Ethel is, perhaps, the first 21st-century realization of the classical string quartet.
Why you should listen to them:
An all-star foursome, Ethel includes performers Cornelius Dufallo (violin), Ralph Farris (viola), Dorothy Lawson (cello), and Mary Rowell (violin), a mixed bag of players from classical, rock and downtown new-music circles. The powerhouse ensemble takes an unconventional approach to performance.
Says the Wall Street Journal, "Ethel ... created a world in which classical music had never grown distant, a world in which it was as fresh and direct as crowds dancing in the street."
(photo by Steve J. Sherman)
"I wish there were more rock bands who played like Ethel. What you get from Ethel is the sense of the performers participating in the act of making a living, breathing music that brings the format back into contemporary life and culture."The Guardian
