Basquiat Strings
Encyclopedia
Basquiat Strings is a British jazz
quintet led by the cellist Ben Davis
, who composes all the music. It features an innovative line-up which hybridises the classical string quartet (two violins, viola and cello) with the jazz rhythm section (double bass and drums).
Classically trained but having grown up alongside non-classical musicians, they have developed a unique sound which has earned them many fans. In February 2007, the quintet released their first album, put together with the drummer Seb Rochford
. The album, entitled simply Basquiat Strings with Seb Rochford, was one of the 2007 Mercury Prize
nominees.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
quintet led by the cellist Ben Davis
Ben Davis (cellist)
Ben Davis is a cellist from the United Kingdom known for his improvisation. His group Basquiat Strings was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2007. He is a member of the F-IRE Collective....
, who composes all the music. It features an innovative line-up which hybridises the classical string quartet (two violins, viola and cello) with the jazz rhythm section (double bass and drums).
Classically trained but having grown up alongside non-classical musicians, they have developed a unique sound which has earned them many fans. In February 2007, the quintet released their first album, put together with the drummer Seb Rochford
Seb Rochford
Sebastian "Seb" Rochford is a British drummer who spans many musical genres.He comes from Aberdeen and has a large family of 2 brothers and 7 sisters...
. The album, entitled simply Basquiat Strings with Seb Rochford, was one of the 2007 Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
nominees.