Bowfire to stop in LA on upcoming tour

The string performance ensemble BOWFIRE is pleased to announce a show at the Wiltern in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 20 as part of their upcoming North American tour. From the traditional fiddle and violin to the exotic Chinese Erhu, BOWFIRE has been impressing audiences worldwide since forming in 2000 and will continue to do so with over 100 show dates in North America throughout 2008.
The BOWFIRE ensemble of world-renowned musicians takes audiences on a journey that moves seamlessly from Jazz to Classical to Bluegrass to Celtic to Rock and World. The unique combination of master musicians, choreography and vocals is complemented by elaborate costumes and set design.
Los Angeles will get a first look at Bowfire's live show in a new television special, BOWFIRE, premiering in the Los Angeles-area on Friday, November 30 at 8:30pm on KOCE/50. During the broadcast, KOCE viewers who make a donation to the station in support of music programming will have the first opportunity to secure excellent seats to see BOWFIRE live at the Wiltern before tickets go on sale to the public.

“BOWFIRE blurred individual traditions in the fast-paced onslaught of top-flight playing … Everything I heard was slick, well-produced and well-played. Nothing was overdone. There was enough razzle-dazzle and variety to keep the audience entertained…” ~ The Houston Chronicle

“BOWFIRE is enormously entertaining.” ~The Washington Post

“BOWFIRE demonstrates what the violin and fiddle can do in the hands of masters…an evening of show stopping hits strung together in glorious sequence…awesome!” ~The Record

Creator and artistic director Lenny Solomon says, “When you put the best string players from around the world together on stage something magical happens. We are changing people’s perception of what a stringed instrument can do.”

BOWFIRE performers:
Stéphane Allard (Quebecois jazz violinist), Bill Bridges (guitarist), Stephanie Cadman (Celtic fiddler), Shane Cook (fiddler), Bogdan Djukic (classical virtuoso/violinist), George Gao (Chinese Erhu), Yi-Jia Susanne Hou (violinist), Ray Legere (bluegrass fiddler), Lew Mele (bass), Jon Pilatzke (Celtic fiddler), Ben Riley (drummer), Bernie Senensky (pianist), Wendy Solomon (cellist), Lenny Solomon (Jazz violinist/founder/artistic director) and Kelli Trottier (Celtic fiddler).

BOWFIRE delivers an incredible live show thanks to the creative team behind the ensemble. Lenny Solomon, Bowfire's founder and artistic director, has built a strong reputation as one of the world's most skilled and innovative jazz violinists. He has toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan with The Lenny Solomon Trio, was a three-time winner of the annual Violinist of The Year Award presented by The National Jazz Awards and has appeared as a featured guest jazz soloist with many prestigious orchestras.
The creative team includes: Olivier-nominated stage director, Stafford Arima whose extensive list of credits in the musical theater world include the critically acclaimed, "Altar Boyz," the West End production of "Ragtime," "Chef's Theater" at New York City's Supper Club and "A Tribute To Stephen Sondheim" at the Boston Pops; choreographer Patricia Wilcox who has created numbers for everything from Broadway shows to championship ice skaters and has taught master classes virtually around the world; scenic director David Kornis who has lent his creative talents in design to Broadway, film and television; lighting designer Ben Stanton who is based in New York City specializing in design for theater, dance, concerts and corporate events and renowned costume designer Karen Ann Ledger.

For more information on BOWFIRE and the upcoming tour, please visit www.bowfire.com.