We received an email this weekend about an Israeli inspiration named Natalia the ‘Saw Lady’, who despite her horror flick nick name, is probably the coolest busker out there - besides the Naked Cowboy of course…

Above is clip of her time in NYC, and here’s a little info from her website:

NATALIA…..
affectionately known as the ‘Saw Lady’, has spent over a decade bringing the rare art form of playing the musical saw (also known as the singing saw) to audiences around the world.

She played the musical saw with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta, with the Westchester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Air Moroccan Symphony Orchestra and at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall with PDQ Bach composer Peter Schickele and with the Little Orchestra Society.

Television appearances include FOX (Good Day New York), ABC (Good Morning America), MTV (Andy Milonakis Show), VH1 (Behind the Music), History Channel (Tool Box).
Film appearances include ‘Dummy’ with Adrian Brody. Natalia’s musical saw playing can be heard on the soundtracks of films such as El Carnaval Sodoma/Arthuro Ripstein and American Carny. Radio performances include NPR (A Prairie Home Companion), XM Satelite Radio & WBAI.

Natalia received citations of honor for her musical saw playing from the New York City Council, the New York State Senate and a medal of honor from Paris, France.

She was chosen by Time Out New York, the Village Voice, the New York Press and the New York Resident for their Best of New York lists, and was featured in articles by the New York Times, theBoston Globe and Metro New York.

Natalia has recorded on Capitol Records, Universal Records and Atlantic Records with such artists as John Hiat.

Natalia’s goal is not only to preserve the rare art form of playing music on a saw, but to also try and push it forward through the invention of better musical saw playing technique, fine-tuning the instrument, educating composers about the possibilities of composing for musical saw, and bringing the instrument to public awareness. This last part, bringing the instrument into public awareness, she does not only through performances on the legitimate stage/TV/radio but also by bringing the music of the musical saw directly to people where people are - on the street. By performing in the subway she brings the art form to people who might not otherwise be able to encounter it.

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