Electric Violins

Lynn Sorensen with Michael Johnson and Doug McGrew

Geoffrey Castle at Wilde Rover

"All night have the roses heard the violin

Till a silence fell with the waking bird

And a hush with the setting moon."
     --Lord Tennyson

In the recent past, when someone said “there’s a violin,” I ran in the opposite direction. Maybe it was years living with a professional violinist who practiced endless scales hour after hour. But now, thanks to gifted artists like Lynn Sorensen, violins--especially electric violins—hold new interest for me. The other night, while dark rain pelted the windows behind him, Lynn’s pure white violin mesmerized us with a spellbinding rendition of Led Zeppelin’s ballad “The Rain Song,” and the hair stood up on my arms.

Geoffrey Castle is a local musician who specializes in the electric violin. His regular Monday night gigs at Wilde Rover in Kirkland offer some extraordinary playing. The first time I heard Geoffrey, he was serenading passers-by at the Issaquah Art Walk, and I did a double-take: WHO is THAT? But Searching for Art took precedence and the opportunity was lost.

Two years later, I had the pleasure of hearing him play again, this time at the Wilde Rover in Kirkland (whose sound system is greatly improved). Big and cat-like, Geoffrey commands attention. Grace, Poise, and Power. He draws on a deep repertoire: everything from Irish drinking songs to Bruce Hornsby to a little Hendrix. He's mastered his instrument, and takes it further.

Upcoming shows featuring the violin:

Celtic Music Night with Geoffrey Castle, at Wilde Rover  in Kirkland
Monday nights at 8pm

Sex and Violins, with special guests Aury Moore Band and Jar of Rain, at 88 Keys in Seattle
Thursday, May 19 at 8pm

Powercell and Jam, at 88 Keys (with Lynn Sorensen on bass and violin)
Wednesday nights at 8pm

Jam Night, at Oddfellows Grill in Redmond
Thursday nights at 9pm