Turtle Island String Quartet by Autumn

Turtle Island Quartet was the first time I had ever heard string instruments playing jazz. Theperformance was beyond amazing and I really enjoyed being able to experience it. After reading the study guide for Turtle Island Quartet I did not know what to expect, from watching it I learned a lot, and found it extremely unique.

After reading the study guide I had no idea what to expect. I had heard jazz plenty of times before and had heard string instruments before, but I had never heard them together. My previous experiences with string instruments had been with classical types of music. Every now and then I have heard them in types of R & B and pop, but never the whole song just in a few segments. So I had no idea how they were going to use them for whole songs in jazz. I tried to hear string instrument playing jazz in my head, but I just couldn’t. Because I could not imagine what they were going to sound like I didn’t think that it would be too good. When I heard them playing, I was completely blown away. What I had tried to imagine in my head could not hold a candle to what they actually sounded like. They sounded amazing and like nothing I had ever heard before. I should not have thought that it was not going to be good just because I couldn’t imagine it.

From seeing and hearing the Turtle Island Quartet and talking to the performers I really learned a lot. I learned that there is always a way to take something normal and make it your own. That there is a way to take things out of the box. Also, that if there is something that you want to do that is new and different, that people might not approve of, you should still give it a shot. Turtle Island Quartet has been setting new trends and it was well worth it for them. I remember one of them saying that when they first decided to join the group that there parents did not approve, but they did it anyway and have enjoyed it. Turtle Island Quartet may have been new and different at first but more and more people are certainly beginning to like their style. So, even though you might be doing something that others think is different and weird all that really matters is what you think of yourself. Another thing that I learned was that there is more than one way to doing things, and there is not always only one right way. They really taught me a lot.

Turtle Island Quartet, is one of the most unique things that I have ever experienced. They took regular string instruments and played them in a new way. One thing that I thought was really unique was their ability to improvise. I have seen people improvise with instruments like drums, but never with string instruments. I really look up to them for it. They also had very unique personalities. All four of them had good senses of humor. I thought that since it was a quartet that it would be more formal then it was. I was expecting something like the Moscow State Symphony, but the quartet was much more laid back. In the beginning they even tried to sort of make the setting a type of club. I thought this was very unique of them, and to me will definitely set them apart from other performances. Another thing I really enjoyed that was different from other musical performances I have been to, was their interaction with each other. There was great connection and energy among all of them. One member who I found to be extremely unique was Mark Summer, the cellist. I have never seen anyone play the cello like he did before. During certain parts of the performance he used his cello sort of like a drum. He was not only playing different music than most cellos are used for, but he was using it in a new and different way. I really enjoyed watching him play, and waiting to see him do something new with this cello. The group as a whole is very unique.

The Turtle Island Quartet was really amazing. I plan on trying to find their CD that they talked about. I look forward to hearing whatever they come up with in the future. Although, I was not sure what to expect after reading the study guide, I ended up learning a lot and found them incredibly unique.

Turtle Island String Quartet by Aaron

The combination of the cello and the violins made for one unique experience. Together David Balakrishnan, Evan Price, Mads Tolling, and Mark Summer made up the Turtle Island String Quartet. This made for a very enjoyable evening. I found that the different ways they used the stringed instruments to create different genres of music was very interesting. To be honest, I didn’t know that you could play Jazz with stringed instruments. But they were able to play all different forms of music such as folk, bluegrass, funk, rock and others. The music was very relaxing and really did give you that feeling of being in a bar or café.

The stringed instruments were played in other ways rather than just stroking it with the bow. Sometimes they plucked it or even beat on it like a drum. That was my favorite technique when they beat it like a drum. It made a very unique and interesting sound. It really added a beat, and an enjoyable sound to the whole performance. They even played the violin at some points like a guitar which also made a very unique sound. It was very amazing how they could improvise and make it sound very professional. It was basically impossible to separate the improvisational parts from the compositional parts. Overall, the sounds as a whole created a wonderful performance.

I enjoyed all the songs that they played. My favorite was the one that was the spelling of a person’s name backwards. That is because it had a faster tempo and involved the drumming of the cello. The quicker tempos were much more interesting then the slow drawn out performances. The musicians did a very wonderful, professional job.

Overall, the performance was pretty interesting. But it was not my favorite performance so far. I’m not really a fan of jazz. A lot of the songs they played were drawn out a little too long. To be honest it is not a show I would pay a lot of money for to see, but is something I would pay a little money to see in a café. The music of the Turtle Island String Quartet was a very unique and interesting experience.

Turtle Island String Quartet by Coutney

I have never listened to jazz except for once when a friend tried to convert me from a rocker to a jazzerciser. I am still a rocker and I wonder as I remember that time, why did I resist the pull of jazz music so much? After listening to the Turtle Island Quartet I wonder if it is the directness of jazz. With rock, yes, singers are singing their questioning lyrics to you, challenging you to change or think one way or another on an issue, but that is the comfort in rock, if you don’t like the question in that particular song or album you just don’t listen to it and you don’t have to be questioned. But with jazz, well, that’s a different story there is no singer feeding you words only an instrument that evokes emotion, an instrument that must be interpreted. The Moscow State symphony was amazing, but it had a completely different effect on me than the Turtle Island Quartet. The Symphony was more of a story being told with all its parts fitting together to form a mood, but with this jazz quartet each instrument is heard singly, of course in harmony with the others, but the significance of the singleness of each is what sets jazz apart. Each instrument is contributing to the conversation between all of them and they all have their own ideas. I feel like a crazy person thinking in this abstract and immaterial way, but jazz music is the most direct music I have ever heard. It creates mood like the symphony or a rock band, but then it spotlights one instrument giving the impression that that one is saying something important, but it’s not like a singer telling us what the song means. Depending on the mood created the instruments’ directly challenge us to be the rock singers, questioning and challenging ourselves. This is why I believe I once fought jazz, because it is hard to dive in and analyze oneself as jazz music seems to cause me to do. I thank the Turtle Island Quartet for creating and sharing their music that caused my very needed introspection.

Turtle Island String Quartet by Jasmine

The Turtle Island Quartet, a remarkable group of artists who combine various styles of art and music to create unique and impressionable sounds, has opened my eyes to the world of jazz. The fun and friendly, intimate show at Fisher and the opportunity to meet with the performers after the show immensely increased my knowledge of jazz and those who pursue a musical career in that area.

When I first heard about the concert I didn’t know what to expect. I had never heard Miles Davis’s pieces before, and I had also never attended a jazz concert in my life. I expected the show’s atmosphere to be somewhat like that at the Moscow state Symphony, but I found out that I it was instead extremely different. First of all, the smaller size of Fisher Theater made the experience more personal, connected, and informal. I liked this setting because it really helped the audience be in tune with the musicians, meshing the two groups more closely into one. The second thing I noticed was the lighting. Unlike the brightly lit symphony, Fisher was instead lit by cool shades of blue and green, appropriate colors for the jazz music tribute. As I had been expecting something more formal, I was at first surprised when the musicians began telling jokes and having fun. Imagine that! I was amused by all of their comments and I thought that their introductions flowed well, really adding to the music. The descriptions of a smoky bar and a dark, late-night room made the music seem much more realistic, as if I was truly in that kind of an atmosphere. The jokes and comments just made the entire show seem more realistic and friendly, really connecting the performers with the audience.

The music of the Turtle Island Quartet was, in itself, truly magnificent. Although I didn’t catch many of the integrated styles, I am amazed by the sheer vitality and versatility of the group. Playing styles such as folk, bluegrass, swing, bebop, classical, rock, salsa, and even hip hop, Turtle Island has the unique ability to mix the traditional style of jazz with more modern sounds. Improvisation is also incorporated, showing that the artists could be spontaneous in their expertise. I was very impressed with the various pieces that the group played and with all of their individual talents.

Meeting with the group was also very beneficial to me, as I learned a great deal about the backgrounds that the artists had and the difficulties in traveling and working together. In the past I had always envisioned music majors as strictly vocal, classical, or something that would make them become piano teachers or symphony performers. I had no idea how one would possibly enter college in the prospect of a lifetime of jazz! However, the responses from the musicians gave me a great insight into the minds of creative performers. Their love for a plethora of musical styles and their desire to integrate them all into one is a wonderful cause. Instead of simply focusing on one style, they have the ability to bring out the best in each and blend them together into a style completely its own. I found this process to be incredible, and I hold the utmost respect for their dedication and creative ability.

Turtle Island’s enjoyable performance has taught me a great deal about jazz and the flexibility of music. The amazing artists who bring together different kinds of music truly inspire us in a modern age not to simply stick to one style. Music is forever changing, a medium through which to express without restraint, and jazz, in essence, is the most all-encompassing description of all.

Turtle Island String Quartet by Jo

The small, quiet room had a casual feel. Being among the small audience, it almost felt as if we were on stage and the performers were watching us. I expected a long, boring night of haughty orchestral music. My conjecture, however, couldn’t have been more inaccurate.

The opening piece had a breezy, walking bass line with a very homey feeling. Bohm bomp bomp bohmme. The nonchalant mood was immediately set and I was instantly comfortable. Ahead of me was the happy, rhythmic movement of the head of an elderly man whose great interest in the music was admirable. At the end of the first song he quickly moved to a seat closer to the stage to enhance the intimacy. Then alone in my section of the theatre, I was absorbed in the music. I had almost no interest in watching the performers, although, the tapping string bean legs of the man whose feet wouldn’t stop tapping was almost entrancing. I was free to daydream while enjoying the insouciant music of Miles Davis. When each member of the quartet did their brief introduction, I was surprised by what came out of his mouth. While listening to the music and observing the performers, I started to imagine what each one was like. Judging by the looks of things, I would’ve expected the skinny man with glasses to be quieter and less funny than he later proved to be. I never would’ve guessed the bass player was such an audacious story teller. I was impressed by the stories and the animation of the musicians. Their friendly stage presence and charming small talk was a pleasant surprise compared to my ill-informed forecast. Unlike the Moscow State Symphony, I was not sitting through the latter three-fourths of the performance wondering if I would ever live to tell the tale. I was surprised when they announced the last song, and I was completely intrigued the entire way through. My premature judgment was proved wrong, and my previous lack of excitement about seeing a quartet on what would’ve otherwise been a social night was not as bad as I’d thought.

A Tribute to Miles by Andrew

It started out simply enough. They walked out, sat down, and started to play. Right away though I noticed that they were playing Nights in Tunisia…on strings! It placed a smile right on my face, I couldn’t help myself. To hear such a unique, yet dead-on version played entirely on strings was simply incredible. Never had I thought for a second that it was possible to take an entire Jazz Band and cut it down to four string players! It was simply put, an incredible display of originality and talent.

Easily seen would be the originality that would no-doubt have to go into such a variety of songs. It was apparent that they spent hours, most likely daily, honing these songs in the distant past. They disclosed to us though that they hadn’t practiced these specific songs in quite some time and had to run through them that morning, prior to their arrival in Ames. It must have taken a great deal of effort and respect on each others parts to be able to work together and produce such an incredible and amazing work of strings that sounded as if the entire Jazz Band were present and not to have actually “practiced” these arrangements in some time. Although I must admit, at times the lack of a percussive trap set did cause a bit of the underlying rhythm and beat of the song to disappear. Likewise though, this unique style of having no actual percussion section brought out innovative ideas, such as tapping on the cello for a steady rhythm.

Once again though, it would seem that I must harp on the ideas of dedication and hard work, but this time it isn’t merely from the inference of how well they played; this time it can also be stated directly from the bountiful information that we received from the after-show interview. Just watching them play you could see that they were in-sync and well aware of each others playing methods. You could also see that the two on the left side and the two on the right side seemed to form a sort-of sub grouping. I thought about this as it seemed that they would trade off among their duo’s and seemed to have more eye contact to the other one on their side. I felt that this no doubt was related to the time and effort they placed into working on their songs together that made them function so well in their little groups. Beyond that I saw nothing more then incredible form and dynamic control, which so far all groups that On-Stage has gone to has had seemingly incredible dynamics (both musically and acting-wise).

The Turtle Island String Quartet had to be one of the more creative and dedicated groups I have seen during On-Stage. Not speaking of the fact that they are an award winning group, but that they played and carried themselves like a group of true professionals. Beyond all else though it was that creativity to play big bang music in a string quartet that brought out the most amazement for me. They had me smiling as I heard tunes I already knew and tapping along to the beats that I had commonly done prior to hearing them. The end result was an incredible performance and some great information on an incredible quartet.

Turtle Island String Quartet by Aimee

This performance was unlike anything I have ever experienced. Never in my life have I head jazz music played on string instruments, and in such a variety of ways. It is a creation of music so unique that I had never considered, yet it flowed so seamlessly and welcomed the listener into a new world of song.

Personally, I think Mark Summer playing cello was the most extraordinary part of the show. The way he would transition between cello, bass, and “drums” was simply amazing. I had ever seen anything like that and was amazed at how well he went between “instruments.” It seemed as if he was able to do this without even a noticeable pause. His skill from years of work and practice was evident in his remarkable and unique performance.

Another spectacular aspect of the String Quartet was their ability to improvise and perfectly come together at the exact same moment. It is unfathomable how much practice and hard work it must have taken to achieve this, and the performers made it look so simple. It flowed exquisitely and all of the performers were greatly talented. It is difficult to imagine that some of the parts of the performance were not even rehearsed. This is an extremely noteworthy skill that the group possessed.

Not only was the music amazing, but the members of the quartet themselves made the show interactive and lively. The audience could easily tell they were enjoying themselves, and the way they introduced songs and made jokes to each other made the audience feel comfortable. String performances are often distant and the only connection between the audience and the performance is the music. This group defied that factor by making audience members feel like friends rather than people who only paid to see them play. This aspect was rare for a string performance but I highly appreciated it.

Overall, the Turtle Island String Quartet was a unique performance, unlike anything I have experienced before. It was a joy to be introduced to this new type of music that I never even knew existed.

Miles Davis Reborn through the Turtle Island String Quartet by Haema

MILES DAVIS REBORN THROUGH THE TURTLE ISLAND STRING QUARTET

Foot tapping, barks of excitement, joking, rhythms, and jazz music were all part of the lively performance by the Turtle Island String Quartet. With just four musicians, the essence of Miles Davis emerged from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Trapped into the swinging, relaxing, ambience of a downtown club in the 50s in the wee hours of the morning, even the ignorant members of the audience, concerning jazz music, were transported to another time by the sounds and actions of the Turtle Island String Quartet.

Immediately when the music started we all knew we were in for a treat. Not being a jazz specialist, I didn’t recognize all the music, but that’s not to say that I didn’t move to the rhythms produced. Already, being in a more intimate setting, Fisher Theatre, it was easy to travel back to the 50s, to the musky, dark, and flowing bar listening to real jazz music, not the stuff produced for the radio, but the jazz that makes your heart want to expel all its deepest secrets. You could see the range of emotions the artists on stage showed on their faces, keeping that one note suspended in the air just as long as you could hold your breath. All of a sudden you’re snapped out of the dream you were once in and see an artist come up and talk.

However, when the musicians came up to talk they still managed to keep you in the mindset that you were in a bar. Telling stories of Miles Davis, the songs, and incidences within the quartet, the musicians transitioned between the spectrum of songs they played. From ballads, to Indian inspired pieces, to heart ripping blues, the soul of jazz was fully exposed.

Not only did the artists seem to capture the audience with their knowledge of jazz, on and off stage (as we saw when we were asking them questions after the performance), but they also managed to exude jazz by their music and their actions. To talk of the music they made is amazing by itself, but they accompanied it with the true unadulterated actions that a real musician does. Such as, individual types of foot tapping, shouts of excitement and persuasion to keep on producing the moving music, or even the looks they gave each other on stage, as well as how they communicated with the audience.

When the time for the last piece came, the whole audience knew we were getting kicked out of the bar; it was closing time and we needed to go back home to our families. We left Miles Davis, the jazz, and the 50s to go back to regular snowy life in Ames, Iowa. As we opened our eyes we saw that there was no bar, in front of us was just a stage with a few chairs, stands, and couple of string instruments. True, we left Miles Davis, jazz, and the 50s behind, but the Turtle Island String Quartet made sure they would never leave us.