Quartet San
Francisco received two Grammy
nominations yesterday for their latest Violinjazz
Recordings CD,
QSF Plays
Brubeck.The CD, which is the first
all-Brubeck string quartet recording, was nominated in
the Classical Crossover category and is the group's
third consecutive Best Album
nomination.
QSF Plays
Brubeck was also nominated as Best
Engineered Classical CD. The disc was recorded by
Judy Kirschner at Skywalker Ranch,
Nicasio, CA.
The quartet's previous CDs,
Latigo (2006) and
Whirled Chamber Music (2007),
were similarly honored in the Best Classical Crossover
Album category. In addition,
Latigo was nominated for Best
Engineered Classical Album (recorded by veteran engineer
Leslie Ann Jones, also at Skywalker
Ranch).
"We are so pleased to receive this
nomination for our Brubeck CD," says violinist
Jeremy Cohen. "Dave's music is so
joyful and inspiring, and we are so pleased to express
it as string players. This nomination is a great
affirmation, and it encourages us to keep on doing what
we're doing."
Quartet San Francisco's
personnel, in addition to Cohen, includes
Alisa
Rose (violin),
Keith Lawrence
(viola), and
Michelle Djokic (cello).
The group was established in 2001.
Other
honorees in the Best Classical Crossover Album category
are:
Conspirare,
A Company of
Voices (Conspirare in Concert);
Paquito
D'Rivera Quintet,
Jazz-Clazz;
Detroit Symphony Orchestra,
The
Melody of Rhythm (with Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain,
Edgar Meyer);
Theo Bleckmann, Kneebody,
Twelve Songs by Charles Ives; and
Yo-Yo
Ma & Friends,
Songs of Joy and
Peace.
The Grammy
Awards will be presented January 31 in Los
Angeles.
QSF Plays
Brubeck was produced by Andrea Liguori;
Jeremy Cohen served as executive producer. Judy
Kirschner was the recording and mastering
engineer.
Quartet San Francisco: QSF Plays
Brubeck "The ability to swing began to steal into
the ranks of classical strings players a few years ago.
Although they may not discuss it in the polite company
of their easily-shocked older colleagues, some of them
are also improvising with proficiency and joy. There is
convincing evidence of both phenomena in the QSF's CD of
10 pieces by Dave Brubeck, and Paul Desmond's 'Take
Five.'" --Doug Ramsey,
Rifftides
"The QSF is very
comfortable with this material and there's a wonderful
rhythmic looseness in their version [of 'Strange
Meadowlark']. . . . The final melody chorus, originally
solo piano, is orchestrated for the full quartet for a
superb and fulfilling ending." --Tom
Cunniffe, Jazz.com
"As the QSF
continues to dismantle the stuffy chamber music
stereotype, it turns new light on the beauty of
Brubeck's compositions, even weaving some of his
original piano solos into their arrangements. . . This
CD is innovative, adventurous and brilliantly played. A
real treat." --Judith
Schlesinger,
AllAboutJazz.com
"Highly worth checking out
for any keyboard aficionado, thanks to the group's
unpredictable arrangements of classic Dave Brubeck
tracks -- and the vivacious performances thereof. . . .
An outstanding reinvention of a classic jazz piano
hero's work." --Michael
Gallant,
Keyboard
Quartet
San Francisco performing Dave Brubeck's "
Three
to Get Ready" at Skywalker Ranch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEelr03Rn3I
