Bodog Beat

Violinist Philippe Quint smiles with taxi driver Mohammed Khalil after playing a concert in the taxi holding area at Newark International Airport. (AP Images)

The knot in the pit of his stomach must have been a tight one when Grammy-nominated violinist Philippe Quint returned home from the airport to realize he had left a $4-million-dollar irreplaceable 1723 Antonio Stradivari "Ex-Keisewetter" violin that was on loan to him, in a taxi cab.

A few nauseating hours later, police contacted Quint to tell him that the violin had been recovered and that the taxi driver who found it would be waiting for him at the airport taxi stand.

Quint tipped the driver, 58-year-old Mohammed Khalil, $100, but felt like it wasn't enough, so he arranged Tuesday's concert for cab drivers. The concert was held in the taxi holding area outside Newark International Airport, where approximately 50 drivers listened to Quint, who played atop a makeshift stage.

"It was so pleasing to see people dancing — that never happens," said Quint, 34.

Khalil also received a medal from the city of Newark, N.J., which was presented to him during a ceremony outside City Hall. Incidentally, Philippe was Khalil's last ride. As he had planned, Khalil retired from cab driving after returning the violin.