Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective & Turtle Island Quartet at Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Turtle Island Quartet: Naseem Alatrash, cello  David Balakrishnan, violin Gabriel Terracciano, violin Benjamin von Gutzeit, viola Two titans of their genre come together for what is sure to be one of Southern California’s biggest events for music lovers! Terence Blanchard is not only one of jazz’s most-esteemed trumpeters, but he’s also an artistic force who defies expectations by creating a spectrum of artistic pursuits. Along with being a five-time Grammy Winner and twice Oscar-nominated film composer, Blanchard is also heralded as a two-time opera composer whose Fire Shut Up in My Bones recently became the first opera composed by an African-American to premiere at the Met. Since its inception in 1985, the Turtle Island Quartet has been a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings. Winner of the 2006 and 2008 Grammy Awards for Best Classical Crossover Album, Turtle Island fuses the classical quartet esthetic with contemporary American musical styles. Together, Terence Blanchard and the Turtle Island Quartet will celebrate their recent album Absence, which pays tribute to legendary composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who inspired and influenced both of these great artists.