The Troubled Notes @ The Magic Garden

The story of The Trouble Notes begins on the Brooklyn banks of the East River.

A young visionary violinist stood staring out, beyond the lights of the city into the unknown, yearning for an adventure that would sweep him away from his beloved New York City. Having spent the past years on an intense career path at a Wall Street investment firm, Bennet felt a sense of conflict down to his very core.

He drew inspiration from the careers of Rodrigo y Gabriela and Gogol Bordello. They had not sat around and waited for opportunities to knock at their door, they brought their music directly to the people. He would daydream from his office desk about traveling across Europe and Asia, playing his music in a group called “The Trouble Notes”. Soon those dreams would need to become reality.

After one month of busking in London, he would meet local percussionist Oliver Maguire. Born in west London, Olly had grown up in a Rock’n’Roll family. His father a former tour manager for the band Motörhead, young Olly grew up learning his skills from rock drumming legend Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor. And while his love for rock music was obvious, it was his upbringing in an area rich in cultural immigration that would shape his passion for World music and beats.

Traveling together around the UK and Ireland, they would eventually land in one of the cultural epicenters of Europe: Berlin, Germany. Like in every city before, they took immediately to the streets. Within months of their arrival, they would meet guitarist Florian Eisenschmidt. Having graduated from SAE, Florian had spent his young adult life working in recording studios in Berlin. When he first saw Bennet and Oliver playing, he was impressed by their infectious energy and skills on their instruments.

An encounter that started as an admiration for the band would soon translate into the addition of a third member. Bringing his skills as an engineer and energetic guitar playing style, Florian’s addition would mark the last piece of group’s core. That is when The Trouble Notes were truly born.