Now in his late twenties, Chesapeake native Eric Stanley began playing violin at age 12 in a very music-focused family. He, his sister and brother would sing along as their mom played piano. Taken as an elective in middle school, the violin soon developed into Eric’s passion, joining the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra while still in high school. At VCU, Eric began creating YouTube videos remixing popular songs, fusing improvisational violin with hip hop, pop, and classical. He has received the YouTube Silver Play Button surpassing 150,000 subscribers and 21 million total upload views. He composed and recorded the theme for ESPN’s First Take radio show. Eric remains active in his church and often performs with gospel choirs while he tours along the East Coast.
Dovetailing with JAMinc’s mission to bring music to young people, Eric has performed before students in more than 200 schools, including our own Mary Munford, and has raised money to help purchase instruments for deserving students. One of his favorite quotes is, “Trying to be better than someone else is a pure waste of time. Strive to better than you were yesterday.” Joining Eric on this April 2019 night in Studio A was fellow violinist and South Carolina native Daniel Davis, aka Daniel D, who in the summer of 2005 was awarded a scholarship to study at Juilliard and he’s a 3-time winner of the Apollo Award in New York City. Daniel has seven studio albums to his credit and like Eric, an extensive YouTube catalog of compelling videos. DJ Calculation Of, keyboardist Brett McKinley Cypress and bassist Anthony Cavanaugh were also on hand to help create this rich sonic experience.
In Your Ear offers a chance to discover new artists and appreciate the “in the moment” creativity and inspiration that only live music can provide. Studio A is a “great room,” a haven for artists with intimate, friendly and informed audiences and peerless audio fidelity, thanks to engineers Carlos Chafin, Andrea Stefl and Paul Bruski. JAMinc president Tim Timberlake produces the programs covering a wide range of genres including bluegrass, jazz, blues, old time, Celtic, gospel and singer-songwriters of many styles. Artists range from superior local and regional talents, to premier acts from all over the country. Concerts are held monthly except during the summer and begin with a delicious pot luck buffet in the lobby. Check our website for information and reservations: jaminc.org/events.
Production funding of In Your Ear is made possible in part by... Digital Video Group, Threshold Counsel PC, Virginia Humanities /Virginia Folklife Program, The Newport Festivals Foundation, Fralin Pickups, The Graduate Hotel Richmond and the members of VPM Music.