John Blake February 13, 2009

The work features the influence of West African fiddle playing and early African-American fiddle styles and their role in musical forms such as Spirituals, Work songs, Blues and Modern jazz. The composition reflects an anthology in the significance of the violin in African and African American music history. John's original compositions will illustrate this journey. John Blake has, "over the last twenty years, attained a unique position as the premier mainstream jazz violinist in the world." His resume resembles that of no other string player. Blake presents what critic David Hollenberg calls "a state-of-the-art display of current level of jazz violin." A four-time winner of the Down Beat Critics' Poll for "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition," he was also voted one of the top two jazz violinists in the 49th, 50th, and 51st Down Beat Readers' Poll.