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01. BRIAN ELLIS - Birth
02. BRIAN ELLIS - Canyon Star
03. BRIAN ELLIS - Count to Ten
04. BRIAN ELLIS - Funeral March
05. BRIAN ELLIS - Gossamer
06. BRIAN ELLIS - Psaw
07. BRIAN ELLIS - Walomendem
ARTIST
TITLE
Quipu
FORMAT
CD

LABEL
CATALOG #
PARALL 020CD PARALL 020CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
9/17/2013

2011 release. Brian Ellis is a multi-instrumentalist from San Diego, California. He has released several albums in the last few years under multiple monikers and is perhaps better known as a lead guitarist for the progressive rock group, Astra. By playing guitar, bass, drums, various synthesizers and keyboards, saxophone, trumpet, sitar, xylophone, kalimba, etc., Brian creates the illusion of a large live band jamming all together. After releasing two albums in 2007 for the now-defunct Scottish electronic label, Benbecula Records, Brian found himself straying away from the programmed/sequenced elements and wanted to make an album where all the instruments were played live. The album was completed in early 2008 and was set to be the follow-up to The Silver Creature (BEN 042CD). Unfortunately, Benbecula decided to close its doors at this time and the album was shelved. Quipu takes Brian Ellis' jazz/fusion/funk sound from his previous solo works to the next level. The opening track "Birth" sets a deep atmosphere of delayed trumpets and saxophones with a slow beat and funky bass before exploding into an odd-timing heavy fusion workout harkening back to the days of Mahavishnu Orchestra. Later tracks like "Psaw" (featuring David Hurley of Astra on drums) take on much more of a free-jazz sound similar to Miles Davis' Bitches Brew era, full of dissonance and surprising elements. The final track "Walomendem" is a 14-minute progressive rock epic hailing as a tribute to the great French band Magma. Stunning artwork by Jessica Planter & Sean Painter.