Music Style Progressive Rock

Musical Influences Yes, Gentle Giant, Genesis, King Crimson

Similar Artists Gentle Giant/Yes Combo in high gear

Artist History Formed in 1973 in Portage, Indiana and after several incarnations with different singers, Yezda Urfa became the band you hear here. In May of 1975, Yezda Urfa went into the studio to record "Boris" and it was released later that year on their own private label in a quantity of 300 copies. These copies were mainly distributed locally to radio stations and to major record labels in the hopes of a record contract. Within the next year their composing and musicianship blossomed and as a result their sound became much more refined. During the summer of 1976, they went back into the studio to record "Sacred Baboon" and at this point they had signed a record deal with Dharma Records (of Atlantis Philharmonic fame) but the deal fell through. In the few years following they continued to write and play but now shifting to progressive copy tunes and playing in bars. This continued until around 1980 and then Brad Christoff and Marc Miller left the band to persue careers outside of music which dwindled the band down to a threesome. Phil Kimbrough, Rick Rodenbaugh, and Mark Tippins continued on, moving in the direction of a more commercial and accessible form of music. But after achieving even lesser success than their progressive days, the trio decided to disband for good. Yezda Urfa was certainly one of the most musically talented groups to ever form but what set them apart from their counterparts was the use of humor which is not only evident in their music, but especially in their crazy and sometimes unexplainable lyrics.

Group Members Brad Christoff, Phil Kimbrough, Marc Miller, Rick Rodenbaugh, Mark Tippins

Instruments Guitar, keyboards, bass, percussion (all sorts), various others

Albums Boris, Sacred Baboon

Press Reviews From the Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock: "Their sound is a brilliant and intelligent blend of high energy complex rock with lots of changes, witty lyrics, great vocal harmonies, and sense of purpose"

Location Albuquerque, New Mexico - USA

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