Nuttin' But Stringz

Teenage brothers, Tourie Escobar and Damien Escobar are a true phenomenon of

our musical age. They combine the classical sound of the violin with Pop, R&B

and Hip-hop. The result is a unique and uplifting fury of modern emotion and

harmony… intensity and rhythm. Younger brother Damien says, “We play our violins

so hard and with such force that we destroy a bow a show!” Together, the Escobar

brothers are NUTTIN’ BUT STRINGZ (NBS). They both attended the legendary

Juilliard School of Music in New York City where they were able to hone their

craft and find their place. Their mission is to bridge the gap between Popular

and Classical music. Their debut CD, Struggle from the Subway to the Charts was

released through KOCH Entertainment in October 2006 on NBS Entertainment Inc./

KOCH Entertainment. Their first single entitled “Thunder” showcases their raw

talent; it digs into the soul, slowly unleashes it and exposes it. Older brother

Tourie explains, “Our music is based on emotion not lyrics. We tell stories and

the violin is our voice.” Other tracks on the CD include, “Broken Sorrow” and

“Dance with My Father.” NBS has been playing the violin for over 15 years and at

the tender ages of 7 and 8 they knew what inspired them. They grew up in a rough

area of Jamaica, Queens; where it wasn’t safe to walk the streets especially if

you have a violin in your hands. As a result, their musical aspirations came

crashing to a stop 3 years ago when they both dropped out of school and lost

focus. Eventually they realized they were in with a bad crowd and went back to

school. Tourie says, “The passion for music and the violin saved my life.” They

were relentless and played the New York City subways for pocket change. Tourie

explains, “We would play the trains and we had a captive audience. We broke down

the trains on a marketing level. Damien chose the C train for its demographic

and I tackled the A train. We raked in over $300 each in 2 hours and we did it 3

times a week.” Damien adds, “The subway is the equivalent of playing several

performance hours each week and we were able to refine our technique before a

live audience.” The subway was the gateway that landed NBS a manager and a record deal. In 2005, they entered a local talent contest at the legendary Apollo Theatre and won! As a result of the media attention surrounding the event, they have appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Today Show with Katie Couric and have even been featured in Major Motion Pictures such as “STEP UP”. They have performed on show bills with legendary artists such as Al Jarreau, Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, The Isley Brothers and Yolonda Adams. They have even been invited to perform for the President of the

United States at the White House. Their sudden success escalated their hopes and

dreams and they became involved with the YMCA Strong Kids charity as well as the

VH1 Save the Music Foundation. They also spent much of their free time playing

at public schools and talking to kids about music and staying in school. Music

has changed their outlook on life. Tourie says, “I never finished anything early

in life but with the violin, I saw it through and I’m not going to quit now.”

Damien agrees and says, “I don’t handle failure well that’s why I work as hard

as I can.” NBS brilliantly molds unlikely genres with ease. From 50 Cent to

Vivaldi, from DMX and R Kelly to Bach, NBS continues to enlighten and entertain

audiences of all ages. From toddlers to teens and beyond… their music crosses

and opens age barriers in a way that is unforgettable. Struggle from the Subway

to the Charts is a brilliant blend of classical daring intertwined with rap

undertones. NBS has created a new genre that’s being talked about and admired.

The buzz has begun. Their music is a provocative and stirring Thunder that will

be analyzed and copied for years to come.