Whom You Know: MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Musician Luke Cissell- A New Talent Inventing Blueclass

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Musician Luke Cissell- A New Talent Inventing Blueclass

Born in Louisville, Kentucky and raised in a small town across the river in southern Indiana, Luke Cissell comes from a musical background rich in folk, bluegrass, and classical traditions. He began studying violin at age five and before reaching his teens he captured multiple Kentucky and Indiana state fiddling championships, earned regional solo/concerto competition titles, and gave a solo performance before State Congress on the floor of the Indiana General Assembly. Luke received his bachelor's degree from Princeton University. As an undergraduate he taught himself guitar and continued his violin studies while playing chamber music, performing with the Princeton University Orchestra and singing in the Princeton University Chapel Choir.

Luke has since lived and worked in New York as a session player and performer across genres, combining a love of diverse musical forms with a command of a variety of string instruments, from the banjo to the dulcimer. Along the way, Luke has been active on the new music scene and performed at venues such as the Knitting Factory, CBGB's, and the Living Room. He is currently on faculty at the Calhoun School and performs with the Calhoun Chamber Players and the Hudson Quartet. Most recently, Luke's fiddle playing can be heard on The Dixons album Still Your Fool released by Cow Island Music. Whom You Know first heard Luke play at the Juicy Couture opening in late 2008 and was quite impressed.

Luke's first album of solo material is due for a spring 2009 release. Noise In The Street is an album of twelve original songs that span rock, folk, bluegrass, and classical genres for an effect that Luke has affectionately dubbed 'blueclass.' On this first full-length solo effort, Luke produced and provided the vocals and nearly all the instrumentation including guitars, violin, viola, mandolin, banjo, bass, and piano. What does Luke NOT do? Peachy Deegan sat down with the young talent to gain his insight into Manhattan.

Peachy Deegan: What is your favorite place to be in NYC?
Luke Cissell: Downtown, like in the song.
I also like Riverside Park in the spring and fall.

What is your favorite shop?
Three Lives & Co. bookstore

What is your favorite drink?
Rum and Coke!

What is your favorite restaurant?
Barrio Chino and Kawa Sushi

What is your favorite NYC book?
Hmm that's tough. Cliché yet rad: Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Great Gatsby, The Age of Innocence. I remember liking Glamorama until I met one too many people who loved it without noticing that it was a satire.

What is your favorite thing to do in NYC that you can do nowhere else?
I can't think of a single definitive experience but I like walking around the city and I love the feeling of landing in New York after I've been away for a while.

What do you think is most underrated and overrated here?
Overrated: biking, New Year's Eve, pizza
Underrated: walking, Halloween, pizza

Peachy Deegan recommends you check out:

www.myspace.com/lukecissell
www.hudsonquartet.com

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