Musicwhore.org Great. Another music blog. (2005-2013)

I learned about the departure of cellist Joan Jeanrenaud from Kronos Quartet not from any news item but from the liner notes of Café Tacuba’s double album Reves/Yosoy.

Kronos appears on one of the tracks on Reves, and Jennifer Culp (who has also since left the group) was listed as cellist. Huh? What happened to Joan? That discrepancy spurred me straight to the quartet’s web site, where I found an announcement about Jeanrenaud’s exit.

Thanks, Café Tacuba.

Although Kronos doesn’t discriminate against rock music in its repertoire, rock bands haven’t been a prime source for new commissions. Café Tacuba, however, has had two pieces performed by the ensemble.

"12/12", available on Kronos’ Nuevo, is a sprawling work, and the most daring piece on the album. When Café Tacuba is weirder than Silverstre Revualtes, something is definitely up.

"M.C." is an instrumental version of a song from Yosoy titled "La Muerte Chiquita". Kronos included the track on its own album, Kronos Caravan.

I hope the band provides more music for Kronos. I can’t imagine a better collaborator for the quartet. (Sigur Rós does come close, though.)

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