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:

FODÉ LASSANA DIABATÉ (b. 1971)
Sunjata’s Time
arranged for String Quartet by Jacob Garchik
1. I. Sumaworo (4:20)
2. III. Nana Triban (4:25)
3. IV. Bala Faseké 3:22)

JLIN (Jerrilynn Patton) (b. 1987)
4. Baobab (6:00)

JANET JACKSON (b. 1966); JAMES HARRIS III (b. 1959); TERRY LEWIS (b. 1956)
Rhythm Nation Remix
5. I. We the People (1:35)

HENRY THREADGILL (b. 1944)
6. Sixfivetwo (13:01)

JANET JACKSON; JAMES HARRIS III; TERRY LEWIS
Rhythm Nation Remix
7. II. Janet’s Test (0:29)

JEFF SCOTT (b. 1967)
8. Blues for Buddy (5:07)

DUKE ELLINGTON (1899–1974)
9. Come Sunday (3:04)

EDDIE VENEGAS
10. Cachumbambeando En Clave (2:53)

MAZZ SWIFT  (b. 1974)
11. Digging Gold; Deeper Blue (4:49)

JANET JACKSON; JAMES HARRIS III; TERRY LEWIS
Rhythm Nation Remix
12. III. Outro (1:58)

DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN (DBR) (b. 1971)
Hip-Hop Studies and Etudes, Book I
13. X. C sharp minor (2:27)

PUBLIQuartet

Curtis Stewart, violin | Jannina Norpoth, violin
Nick Revel, viola | Hamilton Berry, cello

Recorded: 27 June & 2 July 2025, Oktaven Audio, Mount Vernon, New York (1–3, 5–13); 15 September 2025, Stewart Studios, New York (4)
Recording Producers: Jannina Norpoth; Hamilton Berry, Nick Revel, Curtis Stewart (1–4, 6, 8–11, 13); Ryan Streber (1–3, 6, 8–11, 13); Jlin (Jerrilynn Patton) (4); John-Paul Norpoth (5, 7, 12)
Recording Engineers: Ryan Streber (1–3, 5–13); Jerrilynn Patton, Nick Revel (4); John-Paul Norpoth (5, 7, 12)
All tracks mastered by Ryan Streber at Oktaven Audio
Photography: Titilayo Ayangade
Publishers: Inner Sunset (1–3); Decca Universal (4); HiFi Asset Acquisition Co. LP (5, 7, 12); Kronos Arts (6); Music by Jeffrey Scott Inc. (8); G. Schirmer, Inc. (ASCAP) (9); eddievenegasproductions (10); Mazz Swift (11); DBR Music (13)

Design & Editorial: WLP London Ltd

℗ & © 2026 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by PUBLIQuartet