Quarter Chicken Dark

Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile

Quarter Chicken Dark - Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile

Here and Heaven

Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile & Aoife O'Donovan

Here and Heaven - The Goat Rodeo Sessions

I stumbled upon this gem today, (literally, I was on StumbleUpon) and I’ve found my lasted obsession. 

Yo-Yo Ma, the American cellist, is known for his beautiful music, whether he’s playing or composing. Of course, the first thing you think of when you hear the name Yo-Yo Ma is classical music, and while that may not be your cup of tea, don’t count Ma out. Not only is he extremely versatile, he incorporates all types of music into whatever he is doing, creating a truly unique sound in his latest venture, The Goat Rodeo Sessions.

If you’re a fan of Andrew Bird, I highly suggest you take a listen. Similar to Bird, Ma’s group takes instruments and creates layers of diverse sound. Each song, no matter how long or short, contains what I can only describe as ‘highs’ and ‘lows.’ Varying rhythm and tempo, from fast and cheery, to frantic, to soft and sweet; it’s as if each song tells a story. Several of the tracks feature Aoife O’Donovan, which adds an additional layer to the music.

Comprised of Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, and Stuart Duncan, the group employs the use of a cello, a double-bass, a mandolin, and a fiddle respectively. While most don’t frequently listen to classical music, the idea of a cello and a violin being used in contemporary music can be strange. It’s this kind of stigma tat is completely shattered by The Goat Rodeo Sessions, showing the listener that instruments are a universal means of communicating, they are not confined to one genre of music.

If you like what you hear, the group performed at NPR in their Tiny Desk Concert series, which you can watch here.

Enjoy!

-KK