Nuttin' But Stringz - Struggle From The Subway To The Charts (2006)

Teenage brothers, Tourie Escobar and Damien Escobar are a true phenomenon of our musical age. They combine the classical sound of the violin with Pop, R&B and Hip-hop. The result is a unique and uplifting fury of modern emotion and harmony… intensity and rhythm.

Younger brother Damien says, “We play our violins so hard and with such force that we destroy a bow a show!” Together, the Escobar brothers are 'Nuttin' But Stringz' (NBS). They both attended the legendary Juilliard School of Music in New York City where they were able to hone their craft and find their place. Their mission is to bridge the gap between Popular and Classical music. Their debut CD, Struggle from the Subway to the Charts was released through Koch Entertainment in October 2006. Their first single entitled “Thunder” showcases their raw talent; it digs into the soul, slowly unleashes it and exposes it.

Older brother Tourie explains, “Our music is based on emotion not lyrics. We tell stories and the violin is our voice.” Other tracks on the CD include, “Broken Sorrow” and “Dance with My Father.” NBS has been playing the violin for over 15 years and at the tender ages of 7 and 8 they knew what inspired them. They grew up in a rough area of Jamaica, Queens; where it wasn’t safe to walk the streets especially if you have a violin in your hands. As a result, their musical aspirations came crashing to a stop 3 years ago when they both dropped out of school and lost focus. Eventually they realized they were in with a bad crowd and went back to school. Tourie says, “The passion for music and the violin saved my life.” They were relentless and played the New York City subways for pocket change. Tourie explains, “We would play the trains and we had a captive audience. We broke down the trains on a marketing level. Damien chose the C train for its demographic and I tackled the A train. We raked in over $300 each in 2 hours and we did it 3 times a week.” Damien adds, “The subway is the equivalent of playing several performance hours each week and we were able to refine our technique before a live audience.”

The subway was the gateway that landed NBS a manager and a record deal. In 2005, with the help of their manager, James Washington, they entered a local talent contest at the legendary Apollo Theatre and won! As a result of the media attention surrounding the event, they have appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Today Show with Katie Couric and have even been featured in Major Motion Pictures such as “Step Up”. They have performed on show bills with legendary artists such as Al Jarreau, Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, The Isley Brothers and Yolonda Adams. They have even been invited to perform for the President of the United States at the White House. Their sudden success escalated their hopes and dreams and they became involved with the YMCA Strong Kids charity as well as the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. They also spent much of their free time playing at public schools and talking to kids about music and staying in school. Currently, they are in the finals of 'America's Got Talent'.

Struggle from the Subway to the Charts is a brilliant blend of classical daring intertwined with rap undertones. NBS has created a new genre that’s being talked about and admired. The buzz has begun. Their music is a provocative and stirring Thunder that will be analyzed and copied for years to come.

Track List:

01 - Broken Sorrow
02 - Struggle (Tony Haze)
03 - Thunder
04 - Beauty From Afar Intro
05 - Beauty From Afar
06 - Suka 4 Her Interlude
07 - Suka 4 Her
08 - Get Low (Winter)
09 - Egyptian In The Night Intro
10 - Egyptian In The Night
11 - A Nu Day
12 - Dance With My Father (Karmen Michael & The Godselettes Choir)
13 - Thunder Remix

Download includes front cover