“Calling Rufus Cappadocia a cello player is like calling Willie Mays an outfielder. Mingus would be proud of him. Cappadocia destroys any preconceptions you may have about cello as a classical instrument. He plays by his own rules and envelopes you with his own unique sound and style.” — AMAZON.COM

Cappadocia plays a five-string cello and an eight-string quartertone guitar, both of his own design. He performs regularly with the Bethany and Rufus Roots Quartet (USA / Niger / Haiti); Bonga Jean-Baptiste’s Vodou Drums of Haiti (Haiti); Peter, Bethany & Rufus (USA); Ilham featuring Gaida Hinawi (Syria); Vishal Vaid Ghazal Ensemble (India); Paradox Trio (USA / Macedonia); and Stellamara (USA); as well as his Unaccompanied Solo Performances.

“I’ve studied a lot of different musical vocabularies,” Rufus Cappadocia explains. “And I’ve played with musicians literally from around the world. But, in the end, music all comes down to a single source. You can be pulled this way or that, but essentially it all converges on the same location. Every doorway leads back to one place.” He pauses before adding with a laugh, “I guess you could say my whole life has been an attempt at getting to that place.” Meet cellist Rufus Cappadocia, a multi-lingual musician, performer, composer and recording artist of incredible range and diversity. From the modalities of Middle Eastern, West African and pan-European folk forms to blues, rock and jazz along the way, adding elements American roots, Mediterranean textures, and Caribbean percussion for good measure, Cappadocia’s effortless and natural embrace of all music is awe-inspiring...

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