Known as an excellent jazz, celtic, classical and electronic musician, American violinist Jeremy Kittel has drawn from all those genres and more to create a new album with the help of four kindred musical spirits.
Though the album won’t be released until February of next year, music lovers in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area can get a sneak peak when Kittel brings his streamlined trio to perform at a Beaton house concert in Qualicum Beach on Sunday, Oct. 29.
The combo of Kittel on violin, Joshua Pinkham on mandolin and Quinn Bachand on guitar will perform a power-trio version of the five-piece accoustic band’s new music.
Kittel (winner of the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship) said he’s excited to bring this new music to the area, though he had some trouble putting his finger on just how to describe what he and the group has created.
“For us, I think there are some (songs) that are more in the old-time American roots music side of things,” he said. “Others sound more Celtic-inspired. But a lot of it is actually also really influenced by electronic music and a lot of contemporary, popular dance music as well.”
Oh, and jazz, too, he said.
From the short video on the band’s PledgeMusic fundraising page (www.pledgemusic.com/projects/jeremykittel), what’s played in the sneak peak boasts an energetic, driving sound.
Despite classical roots, Kittel and his fellow bandmates Bachand, Pinkham, Nathaniel Smith on cello and Simon Chrisman on hammer dulcimer, adjusted their music-making process by not writing too much of their music down. Instead, they would start with a few simple ideas and create organically from there, he said.
“When everybody knows the music as well as we know it by now, it makes for something really natural and really special when it all comes together,” said Kittel.
“It’s hard to describe, but it really takes off.”
Working on the music for several years, Kittel said what’s come out of it is very particular to the musicians involved.
“I love these musicians so much, and I’m so inspired to write for them,” he said of his impetus for the project.
One of the last pieces of the puzzle was finding B.C. guitarist Bachand, Kittel said.
“We’ve been looking for a guitarist for a number of years for the group, and he was just right on because we all play Celtic music to a certain extent, and jazz as well, and that’s a really rare combination to find.”
The album drops in February when Kittel and the band perform at Wintergrass Music Festival in Bellevue, Washington.
But for a leaner and meaner version of what they’ve created, Kittel, Pinkham and Bachand perform Sunday, Oct. 29 in Qualicum Beach.
Tickets are $25. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. For tickets and more info, contact Joyce Beaton at beatonqualicum@gmail.com.
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