MUSIC

Gypsy swing ensemble The New Boston Duo, tapping jazz, rock and flamenco roots, will perform in concert at First Church Boston Auditorium on Friday, March 22 at 8:00 pm at 66 Marlborough Street, Boston. Kicking off the performance, acoustic ensemble opening act The Wicked Pickers offers a high energy blend of jazz, swing, newgrass and folk.

Recognized for ingenuity and unique style, The New Boston Duo transcends classical music boundaries. Violinist Elizabeth Burke and guitarist George Little channel Jazz, Rock, Celtic and Flamenco roots to resonate their Gypsy Swing core sound. A classically trained guitarist, Little’s roots as a singer-songwriter stem from folk music. He has performed South American Jazz, Celtic, Rock and Flamenco music with various ensembles throughout New England. Conservatory trained violinist Burke embraces the violin as a versatile, improvisational instrument drawing on similar musical inspirations. She has performed with jazz, bluegrass, rock, and classical ensembles throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and New England.

Inspired by Latin-American music by Piazzolla and gypsy jazz compositions made famous by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, The New Boston Duo emanates a progressive, eclectic sound. Collaboratively the duo has fashioned arrangements of familiar gypsy swing melodies juxtaposed by South American and Spanish influences. Illusion heralds in the echo of percussive snare drum, thumping string bass, and foot stomping flamenco pulse; each radiating from expert guitar and violin technique. Intricate technical virtuosity acquired in their classical training couples with rich chromatic gypsy flavor allowing this ensemble to manifest balanced improvisation into a genuinely original art form.

Warmly received by every audience, The New Boston Duo has enjoyed performances spanning New England, including the Brick Church Music Series in Williston, VT, Kaji Aso Institute for the Arts in Boston, Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Plymouth Center for the Arts, South Shore Conservatory in Hingham, Salem Theatre Company and various music cafés and open air markets across the region including Boston and Newburyport, MA; and Montpelier, VT. Currently, the duo is collaborating with Boston-based composers who are writing specifically for the ensemble, furthering their quest to fuse musical boundaries by incorporating new innovations into their repertoire.

Boston-based quartet The Wicked Pickers (guitar, mandolin, bass, violin, and vocals), perform a broad range of styles with powerful vocals, ringing harmonies, and driving instrumentals. The ensemble performs mostly original music, spiced up with a few traditional songs and repertoire from the likes of Django Reinhardt, Chick Correa, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin.

Tickets are $20 per person, $10 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.mktix.com/nbd, or at the door, as available. For more information, please visit www.newbostonduo.com, or follow The New Boston Duo on Facebook. For more information about The Wicked Pickers, please visit www.wickedpickers.com. For more information about First Church Boston, please visit www.firstchurchboston.org.