Classical Music/Opera Listings, for Feb. 25-March 3 Published: February 24, 2011 ★ Turtle Island String Quartet (Wednesday) This quartet has made a point of exploring jazz with the same seriousness it brings to classical works. Now it has taken on the music of Jimi Hendrix, which it plays with energy and inventiveness, if not quite the feedback-embellished grit that Hendrix brought to it himself. Hendrix dominates the program, which also includes “Tree of Life” by David Balakrishnan, one of the ... Read More

Turtle Island String Quartet photographed at The Fox Theater in Oakland, CA April 22, 2010(C)Jay Blakesberg Something old, something new 1/7/2011 By GARY DEMUTH Salina Journal As a young man, David Balakrishnan was a classical violinist who loved jazz, a bluegrass fiddler who grooved on swing, be-bop, rock music and the music of his father's native India. But when it came to forming his own musical identity, the Los Angeles native couldn't commit to one particular style. So he decided to ... Read More

“Have You Ever Been…” Turtle Island Quartet Plays The Music of JIMI HENDRIX And The Music Of DAVID BALKRISHNAN Telarc Records Gary Eskow December 25th, 2010 David Balakrishan has a problem with the Turtle Island Quartet. Well, not really. The group, which he founded a quarter of a century ago, has won a pair of Grammy Awards in the last several years and their latest release “Have You Ever Been…?” is amassing critical praise. Robert Friedrich, who tracked, mixed, and mastered the project at ... Read More

Commemorating 25 years of Turtle Island By: Georgia Rowe 12/05/10 Special to The Examiner Since founding the Turtle Island Quartet, violinist David Balakrishnan has led the group on a wide-ranging musical journey through folk, jazz, Latin, bluegrass and other repertoires where traditional string quartets fear to tread. This month, though, he is returning to his roots, celebrating Turtle Island’s 25th anniversary with a new CD and a concert featuring the music of rock guitarist Jimi ... Read More

Check out TIQ founding member David Balakrishnan's blog about Ali Akbar Khan on New Music Box. http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=6065 ... Read More