Ed Alleyne-Johnson: The Electric Violinist of Mystery

One day, at my computer, I was exploring some new types of music. Immediately after listening to some alternative rock, my eyes lay on an ad that referenced an electric violin. An electric violin? I was curious to know, at very least, what it sounded like. The first result that came up read "Awesome Electric Violin - Ed Busking Chester." It sounded interesting, so I clicked it, hoping to hear an accurate demonstration of the electric violin. I quickly found out that the electric violin was an interesting alternative to the electric guitar, producing similar sounds but with the length and fluidity of a violin. However, I found something else far more valuable.

Ed Alleyne-Johnson beautifully combines classical music with contemporary styles to create an intriguing, powerful, and moving piece of music. Most famous is his piece, "Orange," which landed on his Ultraviolet album. His skill is seemingly unmatched. Only bringing a custom pedal-board, an amplifier, and his violin to his spot on the street, most viewers are shocked to hear what seems like a small orchestra playing. And yet, it's only one person. Alleyne-Johnson artfully combines a plucking method, which he saves on his pedal-board on the spot (by tapping it with his foot), and replays it in the background while playing a new rhythm on his violin. His music transitions from the adventurous to the eerie to the unexplored: simply listening to it is an adventure in itself.

Ed-Alleyne Johnson does not gain most of his revenue from selling albums. Instead, he busks on the streets of the United Kingdom. Don't worry, I had to look it up to: busks means perform in public places for tips or gratuities. Meaning, Alleyne-Johnson actually spends most of his time performing on streets, gaining only the little money he receives from the petty donations. In fact, he's been doing this for over 20 years, at least since he graduated from Oxford University as a student of Fine Art. He generously lets his music echo throughout the streets of Chester or York (since he was recently booted from Chester) in England for the benefit of the people who stop by to listen: there is no mandatory fee. He does not do this for national attention; he could have sold more albums for that. He does it for pride, finding the greatest happiness in giving his music for free to all who are willing to listen. His motivations are truly uplifting and inspirational. And it shows: the users who comment on his YouTube videos love him for it and his music.

Solely as tribute to this relatively undiscovered artist, I highly encourage all my readers to listen to this selfless musician. He deserves far more than he earns, and is noble enough to play his music for the people, not for the money. If you'd like to hear his music, you can search "Ed Alleyne-Johnson" on YouTube. If you'd like to purchase his album, Ultraviolet, you can purchase online here.

Source:
"Ed Alleyne-Johnson." Wikipedia.