Marissa Licata (violin/electric)

Boston and New York based violinist, Marissa Licata, is a star, powerhouse soloist. Her electrifying passion and vibrant presence have been featured on international and world-renowned stages playing Rock, Pop, Klezmer, Middle Eastern, R&B, Latin, Classical and Jazz, performing with a stylish ease and unique elegance all her own.

Before earning both her Bachelor (’07) and Masters degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music in 2009, Marissa was already high in demand – hand picked by Ian Anderson to join Jethro Tull as lead violinist on US/Canada tours in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Highlights in 2008 also included appearances on The Sundance Channel’s live global event Pangea Day, and ABC’s The View, with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. That year ended on a high note, with a performance on the Latin Grammy Awards Show with Gloria Estefan at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

An invitation by singer-songwriter, Ben Harper, kicked off 2010. Licata was featured on a nationally aired, live PBS Special, Live From the Artists Den, taped with Ringo Starr and Harper at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Another Jethro Tull tour followed in the Summer of 2010, where Marissa once again, lit up ampitheater stages in major concert venues such as the 11,000 seat Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, and Boston’s 5,000 seat Bank of America Pavilion. Shortly thereafter, Licata found herself expanding even further with several studio projects along side new artists Elle Varner, Jermaine Paul, and Gaby Wilson. While exploring the New York City studio recording scene, she linked up with Grammy Award winning producer and member of The Fugees, Pras, and single-handedly recorded all of the string parts for the 2010 remix of his hit single "Ghetto Superstar".

By 2011, Marissa had caught the attention of R&B icon and songwriter, Alicia Keys, and in June, joined Ms. Keys on her "Piano and I" Tour. The end of the tour was marked with a live, outdoor performance from Times Square in New York City, on ABC’s Good Morning America!

2012 welcomed two exciting milestones for the young violinist. 'Water Level' was officially released – a jazz collaboration album between Marissa and her father, composer and alto saxophonist, Charles Licata. The second was Marissa’s headlining debut performance at the infamous Scullers Jazz Club in Boston. She stepped out into the spotlight as the premiere soloist, capturing and mesmerizing a sold out audience with her energetic versatility and mixture of passionate, rhythmic, Gypsy flair and improvisation.