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By turns nocturnal, reflective, funky, and cinematic, the music of violinist and composer David Schulman and Quiet Life Motel is a weave of jazz harmonies, shimmering orchestral textures, and international grooves.

Heard nationally on NPR, David's music has been described as "mysterious and beautiful" by The Washington Post. ANHINGA — the new release from David's Quiet Life Motel project — made #3 on CapitolBop's list of "Best DC Jazz Albums of 2016."

On ANHINGA, elements of nuevo tango, cumbia, and gypsy music find their place amidst evocative soundscapes. It's a vivid, cinematic journey — with dreamlike melodies played on a vintage Gibson mandolin, and musical echoes from around the world.

With its sound-rich textures and field recordings from Mali, Eastern Europe, and Chicago, David's Quiet Life Motel project uses contemporary tools to extend the traditions of the music he loves — whether it's charanga, Schubert, or the irresistible rhythms of Go-Go and cumbia.

An avid collaborator with dance companies, David has performed his dance scores live at the Kennedy Center, and at the Paul Taylor Dance Studio. Several selections on ANHINGA — including the driving title track, which hit #1 on the national Roots Music Report jazz song chart — began as dance collaborations.

"An extraordinary, expressive improviser on the violin, wonderfully moving and frequently surprising in his ideas — and mysterious and haunting in their execution." — Michael West, Washington City Paper. "Definitely a top surprise album of the year, David Schulman and Quiet Life Motel's ANHINGA interweaves lush string arrangements under potent melodies, to strong effect." — Luke Stewart, CapitolBop
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