Turtle Island Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Turtle Island Quartet (known as the "Turtle Island String Quartet" before the 2007 release of A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane) is a San Francisco Bay Area
based jazz
string quartet
formed in 1985 and still actively touring worldwide and recording . They were the first string quartet to achieve artistic and commercial success integrating jazz improvisation
, jazz rhythms and comping
using extended techniques. Their extensive repertoire consists primarily of compositions and arrangements by quartet members that highlight their versatility by bridging several styles including Bluegrass
, European classical music, funk
, jazz
, Latin American music
, and Indian classical music
. They became known for their renditions of jazz standards, such as founding violinist David Balakrishnan
's Grammy-nominated arrangement of "A Night In Tunisia" by Dizzy Gillespie
, "Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson, or "Blue Rondo a la Turk" by Dave Brubeck
on Art of the Groove, as well as for jazz interpretations of famous classical music pieces, as shown on the humorously titled "Bach's Lunch" on The Hamburg Concert. The quartet has also covered rock and roll
pieces, such as Jimi Hendrix
's "Gypsy Eyes" on Who Do We Think We Are? and Eric Clapton
's - originally Robert Johnson's - "Crossroads" on Skylife.
In addition to playing as a quartet, they have collaborated with renowned jazz artists such as clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera
and pianist Kenny Barron
, the classical string quartet Ying Quartet
, and several major orchestras.
Their name was taken by co-founder Darol Anger from Native American mythology
, where "Turtle Island"
is the name for the North America
n continent, courtesy of poet Gary Snyder's
influential book of the same name.
Former members:
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
based jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
string quartet
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
formed in 1985 and still actively touring worldwide and recording . They were the first string quartet to achieve artistic and commercial success integrating jazz improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
, jazz rhythms and comping
Comping
Comping is a term used in jazz music to describe the chords, rhythms, and countermelodies that keyboard players or guitar players use to support a jazz musician's improvised solo or melody lines....
using extended techniques. Their extensive repertoire consists primarily of compositions and arrangements by quartet members that highlight their versatility by bridging several styles including Bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, European classical music, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Latin American music
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
, and Indian classical music
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
. They became known for their renditions of jazz standards, such as founding violinist David Balakrishnan
David Balakrishnan
David Balakrishnan is the founder of the Turtle Island Quartet.-Life:After graduating from UCLA in 1976 with a B.A...
's Grammy-nominated arrangement of "A Night In Tunisia" by Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, "Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson, or "Blue Rondo a la Turk" by Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck
David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...
on Art of the Groove, as well as for jazz interpretations of famous classical music pieces, as shown on the humorously titled "Bach's Lunch" on The Hamburg Concert. The quartet has also covered rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
pieces, such as Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
's "Gypsy Eyes" on Who Do We Think We Are? and Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
's - originally Robert Johnson's - "Crossroads" on Skylife.
In addition to playing as a quartet, they have collaborated with renowned jazz artists such as clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera
Paquito D'Rivera is a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist. The winner of multiple Grammys and other awards, D'Rivera has lived in the United States since the early 1980s. He has worked in a variety of contexts, but is perhaps best known for playing Latin...
and pianist Kenny Barron
Kenny Barron
Kenny Barron , is an American jazz pianist. He is the younger brother of tenor saxophonist Bill Barron, and known for his lyrical, adaptive style.-Biography:...
, the classical string quartet Ying Quartet
Ying Quartet
The Ying Quartet is an American string quartet. The Ying siblings from Winnetka, Illinois, formed the quartet in 1988 while studying at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music. The quartet began performing in the farm town of Jesup, Iowa, as the first artists involved in the National...
, and several major orchestras.
Their name was taken by co-founder Darol Anger from Native American mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, where "Turtle Island"
Turtle Island (North America)
Turtle Island is a term used by several Northeastern Woodland Native American tribes, especially the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy, for the continent of North America.-Iroquois:...
is the name for the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n continent, courtesy of poet Gary Snyder's
Gary Snyder
Gary Snyder is an American poet , as well as an essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist . Snyder is a winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry...
influential book of the same name.
Quartet members
:- David BalakrishnanDavid BalakrishnanDavid Balakrishnan is the founder of the Turtle Island Quartet.-Life:After graduating from UCLA in 1976 with a B.A...
– violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and baritone violinBaritone violinA Baritone violin is a member of the violin family and has two specific meanings:* a violin tuned an octave below conventional violin tuning . This is commonly accomplished by stringing a standard violin with heavy gauge strings, sometimes specially manufactured for this purpose. Oversize...
(original member) - Mads Tolling – violin
- Jeremy Kittel – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Mark SummerMark SummerMark Summer is the Turtle Island Quartet's cellist; he is a founding member and has performed with Turtle Island since its founding in 1985.-Biography:...
– celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
(original member)
Former members:
- Darol AngerDarol Anger-Career:Darol Anger entered popular music at the age of 21 as a founding member of The David Grisman Quintet. Anger played fiddle to David Grisman's mandolin in The David Grisman Quintet's 1977 debut. He co-founded the Turtle Island String Quartet with David Balakrishnan in 1985 and performed,...
– violin and baritone violin (original member) - Laurie Moore – viola (original member)
- Irene Sazer – viola
- Danny Seidenberg – viola
- Tracy SilvermanTracy SilvermanTracy Silverman is an American violinist, composer, and producer. Born in New York and raised in Beloit, Wisconsin, he attended Beloit Memorial High School, but left after 10th grade to enter the Chicago Musical College at the age of 16...
– violin - Katrina Wreede – viola
- Evan Price – violin
Awards and recognition
- Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s and Grammy nominations- Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover AlbumGrammy Award for Best Classical Crossover AlbumThe Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album was awarded from 1999 to 2011.The award will be discontinued from 2012 in a major overhaul of Grammy categories. Basically, the Best Classical Crossover Album category will disappear. If a classical crossover release is a non-classical artist...
for 4 + Four (2006) - Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album for A Love Supreme: The Legacy Of John Coltrane (2008)
- Grammy Award for Best Classical Crossover Album
Discography
- Turtle Island String Quartet – 1988 Windham Hill
- Metropolis – 1989 Windham Hill
- Skylife – 1990 Windham Hill
- A Shock to the System – 1990 Windham Hill
- On the Town – 1991 Windham Hill
- Spider Dreams – 1992 Windham Hill
- Who Do We Think We Are? – 1994 Windham Hill
- By the Fireside – 1995 Windham Hill
- The Hamburg Concert – 1997 CCn'C Records
- Art of the Groove – 2000 Koch
- Danzon – 2002 Koch
- A Night in Tunisia, A Week in Detroit – 2002 Chandos
- 4 + Four – 2005 Telarc, with the Ying QuartetYing QuartetThe Ying Quartet is an American string quartet. The Ying siblings from Winnetka, Illinois, formed the quartet in 1988 while studying at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music. The quartet began performing in the farm town of Jesup, Iowa, as the first artists involved in the National...
- A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane – 2007 Telarc
- Have You Ever Been..?: The Music Of Jimi Hendrix and David Balakrishnan – 2010 Concord