Electric Violin World Jazz: The Guarneri Underground

A world revolution has been brewing in Seattle since 1995. It's not laid back, it's exhilarating! Crowds of all sizes, shapes and colors stream to convivial settings and concert halls to see what the matter could be. The matter is music. Colorful, rich blends of global sound fuse into cool rhythms forging warm, percussive, upbeat tunes. This infectious musical movement is Guarneri Underground (pronounced gwar-nay'-ree, rhymes with canary). Unwittingly defying the traditional trappings of music biz gradation, Guarneri Underground fuels its rise to the top of the New World Music category with incendiary chemistry.

"A Guarneri Underground show is a musical trip around the world," says leader and violinist Jeffrey Sick. "We have been known to take audiences from Puerto Rico to Ireland to a small island in the middle of the Nile River in Egypt within the space of fifteen minutes. Think of us as a high-energy virtuoso musical version of the travel channel."

Vivacious and virtuosic, the six-member ensemble combines unique world rhythms and a variety of musical styles in unprecedented performances. In their own sphere of musicality, Guarneri Underground rocks until they bring the house down. Backed by a four-part harmony, the Underground's dynamic vocalist, Beth Quist delivers a colorful spectrum with her natural four-octave range, blending influences from the Balkans, India and the Middle East with her own Western upbringing. A rare mix of violins congas, drums, electric guitars, bass and vocals, Guarneri Underground resonates intense, electric and exotic. Their inspired improvisation is music both disciplined and decidedly new.

The strength of performance and composition the Underground projects is deeply rooted in the sum of its parts. Mohammad Shaibu of Ghana, West Africa, is featured on talking drum, djembe, guitar and vocals. TJ Morris, featured in Modern Drummer Magazine, plays world drum kit, and provides backup vocals. Eric Jaeger on vocals, flamenco and electric guitars, is a member of the Children of the Revolution. Mikel Rollins, on bass, has performed throughout the US and Japan for two decades. The incredible Beth Quist is a multi-instrumentalist, whose voice is featured as a member of Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra. And holding this three-ring circus together, the six-string violin virtuoso Jeffrey Sick who played on stage violin in the Broadway and Road productions of M. Butterfly with Tony Randall. He is also featured on the upcoming PBS special "Keep Holding On" with the Children of the Revolution.

Quite an ensemble. "The thing that I love about this band," says Jeffrey, "is that everyone's background is so diverse, and everyone's skills are so strong that there is literally nothing we can't play, almost on the spur of the moment, flowing seamlessly at the speed of inspiration. It's pretty obvious that we love what we do. I love to watch the response when we play for an audience that has never heard us before; it's like a big lightbulb coming on, they get so excited. I love looking out and seeing everyone dancing in their seats and in the aisles to a groove that originated thousands of miles away..."

Well known as the Pacific Northwest's leading New World Music festival band, Guarneri Underground has appeared on the main stages of the Festival at Sandpoint, The Eugene Celebration, Oregon Country Fair, Bumbershoot, Utah Arts Festival, Tacoma Zoobilee, Tacoma First Night, and the Juan de Fuca Festival. Their latest release, Wander This World, broke the top 15 on the Independent Radio charts in the same month it was released.

Guarneri Underground recordings, Wander This World, Captive, and New World are available in stores in the Seattle Area, through New Leaf Distribution, and through their web site: www.guarneriunderground.com.

Band members

Jeffrey Sick has played on-stage violin and percussion in the Broadway and road productions of M. Butterfly with Tony Randall, and has also performed and toured with Imago recording artist Suzanne Rhatigan. Some of the folks he's shared stages with include Buddy Miles, Jimmy Buffett, The Meters, Poppa Chubby, Diane Lotny, Loup Garou Zydeco, and Bireli Lagrene. As a session violin soloist, Jeff's violin work has been featured on the the soundtrack to the Paramount pictures release "The Gift" with Kate Blanchett with score by Christopher Young, the A&E Production of "P.T. Barnum" with Beau Bridges, plus a host of CD projects in both New York and Seattle.

Jeff's solo compositions have been heard on N.P.R.'s "All Things Considered" and on CBS's "48 Hours" series, and he has been repeatedly featured on KUOW-FM Weekday in Seattle. He has played on, arranged, and/or produced a variety of projects including "Do the Puyallup," Eagle Hardware & Boeing spots for Steve Allen/AM Music, Jerry Corbett (Youngbloods), The Jim Basnight Thing, Gunnar Madsen "Spinning World," Skinwalkers, Jeanette Alexander "Still Point," Daniel Finn, James Twyman, Carl Funk, Strayaway, Shanti, the Christopher Gross Ensemble, and many more.

Jeff proudly endorses T.F. Barrett electric violins.

Eric Jaeger knew he wanted to be a guitar player at the age of five when his father played him a live recording of Jimi Hendrix. At seven he began to play music; by 15 he owned his first guitar and did what every teenager dreamed of, joining a rock and roll band. In the years to follow Eric's musical taste widened, ranging from classical to hip-hop and heavy metal.

Eric enjoyed his growing musical talents, but it wasn't until he first heard flamenco guitar that he discovered his true love. The challenge and depth of the music brought him back to his cultural roots and proved to be his true calling. Eric's flamenco teachers have included Benito Palacios and Marcos Carmona and his guitar style incorporates his further study of Greek, Turkish and Egyptian music.

Eric is also one of the founding members of Seattle's infamous "Children of the Revolution". His extensive experience both on the stage and as a studio producer bring out a strong sense of composition and melody as well as making him a captivating performer.

Whenever Eric can get away from the demands of being a full time musician, you can usually find him lugging a 50lb. pack on one of his many year round backpacking excursions. Always looking towards his Native American roots for spiritual guidance; he finds his most peaceful and happiest moments in nature and music.

TJ Morris T.J. Morris, drums. T.J. has created an independent approach to drumming by playing "world" drum kit, integrating standard drum set instruments with ethnic percussion. And as a vocalist and songwriter himself, he enjoys adding just the right flavor to each of the Guarneri Underground's unique songs.

T.J. was schooled at the Long Beach College of Music by Dr. George Shaw (trumpeter for Marvin Gaye), and has also studied with percussionist Alex Acuna (of Weather Report). While living in Los Angeles he did studio work with producer George Callendreli on many Latin albums, and has played on a variety of local and national TV and radio commercials.

His current projects include playing with The Guarneri Underground and Maya Soleil.

Beth Quist, vocals, guitar, keyboards, dumbek. A multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer, Beth began playing piano at age 2. "I'm a Little Leopard Prowling Around in Sneakers" was her first musical composition at age 8.

She has a 4-octave soprano voice, sings in 5 languages, and plays piano, keyboards, santour (hammered dulcimer), dumbek, daf, guitar, flute, and is a talented songwriter. Her music combines influences from the Balkans, the Middle East, and India with her Western upbringing.

She has toured and recorded with Bobby McFerrin, and has shared stages with Afro-Celt Sound System, Jonatha Brooke, and more.

Mohammad Shaibu, percussion, guitar. Mohammad's story spans two decades and three continents. Born in Ghana, West Africa, Mohammad came up playing with the best West African performers, including Fela Kuti, I.K. Dairo, and the Nigerian All-Stars. Having toured internationally, Shaibu settled in the Seattle area, becoming a vibrant essential part of the local world music scene. As the "other" lead singer and songwriter in the band, his intense talking drum work, his solid, authentic African Djembe playing, and his uniquely African approach to the guitar add exotic rhythms and colors and languages to the already heady mix of the Guarneri Underground sound.

Mike Rollins Mikel Rollins, bass. A Seattle native, Mikel has spent the past 20 years performing throughout the western United States and Japan. A multi-instrumentalist, Mikel's bass virtuosity is joined by his skills on flute, saxophone, and guitar. He's shared this broad musical knowledge with children by teaching instrumental music classes at Seattle's Cooper Elementary and Stevens Elementary schools.

A founding member of Astral Traveler, Mikel has also performed with Issac Scott, Michael White, Caraplane, the Nightcrawlers, the Rick Mandyck Trio, and the Michael Powers Group. His current projects outside of the Guarneri Underground include playing bass for the Jim Briggs Quartet, guitar with the Ravin' Ravens, and singing bass in the Mt. Zion Babtist Church Inspirational and Brotherhood choirs.

Band members from the past

In addition to his collaboration with Jeffrey Sick, John Schussler has recorded a solo world jazz album, Minor Arcana, records electronic music (techno, breakbeat, ambient) under the name Corvid, and maintains a popular web site devoted to electric violin makers and players, Bowed Electricity. He has co-recorded and produced music for Microsoft Wine Guide, has composed and performed music for theatre sound design projects in Seattle and Los Angeles, and has been a session musician on a variety of projects including those of Mary Lydia Ryan.

John began playing classical violin at age 5, and focused on that instrument alone until he was 25. But tabla and conga lessons with Tor Dietrichson (a protege of Zakir Hussain and member of Mickey Hart's Diga Rhythm Band) and tabla lessons with Zakir Hussain introduced him to some of the deep traditions of world music.

It was quite the introduction, as he now plays, in addition to his acoustic and Jensen electric violins, tabla, congas, frame drums, udu (clay pot drum), Turkish baglama saz, Irish bouzouki, Egyptian oud, guitar, piano (actually, the synthesizer bug bit him in high school), hammered dulcimer, end-blown flute, and a variety of other percussion instruments that are now crowding him out of his apartment.

John no longer plays live with the Guarneri Underground on a regular basis, but does step in occasionally for special guest appearances.

Mark Reynolds, drums. Mark has been sticking it to the cans for over 2 decades now. Born in Oklahoma, Mark once went to school with a well-known country star whose initials are GB, and later with the equally famous Michael Hedges. While attending university, Mark had the privilege to drum for Elvis' third cousin Duke Presley.

After leaving Oklahoma, Mark played fusion and progressive rock in southern California and began developing his multi-instrumental abilities. By the late 1980's Mark had began to lay ground for his own recording interests, and in 1996 released his first solo CD under the name TRUTH IN ADVERTISEMENT, which is being distributed primarily in Europe.

As an accomplished jazz and fusion drummer, Mark has worked in some of the most experimental music circles in the Seattle area, and was the principle drummer on the SKINWALKERS debut CD. Check out his web site at http://www.blarg.net/~markman.

David Hilton, bass. A scholarship graduate in composition and performance from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, David's varied musical background includes performances with harpsichordist Elizabeth Hamilton, and performances of his own compositions at the African-American Arts Festival in Boston. He has also played and toured with Finnish guitarist and recording artist Markko Martikinen.