Mads Tolling Concert: "In the Loop"
Get ready for a mind-blowing musical experience unlike anything you've heard before! Join two-time Grammy Award-winning violinist Mads Tolling as he unveils his innovative Looper Show and takes you on a captivating journey extending boundaries of musical expression, seamlessly blending classical virtuosity with the world of jazz, pop and folk music. With only his violin, he creates mesmerizing layers of sound, transforming solo performances into full-bodied orchestral experiences right before your eyes.
The violin is truly a special instrument. You can play any style of music on it. You can bow it, pluck it, scratch it and even hit it. Mads has created a program that showcases the violin for what it is: One of the most versatile instruments in the world. With the help of effects pedals and innovative techniques, Mads mixes basslines, rhythms, harmonies and melodies to make songs come to life in a fresh way.
The set list includes Ellington’s “Don’t get around much anymore,” Hendrix’s “Hey Joe,” Piazzolla’s “Libertango,” Django Reinhardt’s “Minor Swing,” The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony,” and many more.
Mads Tolling is two-time Grammy Award-winning violinist and composer from Copenhagen, Denmark, now based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A former member of both Stanley Clarke's band and the Turtle Island Quartet, Mads has performed with renowned artists like Chick Corea, Ramsey Lewis, Paquito D’Rivera, and Leo Kottke. He is currently a member of Bob Weir & Wolf Bros and leads his own ensembles.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2003, Mads joined Stanley Clarke's band on the recommendation of Jean-Luc Ponty. He has been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition and received praise from the Washington Post and The San Francisco Chronicle. In 2016, Mads won DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Violin Award. Mads has performed for King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark at the 50th Anniversary for the Danish Embassy in Washington D.C.
Mads has written violin concertos for The Oakland Symphony and Pacific Chamber Orchestra and has performed them around the U.S. and Japan, including with The Hawaii Symphony and Orchestra Kanazawa. As a member of Bob Weir & Wolf Bros, Mads has recorded three albums and toured extensively, playing venues like Red Rocks and Radio City Music Hall. With hundreds of concerts worldwide, he leads Mads Tolling & The Mads Men and recorded the album Playing the 60s, which reimagines songs from 1960’s TV, film and radio. The release topped US jazz radio charts and peaked at #5. Mads is a featured Yamaha Artist, offering clinics and masterclasses globally.
Photo by Ron Jones courtesy of Mads Tolling.