About Pieces of Africa by Kronos Quartet Album
Kronos startled their classical audience back in 1992 by releasing Pieces of Africa, a beguiling album full of - obviously - World Music, beautifully played with classical precision but African feeling. On Hamza el Din's Escalay (Waterwheel), for instance, the music suggests the slow steady rhythm of life in the fields beside the River Nile as the irrigation water is pumped up by the old-fashioned wheel; el Din was lamenting the loss of the land flooded by the Aswan Dam, and of the old way of life too. The collaborations with the other African musicians are equally successful. Five tracks are taken up with the white African composer Kevin Volans' White Man Sleeps. This is closer to typical Kronos territory, modern, rhythmic, very "stringy" - but also definitely with something of Africa about it. Unfortunately two pieces are not included on this upload. Mai Nazipo the uplifting opening track and the wonderful 'waterwheel' referred to above. What a shame - why does this happen? On second viewing I note that Mai Nazipo is now the pentultimate track - again a shame as it really sets the cd as its opener
