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Kronos Quartet
Biography
Few groups have so successfully bridged the gap between classical and popular music as the Kronos Quartet; expanding the parameters of their repertoire to include compositions from rock, jazz, and world music, the New York-based artists have recorded a body of work virtually unparalleled in its dedication to innovation and range of expression. Originally comprised of David Harrington on first violin, John Sherba on second violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan Jeanrenaud on cello, the Kronos Quartet was formed in San Francisco in 1973; though all four members were classically trained, they quickly dispensed with the rigid formalities of their craft, performing their chamber music with all of the impassioned energy commonly associated with rock -- even their casual dress flew in the face of the classical establishment.

Although Kronos began recording during the late '70s, they began attracting widespread notice during the middle of the following decade as a result of recordings like 1984's Monk Suite (a collection of classical performances of compositions by Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington) and their 1986 eponymous Nonesuch label debut, which raised many eyebrows via its string quartet cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze.