Geoffrey Castle
Geoffrey Castle is a musician and violinist based in Kirkland, WA. Castle performs on the electric six-string violin[1] music from a range of genres, including Hendrix, Celtic, Bluegrass, and Mozart.
Geoffrey Castle | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Jeffrey Sick |
Origin | Kirkland, WA |
Occupation(s) | Musician, Violinist |
Instrument(s) | Violin |
Website | www |
Early life and education
Castle, born Jeffrey Sick, began playing violin at age nine in New York City. He studied privately and performed in school orchestras, all-city and all-state orchestras, and in his high school marching band in Alexandria, Virginia. He began solo performances on the electric violin at the age of 17. Castle earned money as a street musician while attending Columbia University where he received a Cum Laude degree in English and Comparative Literature.[2][3]
Career
Castle has released seven albums on his own Twisted Fiddle Music label and four albums as a member of Children of the Revolution. As a session player he has contributed to many projects.[4][5][6] In 1998 he played on Jeanette Alexander's first album, Still Point.[7]
For several years Castle fronted the band Guarneri Underground.[8] He co-produced a self-titled album for this group in 2000.[9]
Castle has played as part of a variety of live productions, including the Broadway production of M. Butterfly to sharing the stage with members of YES, Heart and Queen,[10] as well as regular local performances in Kirkland.[11] Additionally, Castle has performed with visiting musicians from several countries,[12] and since 2011 has played in concerts with Lucy Wu, jinghu player and singer from the Beijing Opera, in an "East Meets West: Violin Meets Jinghu" collaboration.[13]
Castle organizes a series of "Celtic Christmas" and "St. Patrick's Day Celebration" concerts in theaters throughout the Northwest US. These performances are well attended and often sold out.[14]
Geoffrey Castle's music, both as a band leader and a solo artist, has been featured on radio and TV across the US,[15] and his violin work has been included in a number of movie and TV soundtracks.[16]
Community outreach
Castle's schedule includes performances and workshops at schools around the United States, raising funds for student music programs.[1] Castle, along with 400 members of school orchestras in the Seattle area, set a world record for the most string players under one roof.[17][18] He also plays yearly in All-State WMEA and All Northwest.
Personal life
Castle is married to artist Shannon Connor Castle.
Discography
Solo albums
- Groovalaya (1992)
- Street of Dreams (1995)
- New World (as Guarneri Underground) (1996)
- Captive (as Guarneri Underground) (1998)
- Wander This World (as Guarneri Underground) (2001)
- Mist on the Mountain (2006)
- Underhill's Angel: A Treasury Of Songs For The Season (2007)
- Streets of Inwood (2009)
- Live at the Triple Door 2009 (2009)
- Live at the Triple Door 2010 (2010)[19]
- The Deep Well Sessions Vol 1 & Vol 2 (2012)
Contributing Musician
- Children Of The Revolution: It's All Greek To Me (2002)
- Children Of The Revolution: Chapter One (2003)
- Children Of The Revolution: Liberation (2003)[20]
- Children Of The Revolution: Life, Love & Guantanamo Bay (2006)
- Children Of The Revolution: Children Of The Revolution (2008)
- Johnny Bacolas: The Sin (2011)[21]
- Johnny Bacolas: Remake of "To Agalma" (2011)[22]
- The Rumba Kings: The Instrumental and Vocal Sessions, Vol I (2018)[23]
- The Rumba Kings: The Instrumental Sessions, Vol II (2019)[24]
- The Rumba Kings: Dance with me (2020)[25]
- The Rumba Kings: Mirame (2020)[26]
DVDs
- Live at the Triple Door (2009)[27]
- The Deep Well Sessions (2012)
References
- Andrew Wellner (Feb 11, 2012). "Geoffrey Castle:Rock the Butte". Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.
- "Heart, Art & Soul: Castle headlines elementary school art program benefit". Journal of the San Juan Islands.
- "Geoffrey Castle's Electric Violin Sings an Unexpected Tune". Patch.com.
- Deborah Stone. "Geoffrey Castle inspires with his music". Woodinville Weekly".
- JASMIN, ERNEST. "Violinist promises 'cliché-free' concert". Tacoma Weekly. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- "London Tone Music’s 52 Week Project Creates Special Night at Triple Door". Northwest Music Scene, May 5, 2015 Tara Woods
- "Album Review: Jeanette Alexander - Walk in the Sun". MainlyPiano.com, Review by Michael Debbage.
- "Mirth's in Music at the New Wine Stage". Eugene Register-Guard - Sep 14, 2003
- "Albums" Michael Paoletta (16 December 2000). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 27–. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "A&E briefs - Dec. 16, 2015". Sequim Gazette.
- "Castle, providing Wilde nights at the Rover since 2008". Kirkland Reporter, By TJ MARTINELL, reporter, June 4, 2014
- "'Revolution' -- a tight band with members from all over the map". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- "Electric Violinist Geoffrey Castle at Tim Noah Thumbnail Theater, Snohomish". News of Mill Creek.
- "Geoffrey Castle's Celtic Christmas comes to Everett". The Herald.
- "Geoffrey Castle Performs". Northwest Prime Time.
- "Geoffrey Castle Our Own Eastside Resident Organically Climbs The Ladder Of Musical Success". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- "It's official: String Jam '10 earns Guinness World Record for largest string ensemble under one roof". Redmond Reporter.
- Prosser, Keegan. "Geoffrey Castle Electrifies St. Paddy's Day". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- "SMI Featured Artist of the Month (June): Geoffrey Castle Triple Door Show Review (SMI Radio interview & SMI TV video) - SMI (Seattle Music Insider)". Seattle Music Insider.
- "Liberation - Children of the Revolution". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
- "The Sin". AllMusic.
- "To Agalma". AllMusic.
- "The Instrumental and Vocal Sessions, Vol I". AllMusic.
- "The Instrumental Sessions, Vol II". AllMusic.
- "Dance with me". AllMusic.
- "Mirame". AllMusic.
- "Geoffrey Castle Triple Door Show Review". Seattle Music Insider. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
External links
- Geoffrey Castle Website
- Geoffrey Castle at AllMusic
- Geoffrey Castle discography at Discogs
- "Violin Rocks!". Academic Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 18 January 2016.