“It's been a pleasure to work with Sweet Plantain both for my own compositions, and for artists' I've produced. Their playing is very precise, yet passionate, and the fact that they've studied both classical and popular music makes them very versatile players.” Ryuichi Sakamoto Academy Awards/ Grammy/ Golden Globe-winning composer
“What an amazing experience. Blending jazz, Latin and classical styles, this virtuoso quartet brings a freshness and inventiveness to every note they play. The audience was enthralled, and I was simply blown away." – Stuart Malina Tony Award winning conductor
Nobody bridges the gap between generations or musical genres like SWEET PLANTAIN, a refreshingly new string quartet. Artfully fusing the western classical traditions in which they were trained with the hip-hop, jazz improv, and Latin rhythms on which they were raised, their original writing and live shows educate and entertain. Separately hailing from the South Bronx, New Jersey and Venezuela, together these musicians give voice to a sound that is contemporary, multicultural and very New York.
Highlights of their 2009-2010 season:
Russia tour with renowned cellist Borislav Strulev, to include a performance in Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow.
European engagements with virtuoso pianist & composer, Matt Herskowitz, who was featured on Barry Manilow's Grammy-nominated album The Swing of Christmas and whose playing can be heard on the acclaimed Academy Award-nominated film The Triplets of Belleville.
North America performances including Northeastern University, The University of Maryland, The Reston Center in Reston VA, The Carver Center in San Antonio TX, The 92nd Street Y Tribecca, The Sun Valley Center for the Arts, Sun Valley ID and The Amanyara resort in the Turks and Caicos.
Education:
The group's commitment to musical education, and its particular commitment to the musical education of New York's urban youth, has additionally found SWEET PLANTAIN designing and running a new string program at the St. Ignatius School located in the Hunts Point area of the South Bronx, one of the most underserved neighborhoods nationwide. They have designed the curricula to empower the students through musical forms representative of their community's cultural heritage, while at the same time exposing them to classic Western forms. Continuing its education work, SWEET PLANTAIN in December 2009 completed a week long residency in San Antonio, TX sponsored by The Carver Community Center exposing students from middle school through high school and college to the possibilities of improvisation and composition through workshops, classes and performances.
