry Farrell (of Jane’s Addiction and Lollapalooza fame), Kanye West and Jay-Z, but also has appearances on national stages under belt such as those National Action Network’s 20th Annual Keepers of the Dream awards ceremony with President Obama, the “TODAY” show, TEDxWomen and Con Vivo.

 

 

 

 

 

Performing solo and duet with Mazz is Tarrah Reynolds, a recent New Orleans transplant from Brooklyn, who also shares Julliard School training like Swift, as well as prestigious touring gigs with pop stars Alicia Keys, U2, Maxwell, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill and more. Though she too will perform violin, most of Reynolds original songwriting will be presented on guitar, a diversity ranging from classical to experimental to folk. A violinist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, She says that “while Juilliard solidified my classical training, Irealized that my passion for music could not be fulfilled sitting in an orchestra.”  This would certainly explain why you might have caught her performing violin and vocals with Maya Azucena at this year’s Essence Music Festival in the Louisiana Superdome or recording music for film scores at the new Esplanade Studios here in New Orleans.

 

 

Traveling with Swift is New York guitarist Howard Fishman, a composer and bandleader whose body of work is largely jazz and Americana, but whose personal interpretations of the “American songbook” have been regarded as unique storytelling. His performance Sunday is his only public show while in New Orleans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cellist Monica McIntyre is clearly one the burgeoning New Orleans music scene artists that you may not know by name just yet, but whom you almost certainly have heard at grassroots festivals, neighborhood block parties and venues like the Allways Lounge an Cafe Istanbul on the increasingly hip St. Claude Avenue arts district strip. A self-proclaimed community activist and healer, she brings traditional cello techniques like slapping and plucking to blends of blues, soul, classical, jazz, reggae and Middle Eastern sounds. McIntyre released her new CD, It Soon Come just last month at Cafe Istanbul. She will be the sole cellist on stage at Sunday’s set.

 

Louisiana native, Trenton Thomas (T-Ray the Violinist to his friends and fellow music heads) rounds out the truly eclectic “Strung Out” roster with a taste of new music from his forthcoming debut project, The Road Less Traveled, in which he  explores “the misconception that the violin is not an instrument of mainstream R&B and hip-hop.” Thomas has already collaborated with a range of renowned local artists such as Charmaine Neville and Cash Money hip-hop DJ/producer, Raj Smoove, among others. He is also featured as a cast musician for the locally-produced musical play, Hip Hop Is Alive, which has debuted at the New Orleans, Atlanta and Chicago Fringe Festivals, and has been heard experimenting live with local DJ RQaway around town.

 

 

Sunday’s show at Gasa Gasa (4920 Freret Street) begins at 8 p.m. with doors at 7 p.m. Musical performances will be accompanied by projection visuals designed by local artist Ayo Scott, whose paintings are currently on view in the venue’s art gallery, and guests are invited to an artist meet and greet from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. just before showtime. Tickets are $8 advance online or $10 at the door. $5 reduced tickets are also available for students with ID.  More Info:  www.gasagasa.com

 

OFFBEAT CONCERT TICKET GIVE-AWAY CONTEST

OffBeat Magazine is giving away [2] pairs of ticket to Sunday night’s show at Gasa Gasa.

Simply fill out the online form below and submit to enter.

Winners will be notified via Email by 3pm on Saturday, October 5.

Good Luck!