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| Turtle Island Quartet at Stanford For the first time in nearly two decades, Stanford Lively Arts welcomes the innovative Turtle Island Quartet--David Balakrishnan and Mads Tolling, violin; Jeremy Kittel, viola; and Mark Summer, cello--on Saturday, February 16. at Dinkelspiel Auditorium in a concert that showcases Turtle Island's interpretation of music written by, or otherwise reflective of, the 20th century jazz master John Coltrane alongside the premiere of a new work written jointly be the quartet's members. A post-performance discussion with the artists immediately follows. Known for its creation of bold, new trends fusing the classical quartet esthetic with contemporary American musical styles, the Turtle Island offers a fresh take on John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and others performing selections from their Grammy-nominated recording, A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane. The centerpiece of the album is a string quartet reading of John Coltrane's 32-minute suite, A Love Supreme. Turtle Island will also present the premiere of Anika's Dream, their collaborative new work commissioned for Stanford Lively Arts. “We're all jazz musicians who have spent years listening to and transcribing his [John Coltrane's] solos," says David Balakrishnan. “Each one of us has done this. So we're trying to play this in a way that we're really breathing his breath, but also incorporating these other influences that we feel." The Turtle Island Quartet takes its name from creation mythology found in Native American folklore. Since its inception in 1985, the group has been a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings. Winner of the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Recording, has made over a dozen recordings on labels such as Windham Hill, Chandos, Koch, and Telarc, as well as soundtracks for major motion pictures and television and radio programs (including NBC's Today show and NPR's All Things Considered, Prairie Home Companion, and Morning Edition). Collaborations have included work with famed artists such as clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, the Manhattan Transfer, pianists Billy Taylor and Kenny Barron, the Ying Quartet, and the Parsons Dance Company. For more information, visit the ensemble's website at http://www.tisq.com. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |