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Nicole Mitchell's Black Earth Strings (BES), rides at the forefront of jazz, new music and creative improvisation. Mitchell's "rough and edgy" aesthetic rebels from the flowery sweet flute and string stereotype the runs rampant in jazz, which makes Renegades an appropriate title for the project. On Renegades, Mitchell's compositions bring African rhythms, contemporary sounds and swinging improvisation to a chamber music setting. Mitchell's BES concept started in 1997, but this is the group's first commercial recording. The CD features Nicole Mitchell - flute, alto flute, piccolo, Renee Baker - violin, viola, Tomeka Reid - cello, Joshua Abrams - bass, gimbre and Shirazette Tinnin - drums and percussion.