Who knew the electric violin could sound like this?

I was passing through Grand Central Station today and heard one of most amazing instruments....the electric violin. The music was so moving that I had to take off my headphones......and I was listening to the new Common album.

After standing in the hot subway station for over 20 minutes listening to Lorenzo LaRoc, I decided to take some video on my treo and post a quick blog. You can download a the full single on Lorenzo's myspace page.

I recommend buying the album (I bought my CD at the station). I usually don't stop to listen to street performers, but this was an extraordinary case. Apparently Lorenzo has been playing the subways for over 15 years. He's a well trained, well accomplished musician, composer, and arranger. He doesn't "work" the subways full-time, but knows other musicians who make over $200k a year doing what the love. (And I thought they were poor bums wasting their time in the subways. Damn I was wrong!)

Don't just take my word for it! Watch the video (Sorry for the poor sound quality.....it's Palm's fault.)

Lorenzos' Bio:

Lorenzo La Roc is a native New York electric violinist, composer, and arranger. He began playing the violin at the age of eight, and though he was classically trained, he now plays a diverse gamut of styles, including jazz, rock and Latin music. He studied at the Julliard School of Music under the tutelage of Mary Jane Metcalf, the Guitar Study Center in New York City and at the Creative Music Studios in Woodstock.

Very soon after graduating college, he was hired as a solo electric violinist to perform with Warner Brothers recording artist, Sheila E. It was then that he embraced Latin jazz.

After several years working with Sheila E., Lorenzo formed his own group of New York City musicians called Masterpiece. Masterpiece is now comprised of cutting edge musicians who have worked with many grammy-award winning artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, and Whitney Houston.

Lorenzo uses his signature trademark, a custom made five-string plexiglass electric violin. The intensity and passion with which Lorenzo plays his instrument expresses not only his musical versatility, but also his deep love and commitment for what he does. He hopes to bring the electric violin to a popular audience and to touch the hearts of listeners worldwide.