Gorfain wasn’t quite a rocker from the cradle. He began his classical training at age four, and majored in violin performance at UCLA, where he was the orchestra’s concertmaster. “But I wanted to find something that was more immediate, more contemporary,” he says. “I already had a love for pop and rock music, so this was a natural progression.”

Gorfain worked as a studio musician in California and Japan, and has even written soundtracks for several PlayStation 2 video games. In 1996, he played with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant on their Unledded Tour. Shortly after that, he resolved to form his own rock quartet.

“In the beginning it wasn’t meant to be a standing group,” he recalls. “I wanted to create a string section that could go into recording studios and play with rock bands, look like rock bands, know their music, and not be bored, thinking, ‘God, I’m playing a popular song.’ Richard Dodd has been with me since the beginning; the other positions were revolving until five or six years ago, when I got Leah and Daphne from an all-girl quartet that was breaking up.”

English-born cellist Dodd had an early interest in punk rock. As a teenager he managed to perform live with the Bangles, which went on to score several jangle-pop hits. Following studies at Cal State Northridge, he spent many years touring and doing solo sessions with rock artists.

Violist Katz graduated from Indiana University and has extensive experience in ­classical orchestras and Hollywood studios. She describes herself as the group’s “purist” when it comes to producing traditional string sounds rather than going in for special effects. Violinist Chen also has classical training, but her strongest interests have been in all kinds of new music; she’s also been an active member of the Latin rock band Quetzal and of Tango Nuevo.

Gorfain has never had any trouble getting work for his quartet. “I didn’t have to do much persuading once people heard us play,” he says. “A lot of times you’ll speak to recording artists and producers who are intimidated by string players who come in on sessions with this condescending attitude. I wanted to break down those walls between rock players and classical players, remove the fear from it.”

Rock producer Perry can’t praise the group enough. “They’re really fun to work with because they’re versatile and open-minded,” she says. “At the drop of a hat I can change something, and before it’s even out of my mouth they’re playing it back to me perfectly.

“About five years ago, when I was working with Christina Aguilera on her Stripped album, I needed a quartet. It was between them and another one. I went with the Section Quartet, not from hearing them, but because I liked the name,” she adds. “Basically my whole life is based on a gut feeling. Well, I fell in love with them right away. We made an arrangement as they sat down and were hearing the song for the first time. I don’t know how to write music, so I just hum what I want. Their style of working made it really easy for me; I don’t feel intimidated.

“Eric is open and fast and a clever man.”

Some six months later, Perry was putting together a show of her own that included Led Zeppelin covers. Her bass player suggested sampling a bootleg CD of string versions of the band’s songs. His disc wasn’t labeled, but it turned out to be by the Section Quartet. “I said, ‘Oh my god, these guys are incredible!’” Perry recalls. “I didn’t want to just sample the disc; I wanted to have them play the show with us.

“They haven’t left my side since then. I adore them.”