In 1989 when Louis Andriessen was teaching at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Miles Davis’ Autobiography was published. While reading it, he suddenly knew what the subject of his piece for the Kronos Quartet should be – early be-bop licks and especially the work of Charlie Parker. He wanted to do the impossible – be-bop is not at all idiomatic for string instruments. But be-bop had been an important influence on his musical development when he was young, and he decided to do somethi...