Bela Bartok, The Beatles, John Bergamo, Dusan Bogdanovic, Bracha, Anouar Brahem, Don Cherry, Chick Corea, Codona, John Coltrane, Jack de Johnette, Egberto Gismonti, Zakir Hussain, Charles Ives, Mahavishnu Orchestra, John McLaughlin, Charles Mingus, Joni Mitchell, Thelonious Monk, Oregon, Astor Piazzolla, Pandit Tarnath Rao, Silvestre Revueltas, Erik Satie, Raymond Scott, Shakti, Wayne Shorter, Ralph Towner, Nana Vasconcelos,Michael Pierre Vlatkovich, Atahualpa Yupanqui, Weather Report, Frank Zappa, Joe Zawinul..........more to come
QUARTETO NUEVO'S MEMBERS HAVE RECORDED AND/OR PERFORMED WITH THE FOLLOWING:
the Ahn Trio, Airto,Toshiko Akioshi, Ralph Alessi, Ancient Grooves,
Aspen Jazz Ensemble, Joe LaBarbera, John Bergamo, Bergen Filharmonik Orkester under the direction of Kristan Jarvi, Dusan Bogdanovich, Bob Brookmeyer,
Dave Brubeck, Mike Cain, Park Je Chun, Alex Cline Ensemble, Nels Cline/CG Duo, CONTINUUM, Aloke Dasgupta, Eartha Austria Trio, Taylor Eigsti,
Eastman Wind Ensemble, Eastman Jazz Ensemble, Martin Espino, Falla Guitar Trio, Florida Wind Symphony, Vinny Golia,
Alex de Grassi, Arthur Jarvinen, Abhiman Khasal, Souhail Kaspar, Lee Konitz, Larry Koonse, Hubert Laws, Dave Liebman,
Michael Manring, Russel Malone, Bob Mintzer, Roberto Miguel Miranda, Adam Del Monte, The Moscow Symphony,National Orchestral Institute, National Repertory Orchestra, New World Symphony, Nima Collective, the Oslo Camerata,
Don Preston Quartet, Que Tal, Ali Jihad Racy, the Red Quartet, Eddie Reston, Gyan Riley, Rochester Philharmonic Pops Orchestra, the Salaam Ensemble,
Harry Scorzo Quartet, Putter Smith, Supernova String Quartet, Mochizuki Takinojo, the Trondheim Soloists,
The UCLA World Jazz Ensemble, Luis Villegas, VIO-FONIK,
Michael Pierre Vlatkovich,
and John Zeretzke among others
Sounds Like
"Quarteto Nuevo is a world music ensemble,
comprised of musicians with varied backgrounds in folkloric, jazz,
classical and world music traditions, who are also adept at improvisation
and ensemble clarity.
Each performer brings a wealth of musicality, compositions and practical
performance experience to their musical table, combining instruments not
usually associated with chamber or world music.
Fluid with diverse forms and substance from various traditions,
not bound by any,
QUARTETO NUEVO strives to make new world music for an old world."
"Quarteto Nuevo's music goes through quite a few different moods yet remains gentle, subtle, melodic and often rhythmically complex ... this CD almost seems like a suite, with one number leading to the next."
LA JAZZ SCENE - SCOTT YANOW,
" What this quintet effectively does, is to merge Andean folk, North Indian classical, Latin and jazz with an organic feel that also packs a wallop! The ensemble' s razor-sharp precision is enhanced by its jazzy interludes, lightly rumbling percussion motifs and difficult to navigate, time signatures. They effectively meld the music of ancient worlds and faraway places with a contemporary jazz-based groove. Ultimately, this wonderful outing signifies one of the major surprises of the year! (Passionately recommended)"
ALL ABOUT JAZZ - Glenn Astarita -
"Playing what one might term World Music,the group is more of a jazz ensemble that uses traditions of different cultures’ musics as a solid foundation, combining unusual and unique instrumental textures and orchestrations with authoritative improvising. Original compositions are rendered along with arrangements of favorites by a variety of other composers, all blending together to create a consistent ensemble sound and identity."
OPEN GATE THEATER
"Straddling the worlds of folkloric, jazz, and contemporary composition,
these four virtuosos make a hybrid music that’s greater than the sum of its parts."
LA CITY BEAT
"Improvisers who like tight structures where you can hear everything. Musicians who bring the work of jazz composers (Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Paul Carman) into their own concept, or start from scratch. Active in the region for a few years now.....their drums, winds and strings, assembled from around the world, produce sounds at once disciplined and relaxed, challenging yet easy to absorb."
LA WEEKLY
"QUARTETO NUEVO are some amazing musicians, who’ve played with a veritable who’s who of world, jazz and avant garde music."
SANTA MONICA MIRROR
"Quarteto Nuevo demonstrates their rhythmically driving and graceful melodies, fusing jazz with world music. "
BOSTON COURT
"A group that's creating a buzz is QUARTETO NUEVO. They ambitiously play compositions by Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, Egberto Gismonti, Paul Motian, etc., along with original compositions. The musical approach is quite sophisticated......."
LA JAZZ SCENE
CONCERT REVIEWS
THE MUSIC RECITAL HALL
"Quarteto Nuevo comes from a rhythmic sensibility as might be expected from a drummer-led band. But it is not your usual hit-you-over-the-head snares and tom-toms. For this band Christopher Garcia has discarded much of the ordinary drum kit (no snares, tom-toms, or bass drums) in favor of tabla, a family of lightly struck cymbals, and a variety of oriental instruments."
"The band often plays in odd meter grooves well served by the percussionist. The other players have also rethought their instruments, resulting in a unique but natural band sound. That the music works as well as it does (It is remarkably uncluttered.) is due mainly to how much these musicians enjoy playing together."
ALL ABOUT JAZZ REVIEW
"Improvisers who like tight structures where you can hear everything. Musicians who bring the work of jazz composers (Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Paul Carman) into their own concept, or start from scratch. Active in the region for a few years now. And their drums, winds and strings, assembled from around the world, produce sounds at once disciplined and relaxed, challenging yet easy to absorb.
PICK OF THE WEEK"
LA WEEKLY
"QUARTETO NUEVO, Some amazing musicians, who’ve played with a veritable who’s who of world, jazz and avant garde music."
SANTA MONICA MIRROR
ROCCOS
"Quarteto Nuevo's recent set at Rocco's was quite an international affair, highlighting tracks from their new CD, EL MUSICO."
Jazz Gumbo,Chris Walker - LA JAZZ SCENE
"Quarteto Nuevo demonstrates their rhythmically driving and graceful melodies, fusing jazz with world music. "
BOSTON COURT
"the marvelous collective Quarteto Nuevo plays an infrequent recital at U.U. Community Church of Santa Monica.Straddling the worlds of folkloric, jazz, and contemporary composition, these four virtuosos make a hybrid music that’s greater than the sum of its parts."
L.A. CITY BEAT
"Quarteto Nuevo is a world music improvising chamber ensemble, comprised of musicians with varied backgrounds in folkloric, jazz, classical and world music traditions, who are also adept at improvisation and ensemble clarity."
THE ORCHESTRAS OF PASADENA
KENTON YOUNGSTROM
"irresistible program...stunning projection...highly motivated performances...exceptional virtuosity and high musical standards"
LOS ANGELES TIMES
DAMON ZICK
"Zick's absorbed a wide variety of stuff. Unlike many he approaches it all with naturalness and simplicity, that unify it, that's called personality."
LA WEEKLY
CHRISTOPHER GARCIA
"percussionist Garcia just kicked my ears down Broadway. He sat cross-legged, almost hidden behind his unique drum kit, coaxing complex rhythms from hand drums and adding subtle colors on shakers, cymbals, cowbell and jam blocks. During his "Curanderos y Brujos,'' Garcia's mbwata, a Nigerian clay drum broke apart. Talk about an explosive solo."
SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS
"Garcia's playing is vibrant and alive with passion, humor and a good deal of technical prowess, not to mention the breadth of vision necessary to effectively translate such an unpredictable stream of music...."
THE WEEKLY ALIBI
PAST PERFORMANCES
ALVAS PERFORMING ARTS, San Pedro, CA
THE AUTRY, Glendale, CA
BOSTON COURT, Pasadena, CA
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN, Santa Monica, CA
THE MUSIC RECITAL HALL, Wilmington, CA
LOS ANGELES CITY COLLEGE - Los Angeles, CA
LOS ANGELES MUSIC ACADEMY - Pasadena, CA
OPEN GATE THEATER - Pasadena, CA
RIO HONDO COLLEGE, WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL Los Angeles, CA
ROCCOS - Hollywood, CA
SACRED GROUNDS - San Pedro, CA
SANGEET, SCHOOL OF WORLD MUSIC - Los Angeles, CA
SCRIPPS CONCERT SERIES - La Jolla, CA
SOUTH PASADENA CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC - South Pasadena, CA
chris thank you for finding me here. you are so accomplished! my god. well, as they say we can rest when we're dead. i'm actually working on not working a little right now so maybe there's a balance....
