Performed and Recorded on October 4, 2021

Matthew Szemela and Anthony Blea, violins

Charith Premawardhana, viola

Lewis Patzner, cello

Sascha Jacobsen, bass

Program

Composer and Arranger Sascha Jacobsen

Milonga de San Francisco

Reflexión

El Rumbo de mi Corazón

PintÍn Castellanos: La Puñalada

Evolution of a Soul

Astor Piazzolla: Violentango

Astor Piazzolla: Zum

Luna Llena

The Musical Art Quintet was formed in 2008 in the Mission district of San Francisco during chamber music jam sessions every Sunday night at Cafe Revolution. Each week a new piece of music was written by MAQ band leader Sascha Jacobsen to be performed at Classical Revolution, and ink still wet, we would read through the piece in front of a live audience.  As our repertoire grew, a core group of players emerged and the quintet was founded.

The name of the quintet is taken from The Musical Art Quartet, a string quartet formed in the 1920s and led by the Great-Grandfather and namesake of the bassist and composer of the quintet, Sascha Jacobsen.

Although classically trained, the members of The Musical Art Quintet are skilled improvisers and each one brings with him a special area of expertise. Whether it is Jazz, Argentine Tango, Afro-Cuban Son, or Klezmer, the Quintet is at home.  The music of band leader, Sascha Jacobsen, propels the group with rhythmic, lyrical, modern compositions, and new arrangements of pieces by great composers of all genres.

Collaboration is key to the group’s mission, and they have done so with a wide variety of artists including Painter, Peggy Gyulai, The rock band, Third Eye Blind, Rapper, Phesto Dee of Hieroglyphics, Director of the Flamenco Theatre Company of SF, Carola Zertuche, Pianists Lara Downes and Serene, The SF Silent Film Festival, The SF Jewish Film Festival, Latin Jazz master Doug Beavers, Banjo virtuoso Tim Weed, and many others.