Violinst Marla Hansen may be the only musician who's played with both Jay-Z and Brooklyn rock stalwarts Oneida, and in between become a regular in the Sufjan Stevens and My Brightest Diamond crews. (Most recently, she played and provided harmony vocals on Stevens' Songs For Christmas set.) Hansend says that freelance playing and teaching part-time in New York may add up to "too much randomness," but she is finding time to put the finishing touches on her first EP, Wedding Day. Stevens and My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden provide backup on her songs (some of which are streaming on her MySpace page), but the real strength of Hansen's music is in her own quiet, breathy voice, which the Madison native accompanies with her plucked viola. Hansen spoke with The A.V. Club in advance of a rare hometown show.

12.21.06