Search - Oliver Nelson, Mark Summer, David Balakrishnan :: 4 + Four [Hybrid SACD]

4 + Four [Hybrid SACD]
Oliver Nelson, Mark Summer, David Balakrishnan
4 + Four [Hybrid SACD]
Genres: International Music, Jazz, Special Interest, Pop, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (8) - Disc #1

If you're looking to label this music as one sort or another--classical, jazz, bluegrass--you're bound to get into trouble. The two Quartets at work here--the Turtle Island String Quartet and the Ying Quartet--are innovato...  more »

     
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Amazon.com
If you're looking to label this music as one sort or another--classical, jazz, bluegrass--you're bound to get into trouble. The two Quartets at work here--the Turtle Island String Quartet and the Ying Quartet--are innovators, blending absolutely classical training with a love of experimentation, improvisation, and an ear for unusual textures. The CD begins with a cool, swinging, true jazz classic ("Yearnin'") for the full octet and ends with a version of John Lennon's "Because" which captures the piece's melancholy in just the right manner. Along the way, an original work by the Turtle Island cellist, "Julie-O," discovers the darker and more virtuosic reaches of the pair of cellos. Darius Milhaud's "La Creation du Monde," a 1923 piece that explored the combination of European classical music and jazz, gets a new arrangement, and another original piece, "Variations on an Unoriginal Theme," pits one quartet against the other in a friendly competition that touches on R&B and Samba. This is a unique CD--entertaining and original. --Robert Levine

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CD Reviews

A truly great recording
Darol Anger | California | 07/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"as a founding member of this group, I want to say that this current lineup (with 2 of the original members) is one of the most versatile and powerful lineups for this band ever. And this recording is in many ways the best ever, technically and musically. Anyone who is interested in the TISQ, or string music of any kind, should buy this CD immediately!

-Darol Anger"
A cross-over hit that refuses to compromise itself!
Stephanie Y. Chan | Saratoga, CA | 02/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"OK, I admit I bought this CD because they were nominated for a Grammy (which they just won). It has quickly become one of my favorite discs. It's amazing what these performers can do with their instruments. I really enjoy "Yearnin'," and although I'm always skeptical about Beatles arrangements, the lush harmonies of "Because" lend themselves well to a classical/jazz interpretation. Our family is a big fan of the Yings, and we hope to hear more from this wonderful quartet!"
There's a giant in the room
Marc Mowrey | 03/03/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a just a great album to listen to. Weird and wonderful music, executed with joy and precision. There's a lot of power in this music, but it's delivered with such frivolous confidence that you barely notice there's a giant in the room. And as an added bonus, the album is sonically extremely pleasing. This recording has fantastic presence and ambience. A definite buy."