World Gypsy Band Features Violinist Favored by Jazz Legends

Occidental Gypsy delivers an exhilarating blend of gypsy swing, jazz and world music with a roaring acoustic sound.

Nationally recognized Occidental Gypsy plays a dynamic, multi-genre mix of original vocal and instrumental pieces along with many notable covers like a “gypsyfied” take of Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The Boston Globe has named them a “Best Bet for Weekend Entertainment,” and musician David Bromberg said of the group, “great singing, fantastic guitar and violin work, with high energy originals that leave the crowd crazy. An awesome band.”

Occidental Gypsy has played legendary venues such as Nighttown in Cleveland, the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Blue Wisp in Cincinnati and the World Cafe, among others.  They have shared the stage with such greats as Rikki Lee Jones, Jorma Kaukenen, Stanley Jordan, Joe Sample, Tony Rice, and David Bromberg, and band members have participated in side projects that have brought them around the world alongside legends.

Coming off a summer tour with Wynton Marsalis, Occidental’s violinist Eli Bishop rouses audiences with his expert, lightning-fast violin, and founder and lead guitarist Brett Feldman drives the sound with swinging gypsy guitar and original arrangements.  Frontman Jonathan Hurley brings an eclectic and cinematic flair to the front of the stage (he has written and arranged film scores, played Italian opera in China and also has supported several country/rock groups hailing from Nashville), which fits perfectly with the band’s latest story-based approach to composition.   Guatemalan percussionist Erick “Banny” Cifuentes and bassist Jeff Feldman round out the band’s rich sound and keep feet stomping with danceable rhythms.

Eli Bishop began his musical studies with the violin at the age of three in Nashville, TN. As the son of a violin teacher, he readily studeid the Suzuki Method of violin, and learned to develop his aural skills and reading ability early on in life.

After completing the eighth book of the method, Bishop began studying traditional classical music under the instruction of Cornelius Heard at the Blair School of Music, which was part of Vanderbilt University.  Under Heard’s instruction, Eli learned to play standard classical violin repertoire. At the age of 16, Eli’s interests shifted from classical to western swing. At this point, Eli began studying with Nashville legend, Buddy Spicher and spent the next year mastering western swing music.

Being from Nashville, it was easy to see great musicians in many different musical styles performing. Eli would regularly hear bluegrass and country music as well as western swing and jazz concerts around town. He was also regularly exposed to concerts that the Nashville Symphony would perform. This largely diverse exposure to music is most likely what would fuel his later desire to go beyond the normal expectations of a typical violinist.

Eli continued his musical education at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.  His studies of various musical styles--including Classical, Western Swing, Rock, Country, and Jazz--have provided him with the opportunity to perform with a wide variety of musical artists.

Shortly after leaving Berklee, Eli began working regularly as a session musician and an arranger. He has played with world renowned musicians such as Vince Gill and the Time Jumpers, Roy Wooten, Wynton Marsalis, and many others.

He is now a member of World Gypsy Jazz Fusion Band Occidental Gypsy as they tour the country starting in April 2014.