Catalogue

Summary:

Rhythm Nation celebrates American rhythmic traditions as an expression of bodily autonomy and tacit history keeping. This wide-ranging exploration features new works by Jlin, Jeff Scott, Mazz Swift, and Eddie Venegas, commissioned by PUBLIQuartet with the support of a 2024 Chamber Music America Artistic Projects grant. The quartet also expands upon two works from the library of Kronos String Quartet’s Fifty for the Future project: Fodé Lassana Diabaté’s Sunjata’s Time (2015) and Henry Threadgill’s Sixfivetwo (2018), with electronics interludes created by Jannina Norpoth and John-Paul Norpoth meditating on the poignant words of Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation.” Each of the pieces on the album evokes a distinct rhythmic world, reflecting the plurality of American movement(s) and protecting the unspoken spirit of their lineage’s narratives.

Tracklist:

Sunjata’s Time, arr. Jacob Garchik
1. I. Sumaworo
2. III. Nana Triban
3. IV. Bala Faseké

4. Baobab
5. Rhythm Nation Remix: I. We the People
6. Sixfivetwo
7. Rhythm Nation Remix: II. Janet’s Test
8. Blues for Buddy
9. Come Sunday
10. Cachumbambeando En Clave
11. Digging Gold; Deeper Blue
12. Rhythm Nation Remix: III. Outro
13. Hip-Hop Studies and Etudes, Book I: X. C-Sharp Minor