Pieces of Africa [2LP]

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Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

The first-ever vinyl edition of Kronos Quartet's Pieces of Africa features the acclaimed album on two 140-gram LPs. This “potent new brew of folk influences, Minimalism, and European forms by eight black, brown, and white African composers,” as Time described it, became a cross-cultural and commercial landmark: the first album to top both the classical and world music Billboard charts.

Description

The first-ever vinyl edition of Kronos Quartet's Pieces of Africa, released on September 23, 2016, features the acclaimed album on two 140-gram LPs. This “potent new brew of folk influences, Minimalism, and European forms by eight black, brown, and white African composers,” as Time described it upon its original release in February 1992, became a cross-cultural and commercial landmark: the first album to top both the classical and world music Billboard charts.

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Judith Sherman and Kronos Quartet
Recorded 1989-1991
Engineers: Bob Edwards, Judith Sherman, Paul Zinman
Assistant Engineers: Tony Eckert, Nelson Wong, M.T. Silvia

Art Direction and Design: Manhattan Design
Photography by Margaret Courtney-Clarke

Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

Nonesuch Selection Number

556438

ns_album_releasedate
Album Status
Artist Name
Kronos Quartet
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Kronos Quartet:
David Harrington, violin
John Sherba, violin
Hank Dutt, viola
Joan Jeanrenaud, cello

with
Dumisani Maraire, ngoma, hosho, lead vocal, mbira (1:1; 4:5)
Hassan Hakmoun, lead vocal, sintir (1:2)
Radouane Laktib, oud, vocal (1:2)
Said Hakmoun, bander, vocal (1:2)
Foday Musa Suso, kora (1:3)
Hamza El Din, tar (2:2)
Obo Addy, donno, brekete, pretia, aketse, gidi, vocal (3:1)
Dan Pauli, hosho (4:5)
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (4:5)
Terrence Kelly, director

reissues?
reissues
Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
LP
Price
25.00
UPC
075597944952
  • 556438

News & Reviews

  • Following Kronos Quartet’s historic 50th-anniversary season, longtime members John Sherba (violin) and Hank Dutt (viola) will retire from the ensemble at the end of June. Dutt joined Kronos in 1977; he and founder David Harrington (violin) recruited Sherba to join the group in 1978. Between now and the end of June, Sherba and Dutt will perform more than 20 shows with Harrington and cellist Paul Wiancko, who joined the quartet in 2023, culminating at the ninth annual Kronos Festival at the SFJAZZ Center. Kronos will enter its sixth decade with two new members: violinist Gabriela Díaz and violist Ayane Kozasa will join Harrington and Wiancko.

  • As part of Kronos: Five Decades, the year-long celebration of Kronos Quartet’s 50th anniversary, the group is publishing five decade-spanning playlists curated by its founder and violinist David Harrington. The fifth and final playlist, featuring music Kronos performed in its fifth decade, 2013–2022, is out now. It includes music from their album A Thousand Thoughts; Folk Songs, with vocals by Sam Amidon, Olivia Chaney, Natalie Merchant, and Rhiannon Giddens; their Grammy-winning collaboration with Laurie Anderson, Landfall; and Terry Riley's Sun Rings. You can hear it here.

Buy Now

  • About This Album

    The first-ever vinyl edition of Kronos Quartet's Pieces of Africa, released on September 23, 2016, features the acclaimed album on two 140-gram LPs. This “potent new brew of folk influences, Minimalism, and European forms by eight black, brown, and white African composers,” as Time described it upon its original release in February 1992, became a cross-cultural and commercial landmark: the first album to top both the classical and world music Billboard charts.

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Kronos Quartet:
    David Harrington, violin
    John Sherba, violin
    Hank Dutt, viola
    Joan Jeanrenaud, cello

    with
    Dumisani Maraire, ngoma, hosho, lead vocal, mbira (1:1; 4:5)
    Hassan Hakmoun, lead vocal, sintir (1:2)
    Radouane Laktib, oud, vocal (1:2)
    Said Hakmoun, bander, vocal (1:2)
    Foday Musa Suso, kora (1:3)
    Hamza El Din, tar (2:2)
    Obo Addy, donno, brekete, pretia, aketse, gidi, vocal (3:1)
    Dan Pauli, hosho (4:5)
    Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (4:5)
    Terrence Kelly, director

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Judith Sherman and Kronos Quartet
    Recorded 1989-1991
    Engineers: Bob Edwards, Judith Sherman, Paul Zinman
    Assistant Engineers: Tony Eckert, Nelson Wong, M.T. Silvia

    Art Direction and Design: Manhattan Design
    Photography by Margaret Courtney-Clarke

    Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

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