Notes from the Fires: Need a violinist? Better Call Charlie!

A pop quiz from John Rabe, host of Notes from the Fires:

Which Notes from the Fires guest has been heard the most on K-Rock?

It’s Charlie Bisharat, whose gypsy-style violin playing sets the tone for “Of Course” by Jane’s Addiction. When I learned that was the man sitting in front of me at cafe in Brentwood, I got goosebumps and was immediately back in 1990, listening to the album “Ritual De Lo Habitual” over and over.

John Rabe and session violinist Charlie Bisharat at a cafe in Brentwood.

John Rabe

Charlie is living proof that good music is not confined to a single genre … it’s simply music that moves people. So he doesn’t care who asks him to play, whether it’s Justin Bieber, Shadowfax, John Tesh, Yanni, the LA Philharmonic, the LA Chamber Orchestra (Maestro Kahane asked him to jam with him before the concert started), or Pixar. He just goes to the gig, plays great, and takes something from each experience.

Darkly funny story: When Charlie and his family were evacuating the Pacific Palisades on the day of the fire, his first thought was to check with his friend Nina Evtuhov to see if they could bunk at her place. That wasn’t happening.

I hope you’ll enjoy hearing Charlie tell us how he went from potential doctor studying at USC and a sax player in the marching band, to a world tour with Shadowfax, and then one of the most sought-after session players.

After the piece, we’ll hear one of Charlie’s favorites: Christpher Parkening and Kathleen Battle performing the aria from Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas Brasilieres #5.