CHRISTOPHER GARCIA's QUARTETO NUEVO (the new quartet) was founded by the critically acclaimed performer/composer/percussionist Christopher Garcia* in 1998 The ensemble was created in order to have his original compositions as well as music by some of his favorite composers performed with the very specific instrumentation of acoustic guitar, cello, woodwinds and hand, stick and finger percussion of the world. The goal was to invite musicians to bring their formidable skills as players and improvisers to the ensemble, as well as their original compositions and breathe LIFE into black notes on a page. So that regardless of the composer, the MUSIC is held together by the unique and easily identifiable SOUND of the band. QUARTETO’s members played traditional western classical instruments except for GARCIA who continues to play instruments from North and South India, alongside breath, string and percussion instruments of indigenous Mexico/Mesoamerica GARCIA's QUARTETO NUEVO SOUND is not a manufactured one, it is rather, a very organic one which has developed over the 17 year he was the creator and music director thru rehearsals and performances. There were 6 very different incarnations of the group before he left the group. The member's were required to MAKE MUSIC with their instruments and the vernacular of the musics they continue to perform, study and learn including: the rhythmic concepts of North and South India the rarely heard sounds and rhythms of indigenous Mexican and Meso American instruments deep rich grooves and driving rhythmic twists and turns the richness of jazz harmony the timbre of western classical instruments The groups live performances and studio recordings , between 1998 and 2015, continue to receive critical acclaim and rave reviews from print and internet media: see below and/or CLICK ON PRESS for more the reviews on their current site are from previous incarnations of the band that none of the current members were in when reviewed the reviews show that Garcia is usually singled out by critics from every performance Quarteto Nuevo’s recordings and performances are critically acclaimed and continue to reach out to their audience on many different types of stages regardless of age, ethnicity or culture and GARCIA continues to receive popular and critical acclaim “the most unique aspect of the group, is their ensemble sound. Influenced by styles from India and Mexico in addition to jazz and classical music. QUARTETO NUEVO’S music is modern and uses advanced rhythms and time signatures yet also has the sound of ancient times. Their nine performances on their CD are atmospheric, full of subtle surprises and unlike anything else heard in the jazz world.” LA JAZZ SCENE “Utilizing the sounds and instruments of ancient worlds and faraway places with a contemporary groove, Quarteto Nuevo’s music is complex in its structure and sophisticated time signatures but always melodic, accessible, and deeply communicative.” LA WEEKLY “Percussionist Chris Garcia nearly stole the show with his musical antics, beating on the cajon with a bare ankle, slapping cymbals with his hands, sending chipped bits of his mallets flying into the air, and even using his body as a percussion instrument.” SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE *best known for his compositions and hand, and finger percussion performances with: ANADIS MUSIC GARCIA GODINEZ DUO IN FLUX ENSEMBLE, INFINITE EXPANSION OF SOUND KO MA GA TRIO LUIS PEREZ IXONEZTLI MANRING GARCIA MUSIC MEXICO ATEMPORAL MEXCLA MUSIC http://christophergarciamusic.weebly.com/making-music---links-and-more.html and his drumset playing with: BOBBY BRADFORD MO'TET CIVIL DEFIANCE, CONTINUUM, MICHAEL VLATKOVICH, ZAPPA ALUMNI band the GRANDMOTHERS OF INVENTION |