TAKACS ASSAD LABRO (180G/45RPM) | VINYL RECORD (LP)

'My friend Clarice Assad called me out of the blue a few months after our album Confessions earned a GRAMMY* nomination. Clarice had written the title tracks on the album, which Laura Strickling sang magnificently. 'Bob,' Clarice said, 'I have an idea....' I have learned that anytime Clarice has an idea, I'm interested. 'I wrote a piece for Takacs Quartet and bandoneon virtuoso Julien Labro. It's a wild piece. The five of them have been performing it all over the world on tour, and I think you would like it. Actually, I know you would like it. Julien also wrote a companion piece, and the third work is by Bryce Dessner. I think you know Bryce; he lives in Paris. What a trio!' I responded that it sounded wonderful. 'I want you to record these three works, plus another piece I have in mind for violin and piano. When can we do it?' Hence began one of Yarlung's most adventurous (and I hope you will agree, successful) collaborations in the label's nineteen year history. 'My first two calls were to Yarlung underwriters Raulee Marcus who has worked with Yarlung on several projects, and executive producer J Schlichting who serves on Yarlung's board of directors. Raulee and I brainstormed about how we might record this album at the University of Colorado, Takacs' home base in Boulder. Initially that worked best for the Quartet's schedule. J and his wife Helen agreed to underwrite much of the album and serve as executive producers, as well as commission a new work by Clarice for Takacs violinist Harumi Rhodes with Clarice on piano. After a few more phone calls, Harumi asked that we move the recording to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa where the quartet performs often, and where Yarlung has made so many successful recordings. Aaron Egigian found an opening on April 12th and 13th, 2023 in Samueli Theater at Segerstrom and the excitement started to build. Raulee made calls and did her underwriting consortium magic to encourage other close friends to fund the remaining costs for the project, fly our five musicians to California and even pick them up from the airport. Raulee makes things happen. 'Julien's Meditation No. 1 elicits the intoxicating tango rhythms of South America and Clarice's Luminous and Cravo e Canela remind us why Brazilian jazz continues to be one of the world's favorites. Assad's three-movement Constellation for Harumi Rhodes on violin and Clarice on piano evokes Clarice's nuclear family and two young daughters. 'This album helps honor and celebrate the upcoming 50th Anniversary of the extraordinary Takacs Quartet, formed in the mid 1970s at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest by Gabor Takacs-Nagy, Karoly Schranz, Gabor Ormai and Andras Fejer. Andras remains cellist to this day. He was one of the original music student founders of the quartet, which would become one of the highest-ranked and best-loved string quartets in history. The group received it's first international attention in 1977, winning First Prize and the Critics' Prize at the International String Quartet Competition in Evian, France. The Quartet also won the Gold Medal at the 1978 Portsmouth and Bordeaux Competitions and First Prizes at the Budapest International String Quartet Competition in 1978 and the Bratislava Competition in 1981. The Quartet made it's North American debut tour in 1982. 'The Takacs originally recorded for Hungaroton and later for Decca, for whom they released many recordings including award-winning interpretations of the Bartok and Beethoven String Quartets. The ensemble now records for Hyperion and has released an extraordinary discography including works by Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, Schubert, Brahms, Coleridge-Taylor, Dvorak, Hough, Dutilleux and Ravel. This release is the Quartet's first Yarlung album.' -Bob Attiyeh, producer Features 180g Vinyl 45rpm Recording Engineers: Bob Attiyeh & Arian Jansen Mastering Engineers: Steve Hoffman, Arian Jansen, Bob Attiyeh Vinyl Mastering: Bernie Grundman Made in Germany Musicians Edward Dusinberre violin Harumi Rhodes violin Andras Fejer cello Richard O'Neill viola Julien Labro bandoneon Selections Bryce Dessner: Circles Julien Labro: Meditation No. 1 Clarice Assad: Clash Kaija Saariaho: Nocturne