December 5th, 2008
Joan Jeanrenaud Earns Grammy Nomination For Strange Toys
San Francisco, CA – Celebrated cellist Joan Jeanrenaud’s Strange Toys received a GRAMMY® nomination from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) on December 3, 2008. Jeanrenaud was nominated in the category of BEST INSTRUMENTAL SOLOIST PERFORMANCE (WITHOUT AN ORCHESTRA). Winners will be announced at the 51st Annual GRAMMY® Awards Ceremony, to be held on Sunday, February 8, 2009, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, and broadcast live on CBS at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT).
As a member of Kronos Quartet for over 20 years, Jeanrenaud earned acclaim as one of the world’s leading virtuoso cellists. Strange Toys is her first solo album of her original works.
Minimalist, polyrhythmic, organic and electronic all at once, Jeanrenaud’s work on Strange Toys is accessible to listeners unfamiliar with contemporary classical music, thanks to her bold experimentation with electronic beats, unusual instruments, spoken-word, and other unique elements. Jeanrenaud’s extensive use of looping and effects, paired with exquisite solos and perfectly-placed guest musicians, makes for a breathtaking sonic aesthetic comparable to Steve Reich, John Adams, and other contemporary composers who bridge the gap between the ancient and the new.
Strange Toys was produced by Talking House artist /producer pc muñoz, recorded and mixed by Talking House engineer Justin Lieberman, and released worldwide on Talking House Records via Fontana Distribution, a division of Universal Music Group.
Talking House Records www.threcords.com
