Pieces of Africa

1992 studio album by Kronos Quartet

Pieces of Africa

Studio album by

Kronos Quartet

Released

February 1992 (1992-02)

Genre

Contemporary classical

Label

Nonesuch (#79275)

Kronos Quartet chronology

Henryk Mikolaj Górecki: Already It Is Dusk / "Lerchenmusik"
(1991)

Pieces of Africa
(1992)

Short Stories
(1993)

Pieces of Africa is a 1992 studio album by the Kronos Quartet, containing works commissioned by the quartet, written by seven African composers.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mai Nozipo" ("Mother Nozipo")	Dumisani Maraire (Shona, Zimbabwe)	6:58
2.	"Saade" ("I'm Happy")	Hassan Hakmoun (Moroccan)	3:23
3.	"Tilliboyo" ("Sunset")	Foday Musa Suso (Mandinka, Gambia)	4:23
4.	"Ekitundu ekisooka" ("First Movement")	Justinian Tamusuza (Uganda)	5:41
5.	"Escalay" ("Waterwheel")	Hamza El Din (Nubia, Egypt)	12:20
6.	"Wawshishijay" ("Our Beginning")	Obo Addy (Ghana)	4:56
7.	"White Man Sleeps, Mvt. I" (original, unrevised)	Kevin Volans (South Africa)	4:02
8.	"White Man Sleeps, Mvt. II"		5:05
9.	"White Man Sleeps, Mvt. III"		3:24
10.	"White Man Sleeps, Mvt. IV"		6:17
11.	"White Man Sleeps, Mvt. V"		3:22
12.	"Kutambarara" ("Spreading")	Dumisani Maraire	7:09

Reception and legacy

According to AllMusic, the Quartet avoids cultural imperialism or appropriation and, "Pieces of Africa teems with beguiling melodies, making it one of this quartet's more accessible projects and also one of its best."^[1] A review in Gramophone argues that only Escalay and White Man Sleeps are successful compositions for string quartet.^[2]

It was inducted into the National Recording Registry on April, 16, 2024.^[3]

Personnel

Musicians

David Harrington – violin, akete
John Sherba – violin, akete
Hank Dutt – viola, akete
Joan Jeanrenaud – cello, akete
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, Terrence Kelly – conductor
Hassan Hakmoun, Said Hakmoun, Radouane Laktib, Dumisani Maraire – voice
Obo Addy – drums
Hamza El Din – tar
Radouane Laktib – oud
Foday Musa Suso – kora
Said Hakmoun – bendir
Ephat Mujuru – mbira
Dan Pauli – hosho

Production

Bob Edwards, Judith Sherman, Paul Zinman – Engineers
Judith Sherman – Producer

Sales

‹See Tfd›‹See Tfd›


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States	—	85,000^[4]
Summaries
Worldwide	—	300,000^[5]

References

^ Pieces of Africa at AllMusic.
^ "Kronos Quartet: Piece of Africa", Gramophone.Co.UK.
^ "National Recording Registry Inducts Sounds of ABBA, Blondie, The Cars, The Chicks, Juan Gabriel, Green Day, The Notorious B.I.G. and Lily Tomlin". LOC.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
^ Bambarger, Bradley (23 December 1995). "Kronos Surveyed on Nonesuch". Billboard. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
^ Bambarger, Bradley (31 October 1998). "Classical Keeping Score". Billboard. Retrieved 29 October 2018.