Sunday Brunch with Alex Prizgintas: Electric Cello at the Towne Crier Cafe

Alex Prizgintas began his maiden voyage of electric cello concerts in November, 2021 with a program called “Bach to Rock”—now shortened to “B-2-R.” That simple program has expanded into more than twelve concert selections from the “British Invasion” to a “Salute to Broadway,” “Bach to Blues to Jazz” and “America: Songs of Patriotism, Protest, and Praise”—all advertised under the banner of “Uber Arts: Delivering Food for the Soul." "Some of my favorite selections in the original B-2-R program include the Baroque cello suites of J.S. Bach, Latin tangos such as Astor Piazzolla’s “Libertango,” and opera selections like Donizetti’s “Una Furtiva Lagrima” and Verdi’s “La Donna Mobile” says Alex. "I enjoy the lyricism of opera especially when contrasted by the counterpoint of jazz by masters like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and Dave Brubeck. And then, there are times where I stray towards the rebellion of the mid-to-late 60’s British Invasion with groups like Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Procol Harum, The Kinks, and The Zombies—to name just a few."

But with the cello being what it is, Alex enjoys the root of its sound found in the core repertoire of Bach’s Cello Suites and the generation of classical composers who followed. “I think B-2-R says it succinctly in that I try to harvest the best and work diligently to not only recreate but rather create a unique retelling of what we might already personally know.” And with each performance, Alex strives to communicate--not only with the cello but with the back-stories that reveal interesting facts about each selection. “I have three rock selections with personal ties to Jimi Hendrix, an explanation about Bach’s Preludes to each cello suite and where Dave Brubeck found inspiration for ‘Blue Rondo a la Turk,' just to name a few. Along with the tunes, my goal is to build a better understanding and a deeper relationship with my audiences.”

The unique sound of Alex Prizgintas and his amplified cello will be part of a special Sunday brunch at the Towne Crier Cafe in Beacon, NY on August 18th from 11:00-2:30. Classically trained, he employs non-classical tools like distortion, delay, and the iconic “wah-wah” guitar pedals symbolic of 1960s Rock n’ Roll bands--all in conjunction with a looping station. Equally comfortable with intimate and stadium settings, Alex is able to craft his own wall-of-sound through his 1,000 watt amp. Accompanied by narrations that reveal some of the back stories of baroque, jazz, folk, and Rock n’ Roll classics, he immerses his audience in a journey through musical history much in the same way of a historical documentary. Those familiar with Alex's work on the cello might be surprised to learn that he holds a degree in history and a Master’s in public administration from Marist College. “I tend to have two audiences; those who know me as a cellist and those who know me through my lectures on topics of regional history. My bifurcated interests certainly keep me busy developing new stories to share about our Hudson River Valley as well as expanding my concert programs that strive to keep audiences engaged, enlightened and hopefully entertained.” To learn more and see other video samples of his music and lectures, please visit alexprizgintas.com.