Hickory Strings blends musical influences from around the world into a unique brand of modern American chamber music. With elements of classical, jazz, African, klezmer, bluegrass, celtic, folk, pop, and funk, the resulting compositions and improvisations are unclassifiable. The group’s versatility has led to performances in concert halls, bars, coffee shops, bluegrass festivals, libraries, and is one of the few groups truly suitable for nearly any venue. Their music has appeared in films and for public radio. The group is often grouped with and compared to similar recording and performing artists: Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, and Nickel Creek’s Chris Thile.
The musicians are active educators, providing workshops and interactive performances in schools, community centers, and other academic institutions. The group also provides music for weddings, private parties, events, and children’s concerts.
The core of the group is a duo: Geoff Brown and Mark Whitaker. The critically acclaimed duo formed in 2006. The debut 2006 recording, Geoff Brown and Hickory Strings includes a variety of duo, trio, and quartet combinations for mandolin, banjo, upright bass, and guitar.
The 2008 recording, Patches, features bassist Gian Pangaro (Three Tall Pines). Gian actively performs concerts with Hickory Strings throughout New England and adds a third dimension to the music, bringing his strong background in bluegrass, jazz, and classical music.
GEOFF BROWN is an eclectic musician, multi-instrumentalist, and composer from Boston, MA. Gaining most of his training on guitar and mandolin, he has played in many groups ranging from funk and rock to bluegrass, celtic, folk, jazz, and classical. In 2001, Geoff moved to Hollywood, CA and attended The Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT), where he received a rigorous training on the instrument. After GIT, he earned his B.A. (summa cum laude) at Tufts University in Medford, MA where he received a broad education covering music history, ethnomusicology, music theory, composition, orchestration, and conducting. Residing in Cambridge, MA, Geoff studies Classical Guitar at Longy School of Music in the Master of Music program and is part of the faculty at Powers Music School in Belmont, MA and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education.
MARK WHITAKER is a Boston-based banjoist who has performed extensively throughout New England. Originally from Maryland, Mark developed his musical foundation through studying 10 years of classical piano. While earning his B.A. in Philosophy at Earlham College in Richmond, IN, Mark expanded his musical interests and began studying banjo. Mark has spent the last 9 years specializing in banjo and has developed a unique approach which incorporates his strong foundation on piano. Mark currently resides in Jamaica Plain, MA and is studying music theory at Berklee College of Music.
Hickory Strings also works frequently with bassist Gian Pangaro, who can be heard on the Patches record.
GIAN PANGARO Bassist Gian Pangaro was born, raised, and schooled in Boston. He came to music relatively late, beginning guitar at age 12. For the past 14 years, he has concentrated on Double Bass as his main instrument, while still playing the guitar and dobro as side interests. Since picking up the bass, he has studied with several of Boston’s best teachers and appeared in many ensembles in Boston and San Francisco. Gian currently holds down the low end for Hickory Strings and Three Tall Pines, a local americana and bluegrass band.