Earlier this week, as I was jammin’ to some Regina Carter and Yo-Yo Ma, I realize something. I hadn’t listened to a violin duo by the name of Nuttin’ But Stringz for a long time! That quickly changed, and I decided I should share some of their awesomeness with you all; plus, it’s been a while since I’ve given you all a Music post.

Taken from nuttinbutstringz.com:

“Siblings Tourie and Damien Escobar are the creative geniuses behind the innovative group ‘Nuttin But Stringz'(NBS). The brothers grew up on the rough streets of Jamaica, Queens but found a way to escape the adversity that many of their peers fell victim to, by having the opportunity to play an instrument that would become to them a way of life. At the respective ages of 8 and 7 the pair began to study the violin and became not only great musicians but learned to transcend their classical training to incorporate pop, rock, and hip-hop, creating their own unique sound. Having studied at the acclaimed Juilliard School in New York City, the two were exposed to Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven, and a host of classical composers. Due to their broad range of musical influence between school and home, their style is impossible to pidgin hole or label as suitable for only one genre.

This dynamic duo have grown immensely as artists from their earlier days as young teenagers, playing on the subways to help their single mother to take care of them. “We would play the trains and hold a captive audience, sometimes making up to $300 in a few hours” says older brother Tourie; “The subway was the equivalent of playing several performances in the space of a few hours. We did this every week and it gave us invaluable experience to prepare us for what was to come” adds Damien. What was to come for Nuttin But Stringz was a journey that would see them reach multi platinum status on their debut album, win two Emmy Awards, Grammy nods and a spot on numerous talk shows including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Today Show with Katie Couric and more. They have been featured in the Major Motion Picture ‘Step Up’, America’s Got Talent (2nd place season 3) and played shows with legendary artists Al Jarreau, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, and The Isley Brothers to name a few.

In 2006 Nuttin But Stringz released their debut album, aptly named ‘Struggle from the Subway to the Charts’ marking a transitional period for them on their voyage to becoming men and respected musicians. Their elevated success has truly been a rollercoaster ride with amazing highlights already encompassing their self written and produced song ‘Thunder’ (off their first album) being used on both commercials and film, to performing at the inauguration ball for President Barack Obama.

Along with their success, these inspiring artists have worked with numerous charities to give something back, especially young children. Tourie and Damien make no secret of the fact that their love for the violin was their route out of a life that could have lead to self destructiveness in which either one of them could have ended up imprisoned or dead…

These cool, edgy and unique brothers have stayed true to their own style of music that has taken them from playing their violins on the subways of New York to headlining shows across the United States and Worldwide.”

I think the whole album is pretty good, but I decided to share these two songs with you: “Broken Sorrow” and “Thunder”.

I know that the tracks have more than simply the violins playing, but they’re still pretty awesome, right?!

I’ve been a fan of these two men for a while now. I remember getting their album some time ago, and I’m eagerly waiting for another one. Being a violinist myself since the age of seven has affected my appreciation of these guys as well. There has been many a time where I have played “Broken Sorrow” or other songs from their album whilst listening to it. It’s amazing, and it’s great to be challenged by these talented young men.

So, tell me, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THEIR MUSIC?

You can buy their album, “Struggle from the Subway to the Charts”, HERE. You can also buy their exclusive single, “Winner”, HERE.

To learn more about NBS, their news and current events, or anything else, feel free to visit nuttinbutstringz.com