By Angela Romeo
A perfect storm is a rare combination of factors – in this particular case the perfect storm is a wonder! Bri Cherry is that blend of unique soul of brain, heart, talent and beauty.
Bri grew up in Orange County. Her childhood had the ups and downs of many of us. She had siblings. She went to public school. She had a horse. “I thought about being a cowgirl. I loved riding. I loved my horse. He was a trusted friend and confidante. He was my world when I needed to be Bri. No judgments,” said Bri.
Bri found love and passion in music. “I started my musical career with the public school music program. It had minimal costs and unlimited potential. I thought about the cello, and this is where the cost came in, strings could be $50 a piece to replace! That was more than my family could afford. So I kept going down the line. To replace violin strings was $5 – affordable and so began my love of violin and string instruments!”
“Public school music gave so much to me. I gave me not a pastime but a career. Music, all arts, is a necessary part of life. The arts overlap into so many other disciplines – math, science, and literature. It is so sad to see the music and arts programs cut in the schools.”
In Bri’s hands the violin can be a game changer. It is not just the classical music that she can coax from it; it is the contemporary sounds that come to life. “Strings are many things. We are familiar with what a guitar can do but we just seem to have a blind spot as to what the violin is capable of doing.”
“I came to the desert in 2010. The music scene here was open and exciting. I played with various groups but I felt limited. I wanted to be seen as more than the chick in the band or a novelty, girl with violin. I needed to be out the box.”
“I am now working with Bri Cherry & The Boys. I love it. I am doing left and right brain things,” quipped Bri.” I am the business manager, the booing agent, the transport coordinator, you name it! But I not only play music, I write and arrange music. There are so many components to the Bri Cherry & The Boys. I am involved in all aspects.”
“I am very fortunate to have Louis Alexander, bass and digital audio master, Danny Zee, keys, Chris Colin, guitar and Mr. Beau, drums, as part of this project. We are very much in sync and have a great rapport. Each of us brings a unique talent to the project. Chris instinctively knows how to embellish the work. Danny writes and acts. Louis composes and produces music for film. Mr. Beau is always pushing the limits and growing as a musician. We are all studying music – at College of the Desert or Berkeley or both. Growth is important.”
“These artists are all amazing. I’m incredibly grateful for them. I’ve never been around a group of people like this. Consistently striving to become better versions of themselves – it’s a beautiful atmosphere to have with the additional bonus of the constant support we have for each other.”
“Our style is not simple to categorize, but is a fusion of Dub Step, classical, gypsy, pop, and anything else that challenges us. We don’t need to fit the boxes.”
“I am a believer of what is possible. We find inspiration everywhere – yes even from Madison Ave! For me an Adidas ad sparked me – ‘Impossible is nothing, just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given rather than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact, it’s an opinion, it’s a declaration, it’s a dare. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.’ I believe in nothing is impossible. My music reflects that and how I live my life is a further extension. People wanted to box me in – be the girl in the band, but don’t be the star. Well creativity won’t allow that. I am here.”
Bri Cherry & The Boys will be playing at the Pre-Synergy Halloween Costume Bash on October 1 and at the Vortex Music Festival on October 22. More information on the band visit www.facebook.com/bricherryandtheboys.
(Photos By George Duchannes)
