Lee England Jr., “The Soul Violinist” (Lee England Jr./CC BY-SA 4.0)

Darlene Donloe, ELECTRONIC URBAN REPORT

(EURWeb.com) — Lee England Jr. has single-handedly made playing the violin cooler than cool.

At 31, the Waukegan, Ill. native, who calls himself The Soul Violinist, has taken the traditional sound of a violin, added his signature groove and interpretations, resulting in a sound that is fresh and innovative.

In the hands of England, the violin, long considered a customary and somewhat conservative instrument, has become an incredibly emotional and sexy apparatus that evokes a myriad of emotions.

With his violin, England, who also plays viola, cello, bass, guitar, drums and piano, puts a different spin on pop songs, R&B hits, and anything other genre that catches his ear. He’s known for his fusion of R&B, jazz, hip-hop and classical styles that produces an original array of music.

England, who has three music degrees (BS in Music Education, BS in Audio Engineering and a BA in Violin Performance) from Southern Illinois University, has performed, as a featured act, for Jay-Z & Beyonce, Rihanna’s Diamond Ball, the NAACP Image Awards and the John Wayne Cancer Institute. He has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Mo’Nique Show, and on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Making the Band.

To hear England play the violin is to witness something extraordinary. His playing is so exceptional and inventive that he caught the attention of Quincy Jones and Michael Jordan.

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