I'm a little fickle here," laughs Erica Quitzow when asked about all of the instruments she employs on a single recording. Fickle may not be a fitting enough word. How about this one: multifaceted. Or these, to be specific: violin, cello, guitar, drums, vintage synth. There's no predicting what strange, thought-provoking, beautiful noises might be lurking around Quitzow's studio, readying themselves for the journey inside your skull and preparing to roll around on your tympanic membrane.

She likens her work to a collage, layering and layering—Moog rumpus, classical string pudding, heavy metal fever, quirky distorted vox ("Take the pieces that felt inspired, felt interesting, and capture those pieces, try to put them together in a cohesive, songlike structure," she explains). This artist is unclassifiable. Part Rasputina, part Todd Rundgren. Patti Smith? Sure. Hole? Okay. Bach, anyone? It's unequivocally refreshing and dramatic.

"I love having digital equipment," she says. "It opens up so many possibilities that weren't accessible to people of any income bracket before. Home recording has been a great part of my process, because I do like to record and write at the same time, write an inspiration, go back through, pick out parts."

Quitzow most often does this alone, but sometimes she brings other artists in. Sets them up on bass, drums, or guitar and has them record the first thing that comes out. She'll record a drum loop, then have someone record a piano line over that track, and then come back in and listen. She may use a moment of that track, or the entire thing. Then she might grab an electric guitar and write a harmony over it. She might then be compelled to add a vocal line. Or she might scratch the whole thing except for the one part that really works. Sometimes she'll sit down with just an acoustic guitar and voice and start to write. Or bring in some music theory. Or take it to the extreme.

"I think about the Beatles and how clever they were, how they used chord progressions that made sense. I'm inspired by the free-associative half-logic of some of their lyrics. And I'll pick up a book on the theory of songwriting and try to do some things that are theoretically or mathematically considered good craftsmanship." The end result is something truly unique.

The Berkeley, California-born artist had dancer parents, who lured the budding Quitzow into the parallel field of music. Though enrolled in piano initially, the first instrument that felt right was the violin. She was classically trained from the age of seven and joined a youth symphony while growing up in Orlando, Florida. "The violin was the natural instrument for me. It still looks like something out of a parallel universe to me. Not quite from this world. It's incredibly romantic. It alters my mood." She lost interest during her teen years, but at 17 she picked up the guitar, and that inspired her to return to the violin as well.

What she discovered with guitar, for the first time, was that she could improvise. "Guitar is an instrument where people are teaching each other. Very often people don't go to a teacher. Sometimes you just trade songs and chords with people you know. Improvisation is a big part of it. That was hard for me being classically trained and knowing how to read music. I approached everything logically. When I picked up guitar, I realized that I could just listen for a melody. Write my own music. Break some of the rules of theory." That is when Quitzow began applying her new non-theory to violin. Today, she thinks nothing of bringing a really Bach-sounding Baroque phrase into her mix-mosh. In fact, it's a splendid idea.

Quitzow's first full-length CD, 2004's simply titled Quitzow, is momentarily out of print. She assures that it will be back within the month—which is a good thing, because this nonpareil stuff should be available to those who are terminally bored with the music scene. Quitzow is a dream for the hipster collector who has everything. Touted as "quirky rock" and "playful medium-fi indie rock with experimental orchestration," the 13-track debut disc shows off the artist's skills on Rhodes, Moog, bass, cello, violin, acoustic guitar, electric guitar loops, MPC-programmed and live drums, and eclectic vocal work. It was self-recorded and produced out of her then-LA home, and she played almost all the parts herself. "Come On" starts off the recording with breathy, layered, echoed vocals over soaring strings and synth. Heavy "Lover" screams of Rasputina-esque stylings that could summon rats from a gutter, as does the dark, scratchy "Drink-Up." "Victoria" employs a lovely, haunting melody with multilayered vox that gives us a break from the mayhem of the previous tracks. Guitar-based "R. Crumb" deviates even more, light-hearted and less adorned. "Know Me" rocks out in heavy PJ Harvey fashion, while the erratic soundscape of "I'm Sorry" is a distorted trip to the devil's funhouse. Strangely, the disc ends with a boisterous hip-hop number, "eQu it," that seems to be a mockery of it all.

"I have two major themes," she says. "The raw emotional release and the surreal, playful reprieve. I've always loved the idea of painting a picture and being able to walk into it."

Quitzow is no stranger to stage, studio, or tours, having been bassist and vocalist in the successful psychedelic San Fran rock band Heavy Pebble, and bassist/synth player for the LA indie-pop band Inner (with Jennifer Turner of Natalie Merchant's band). She spent her NYC years performing the acoustic circuit as "anti-folk" at CBGB's gallery and the Sidewalk Cafe. Today, having settled down in Accord, she plays violin with the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra, and drums and cello with Young Love Records' label-mates, Setting Sun. Young Love is the homebrewed label that she and 10-year partner/musical partner Gary Levitt began in LA just before they moved to the Hudson Valley in 2004. The duo have played in many projects together and worked in grassroots scenes out west, operating as a collective called Caboose Music. Young Love also runs an in-house Pro-Tools recording studio, Young Love Studios.

Quitzow will be releasing a new CD this fall, having already produced two signature cuts, "Peanut" and "Art College." She plans on utilizing more elements of electronica, more programmed drums, more Moog, and more structured string arrangements.

Also on Quitzow's plate is her own music school, the New York School of Music, where she teaches full-time to students of all ages from Walden, Beacon, Hyde Park, and surrounding areas.

Photo by Fionn Reilly.

"I love teaching. I've gained a lot of appreciation for the instruments I play since I began teaching. When I see how much work these kids are putting into it in the beginning—later there's a lot more play involved, but in the beginning the most discipline is required—I watch their faces and how hard they're struggling to learn, and I'm constantly reminding them that it gets easier and more fun. But there are moments when it hurts. It hurts their little fingers, it hurts their little necks, and I try not to push them to the point where they get a sour taste in their mouths. I try to remember how far I've come. And we forget that sometimes, how we somehow mustered the discipline to get past that."

Quitzow will perform twice this month in the Hudson Valley. First, at the three-day, fourth annual Goddess Festival, which will be held at the Colony Cafe, 22 Rock City Road, Woodstock, from March 10 through 12. She'll hit the stage at 9pm on Friday, March 10, sandwiched between Rainbow Weaver, Tangles Tassles Tribal Belly Dancing, Big Sister, and Daruska Trio. All proceeds will benefit the Ulster County Battered Women Shelter (the only such non-profit shelter in Ulster County), which is run by Family of Woodstock. Quitzow's set, which will feature several other musicians, will include lots of electronic loops, some solo acoustic songs, straightforward rock with guitar and drums, bass and cello, rhythmic noise, crazy computer sounds, the works.

Second, Quitzow will perform a more broken down acoustic and cello gig with Setting Sun, The Virginia Wolves, and The Primary Color on Friday, March 24, at 8pm, at a little coffeehouse in New Paltz called 60 Main (also the address). "A cool scene, run by really cute, politically minded college kids," says Quitzow.