Violinist Geoffrey Castle likely to amaze audience

Geoffrey Castle got in the habit of smiling when he was on the streets of New York City, trying to earn a buck.

As a street violinist, he knew he had to hold a crowd's interest, lest they simply walk away.

"You survive by getting people to stop, pay attention to you, and then reach into their pocket and give you money," Castle, 45, said.

On Saturday, the daring electrical violinist won't have to work so hard, as he headlines a show at Everett Theatre. Nonetheless, he still intends to stroll back and forth across the stage, grinning. It's one of the many performing tics that was shaped from his time as a street performer.

"In the theater context, if there's one guy standing still in the middle of the stage, that's going to appeal to certain people, but it's also going to put other people to sleep," he said. "It would probably put me to sleep."

More listeners could be waking up to Castle's unique take on violin. He has self-released three albums, but said he's in negotiations to re-release "Mist on the Mountain," a disc of original work, through a major label this year. Additionally, a Christmas album that brought him to Everett in December may also see wider release.

While for those studio albums Castle uses both an acoustic and electric violin, during shows the Seattle violinist keeps things hi-tech. He uses a loop sampler to record violin riffs, playing them back over each other. After he builds up a few, it sounds as though he's playing with a fleet of strings.

"It's something I've never seen before with a violin, ever," said Lori Hughes, managing director at Everett Theatre.

The technique, miles apart from a classical violin soloist, is part of the reason Castle likens his show to a recital onboard the Starship Enterprise. He developed the style on a six-string violin -- most violins have four strings. The instrument gives him a broader sound, as he taps into the range of a viola or cello.

"When I started off as a street musician, I started working with an electronic violin so I could be heard, really," he said. "I started working with delays a lot, so I could get repeating notes and slap back delays. It sounded like a couple different instruments going at the same time."

Castle -- who plans to be joined onstage in Everett by a keyboardist, bass player and vocalist -- isn't only into different sounds. He melds multiple styles, tapping on a variety of influences, including guitarist Jimi Hendrix and French violinist Jean-Luc Ponty.

One of his songs even weaves in melodies taken from the Beatles, a form of homage he describes as "quoting."

"I like to get everybody clapping and down in the trenches a little," he said.

During the Everett show, he intends to play songs from the Celtic-inspired "Mist on the Mountain," try out some Irish-influenced material and possibly play a few classic rock covers.

"The idea is for everybody to have a good time and everybody to leave saying, 'That's the best show I ever saw,' " he said. "I like to entertain people."



Reporter Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455 or e-mail arathbun@heraldnet.com.