Introducing... Adaggio

Introducing… Adaggio
Twenty four year old street violinist Adaggio, who can be found playing along to your favourite instrumentals, is coming to a club near you as Blues & Soul found out…

Q: Who are you, why are you here?
A: I’m Adaggio, I’m a solo street violinist, I specialise in urban orientated strings, I compose my own music, aswell as lending my strings to other artists and producers when they want that Adaggio sound.

Q: Why the street violinist?
A: Cause thats just what I am – my persona is street, my style is street, I play street, so why not call myself the street violinist? What other violinist have you seen with goldteeth?

Q: How did you get this to this point?
A: I started off with free lessons at primary school then joined the Hackney Youth Orchestra. We used to do classical repertoire but also cover modern pop songs like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. It was quite a ghetto orchestra come to think of it! I studies privately after secondary school. My professor Phillipa taught me a lot – I was 16, quite rebellious, she kept me focused and was always there to listen to me. I started experimenting with hip hop, R&B, garage and that soon after.

Q: Best experience to date?
A: Playing in the GLA Centre with the Reggae Philharmonic and Chaka Demus & Pliers or playing with The Game on Top of the Pops.

Q: How does what you do in your own time vary to what you do in the club?
A: Well in my own time I’ll play through some classical music just to keep on top of my game, aswell as praticing scales 24/7 - as a violinist thats very important. I also like to do a thing where i put on any random instrumental and just fresstyle to it, I love improvisation. In the club I lke to keep it fun and play over well known Instrumentals aswell as my own material!

Q: What’s forthcoming?
A: My signle, it’s going to be fire! I’m doing a three day workshop with Nitin Sawhney, one of my inspirations, which I can’t wait for. Also watch out for my strings on alot of peoples material. I’m doing a couple of shows in ibiza in the summer, I’m also in Dubai this month doing a performance.

Check www.myspace.com/adaggio1 for music and forthcoming bookings.

A version of this appeared in Blues & Soul