Artist Bio:

The Mighty Third Rail is a three man trio that mixes the elements of Hip Hop poetry, beat-boxing, violin and upright bass. From poetry cafes to colleges to concert halls, whether it’s jamming at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Joe’s Pub, Harlem Stage, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, or performing at the prestigious Lincoln Center , The Mighty Third Rail undoubtedly delivers. Featuring the dashing Darian Dauchan on vocals, the indelible Ian Baggette on bass, and the courteous Curtis Stewart on violin. With wise cracking wordplay, booming basslines and a vivacious violin, this bold, urban collective pushes the boundaries of Jazz and Hip Hop to define the next generation’s voice.

Darian Dauchan is an accomplished solo performer and actor who has appeared on both Broadway (Twentieth Century starring Alec Baldwin and Anne Heche) and Off-Broadway theatre (Jean Cocteu Rep., Classical Theatre of Harlem). TV credits include “Law and Order” and Nickelodeon’s “Bet the House,” as Darian the “SoundFX” Guy. His solo shows have been produced, workshopped, and presented at the Roundabout Theatre Company, Classical Theatre of Harlem, NYC Fringe, Access Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company (Ithaca, NY), Playhouse on the Square (Memphis, TN), Whitefire Theatre (Los Angeles, CA), and Theatre ROW. As a performance poet, he was a member of the 2006 National Poetry Slam Team for the legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe, was crowned the 2007 Urbana Grand Slam Champion for the Bowery Poetry Club, was a 2008 Nuyorican Grand Slam Finalist, and was the 2009 New Word Artist for Urban Word NYC. His popular Obama poem during the historic 2008 election has received over 69,000 views on YouTube and counting. He’s currently featured on the FIAT Storyteller’s Series. He is the founder of the Spoken Word Almanac Project, and most recently received a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, and is a semi-finalist for the Jerome Foundation’s Stakeholder’s Choice Award.

Curtis Stewart is a New York City based freelance violinist. A recent graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Curtis has performed as a soloist with the National Repertory Orchestra and with Akua Dixon in her Hip-Hop Blues project at Aaron Davis Hall. He has made chamber music appearances in the Rochester International Jazz Festival and the Beethoven Institute at the Mannes College of Music. Curtis’ eclectic background has led him to concerts in many different realms of music from the avant-garde jazz Vision Festival and MTV specials with Wyclef Jean, to appearances at Carnegie Hall with the New England Symphonic Ensemble, and stints at the Jazz Gallery with Jason Lindner. Curtis is excited to continue expanding his stylistic and expressive range in New York’s boundless music scene.

Coming from Dayton, Ohio, Ian J. Baggette grew up listening to everything from The Ohio Players to Sergeant Pepper; Bob Marley to Earth Wind & Fire. But, it wasn’t until high school that he was introduced to the bass and discovered a new approach to music. At the age of 16 Baggette became involved with an original rock band and collaborated on different projects in and out of school. With a scholarship to Miami University, he was immersed in classical and jazz music. In 2006 Ian studied at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. During his stay he worked with and opened for local and international acts including Abdullah Ibrahim, The South African Jazz Orchestra and the KZN Philharmonic in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. He has studied with Stephen Ullery, John Pattitucci, Eric Zadan, and currently is studying with bassist Ron Carter. In his tenure, Baggette has performed in various venues throughout North America and Africa, recorded with, or opened for such artists as: Abdullah Ibrahim, Mulgrew Miller, Steve Wilson, Dan Faehnle, Phil DeGreg, Darius Brubeck, Melvin Peters, Sundar Viswanathan, The Roots, Snoop Dogg, Sean Paul, George Benson, Grupo Niche, Sonora Carruseles, and Puerto Rican Power.