Kronos Quartet

Across four EPs and a debut album, all released on her own independent label, by the way, she's forged a sound that blends soul, classical, jazz and reggae into something distinctly her own.

As a composer, she's been commissioned by the likes of the London Symphony Orchestra, Kronos Quartet and the Chineke Orchestra, alongside writing music for film and TV.

So I'm so excited to chat to her about how she balances all of these creative identities, as well as dive into her highly anticipated new album, New Roots, which she considers a deeply personal work, tracing her Jamaican heritage through lush orchestration and intimate storytelling and reflecting on identity, belonging and rebirth.

So let's get into it.

Well, it was, there's a big wow factor in all of that, you know, and then we stayed at their place.

They weren't there, but they were on tour, but we stayed at their house and listened to a few of their records and, you know, discovered the Kronos Quartet, I

think.

Oh, yes.

And despite the creepy charisma of Bela Lugosi, the film moved at a ponderous pace.

The new Philip Glass score, performed live by the Kronos Quartet, added fresh atmosphere to the familiar old film.

In fact, it proved so effective that Glass and the Kronos Quartet took it on tour, accompanying live showings of the old film in Europe and the U.S., Composer's Datebook is produced by APM American Public Media in collaboration with the American Composers Forum, reminding you that all music was once new.

So here's what he selected.

First one, Kronos Quartet's Pieces of Africa.

Yes.

Heard that?

And that subversion is really the engine of our deep dive today.

We've got our hands on this massively detailed column from Monumental Movement Records, um, MMR, and it tracks the nearly 50-year evolution of the Kronos Quartet.

It's an incredible piece of writing.

It really is.

Yeah

... and, you know, the deepest, darkest corners of the human psyche.

And for you listening right now, whether you're an artist or an entrepreneur or honestly just someone looking to break out of a creative rut, the Kronos Quartet offers an absolute masterclass.

Oh, without a doubt.

Zachary James Watkins studied composition at Cornish College and received an MFA in electronic music and recording media from Mills College.

He has received commissions from Documenta 14, the Kronos Quartet, and the Seattle Chamber Players.

John Diaz is a free-form drummer and improviser whose work draws from free jazz, hardcore, and traditional Venezuelan drums.

Born and raised in Venezuela and now based in Castro Valley, California, Diaz is an active presence in the Bay Area underground music scene.

Once a group of players has been together for a while and built something of a reputation, more often than not they will start reaching out to living composers and commissioning new music.

One of the most prolific in that field has been the American group the Kronos Quartet.

In 2013, the artist Laurie Anderson wrote a work for them called Landfall, based on her experience in New York City of October 2012's Hurricane Sandy.

She uses electronics, pre-recorded voices and video, as well as the four instruments of the quartet.

The work won the Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music.

Here is the section called The Electricity Goes Out and We Move to a Hotel from Laurie Anderson's Landfall.

It's about three minutes long, and here is the Kronos Quartet.

That was The Electricity Goes Out and We Move to a Hotel from Laurie Anderson's Landfall, performed by the Kronos Quartet.