On Sunday November 13, the Turtle Island Quartet performed at the Iridum Jazz Club in Manhattan. The eclectic range of repertoire covered wide range of artists and musical styles.
Where else can you hear music inspired by Indian ragas, John Coltrane, Debussy, Ravel, Miles Davis, and Joni Mitchell all in one hour?
The Turtle Island Quartet consists of violinist David Balakrishnan, cellist Mark Summer, violinist Mads Tolling, and violist Jeremy Kittel.
What impressed me was the easy-flowing chemistry of the group. Although the musicians blended and harmonized seemlessly, each member of the quartet has his moments to shine.
It was sometimes difficult to tell when the performers were playing by music or if they were improvising. However, David pointed out that their facial expressions gave it away!
Mark pointed out that unlike other jazz groups which consisted of a wide range of instruments, quartets essentially comprised of the same instrument in different sizes. He joked that they were "like a barber shop quartet but hipper."
In just over an hour, we heard sounds from the different periods of Coltrane's music, from his mode music, to his more Bebop style. The quartet also performed a ballad dedicated to Coltrane's first wife. The piece showed surprising shades of Debussy and Ravel.
The quartet also performed their version of "A Love Supreme." Coltrane had been influenced by Indian music, and it came through in the cellist's repeating mantra.
Soloist Tierney Sutton entered mid-performance with a prayer. After the number, she pointed out that she had not sung a note with the quartet until four hours ago. Yet she seemed to fit right in.
Tierney and Mark bonded over Joni Mitchell and the fact that they had once been Grammy losers in the same category. The musicians seemed to have a mellow and easy rapport, both on and off stage.
The musicians ended the evening with a bang, performing the Miles Davis classic, "Milestones."
The Turtle Island Quartet is next scheduled to perform on December 3 in Overland Park, KS and on December 6 in Pittsburgh, PA.
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