ETHEL - Heavy [CD]

Acclaimed as America's premier post-classical string quartet, Ethel presents a power-packed, sonic snapshot of the group's life in New York City in it's latest album Heavy. It's only fitting that after 14 years of performing, commissioning, composing, collaborating and living in New York City, Ethel celebrates the composers from NYC's music community. Recorded over an 18 month period by Cornelius Dufallo (violin), Dorothy Lawson (cello), Mary Rowell (violin), and Ralph Farris (viola), Heavy features works by eight celebrated contemporary composers: Don Byron, John Halle, Julia Wolfe, John King, Raz Mesinai, David Lang, Kenji Bunch, and Marcelo Zarvos. The album follows an organic progression from Don Byron's intense, jazz-influenced "String Quartet No. 2: Four Thoughts on Marvin Gaye" tracks to the engaging "Rounds" by Brazilian film composer Marcelo Zarvos. "Ethel has been playing most of these composers' works ever since the group's inception 14 years ago," says Ralph Farris, co-founder of Ethel. "These composers - this city - are so much a part of who we are as a group. This album serves as an homage to New York City, it's people, and it's music." "indefatigable and eclectic". - New York Times "vital and brilliant". - The New Yorker "fearless... pioneering" - Time Out New York.