“A song like Wayfaring Stanger has a whole new resonance…”
“APQ creates music to unify and lift up diverse voices”
"Innovative interpretations… a truly unique musical experience”
About
American Patchwork Quartet (APQ) is on a mission to reclaim the immigrant soul of American Roots Music. Comprised of four highly acclaimed artists, APQ showcases the dynamic diversity of contemporary culture by reimagining timeless songs from America's past.
“America has a patchwork culture made of the dreams and songs of all its people.” - Alan Lomax.
American Patchwork Quartet (APQ), led by multi-Grammy award-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, binds timeless American folk songs with jazz sophistication, country twang, West African hypnotics, and East Asian ornamentation. APQ’s sound is a masterful confluence of tradition and innovation, transcending culture, politics, and ideology.
A southern-born roots music aficionado, Ross is also the founder of the world-renowned Gullah group Ranky Tanky. In APQ, Ross intertwines with other Grammy-winning artists: Falguni Shah, an eleventh-generation Hindustani classical vocalist, Yasushi Nakamura, an internationally acclaimed Issei jazz bassist, and Clarence Penn, a drumming protégée of Ellis Marsalis whose fibers were honed by African American church traditions.
APQ resonates as a potent symbol of unity in diversity. It stands testament to the notion that, from a collage of varied backgrounds, a coherent and beautiful whole can be fashioned. Mirroring America’s cultural mosaic, APQ stitches together a story that’s both intricate and resilient. The fabric of their music is genuine—it neither feigns tolerance nor presents an overly-embellished image of unity. Instead, each carefully chosen piece dives deep into America’s patchwork soul and shares the joys, sorrows, and unwavering hope of a nation crafted by shared dreams and diverse histories.
Far from being a haphazard collection of musical scraps, APQ is a deliberately designed homage to America’s past and a showcase of its dynamic present. It beckons listeners to meditate upon our shared identity and relish in the musical threads that bind us. Just as an intricately designed quilt becomes a cherished family heirloom, when the distinct patterns of APQ’s music align in perfect harmony, the result is both a blanket of warmth and a timeless treasure.
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APQ is fiscally-sponsored by Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of APQ must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. You may donate by clicking the link.
Your donation helps APQ to counter pervasive prejudices around the issues of race and immigration through musical recordings, performances, and community outreach. In order to help strengthen our country's social fabric, APQ desires that audiences reflect on the notion that, as Americans, we must acknowledge our differences to discover our commonalities. We must recognize the realities of racism and prejudice in order to build authentic and lasting bonds across cultures and color lines. While we are not responsible for our country's past, we are accountable for its future. Your donation, large or small, helps to support this vision.