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When music is really good, it strikes an emotional chord with listeners. Violinist John Blake Jr. is no better witness to this — since it was one recording that forever altered his life.
The former resident was exposed to jazz in the 1960s, but didn’t realize the violin could be incorporated into this all-American genre until he heard a musician playing in the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
"When I heard a recording of Ray Nance, a light bulb went off in my head," Blake, formerly of 22nd and Oakford streets, said. "When I heard that, it gave me a whole different vision for the way the instrument could be used. That started me on a journey that I’m on now."
While the sound of jazz was grabbing hold of Blake, he was earning a bachelor’s degree in music education at West Virginia University. It was there he learned about the less-classical sound.
"I didn’t end up thinking I would play jazz violin," he said. "Jazz opened me up to another approach."
Blake’s voyage has now taken him back to his roots. The former student at the Settlement Music School, 416 Queen St., will perform in the Distinguished Alumni Recital Sunday and for a free master class Saturday. Proceeds from ticket sales with benefit the school.
The school, with six branches citywide (the local one being the Mary Louise Curtis Branch), has had other noteworthy students, including "The Tonight Show’s" Kevin Eubanks and Irvin Kershner, director of "Stars Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back."
Blake, too, has achieved much since first picking up the violin in third grade. Accustom to wearing many musical hats, he credits much of his success to the school and a city that, while growing up, pushed the arts.
"There was very serious networking [between the School District of Philadelphia, Settlement and other organizations] going on for young musicians," the current Germantown resident said. "You had this atmosphere of support. That was one of the things that gave me the strong background that I had. I was exposed to so much at an early part of my life and that followed me all the way through school."
Piano lessons were a vital part of Blake’s childhood, but his talents with the violin weren’t discovered until later. "It wasn’t until I got to middle school that a music teacher noticed I seemed to take an interest in [the violin]," Blake said. "I like the sound of the instrument. I was motivated by the orchestra, the chamber groups that were around."
His interest grew through four years of private lessons at Settlement. "That school was really like a community of musicians because so many kids came there from different schools," he said. Throughout the city, "there was a lot of money being spent to provide private lessons for students. Music was a huge part of the curriculum during that time."
Blake returned to Philadelphia in the ’70s after college, showcasing his piano and violin techniques in the hopes of molding young minds. He joined the Liberation Unit, a group formed through an organization called Young Audiences that conducted musically educational performances for young people. "It was great to see interest from the kids and be involved in some form of education where we’re playing, educating and teaching at the same time," Blake said.
The musician’s career took another leap after performing throughout the city and then New York. In ’76, Blake met Grover Washington Jr., a saxophonist deemed a leader in modern jazz, and was invited to play keyboard and violin in his world-traveling band.
"He really wanted to share his success with members of his band," Blake said. "We were writing. We were recording with him. So really, he opened up the door for us to become more established by participating in his success."
The marriage of a soprano saxophone and violin was beautiful music, specifically since the two "normally don’t work together in a soul situation," he added.
Blake later connected with Philadelphia-born McCoy Tyner, who originally played with the John Coltrane Quartet, for five years.
"Every time you work with somebody, part of them rubs off on you," Blake said. "So I felt I gained a lot from working with both those guys, and they were very open to using a violin."
These experiences led to five of Blake’s own albums on the Gramavision label. These days, he can be found on the lecturing and performing circuit and has co-authored a book on learning the string-jazz method.
But, probably his most important endeavor is continuing to promote the arts in Philadelphia schools. He performs through Musicopia (formerly Strings for Schools), a nonprofit that educates students on classical, jazz, multicultural and pop music.
"It doesn’t matter what background you are," Blake said. "If you are not exposed to the arts, you are really poor, whether you have money or not. There’s something rich about the arts that make such a difference in the lives of people."
Though Blake feels the city doesn’t place as much an emphasis on music programs as when he was a child, he’s "hopeful that it’s not going to go away. There are so many talented people out there that need to be exposed."
Blake shares his musical abilities with son Johnathan, 30, who is a member of the John Blake Quartet. His wife, Barbara, and daughters, Beverly, 27, and Jennifer, 23, also enjoy his unique sound.
Blake will perform alongside pianist Jim Ridl at this weekend’s recital. Since its been more than 40 years since he first set foot in Settlement, the musician expects an emotional return.
"I know music, for me, was a great area where I could excel," he said. "I was an OK student, but music was the part that really opened things up for me. It was my foundation."
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For more information or tickets, call 215-320-2686 or visit www.smsmusic.org.
