In the Beginning...

In order to understand the origins of the Strapsey concept, I must tell you a little about myself. As a young child, I was fortunate enough to have two parents wholly encouraging of musical pursuits. I spent 16 years immersed in intense classical training, landing me a full collegiate scholarship and a strong propensity towards a career in music. Then one night in 2003, I encountered a kind of artistic breakthrough - an awe-inspiring moment that changed everything.

I had stumbled upon a dim-lit club where a group of local musicians were playing a style they called "jazzgrass." Immediately, I was mesmerized - struck by a kind of freedom that clung to the haze in the dark barroom air. I noticed that these musicians were doing something different. Instead of reciting, they were creating; instead of institutionalizing, they were improvising; instead of stressing, they were expressing. It was colorful, creative, and most of all, it was FUN!