Artist description Our musical philosophy is easily defined by freedom...by questioning traditional boundaries of script, timing, and melody; we allow ourselves the liberty to pursue new auditory terrain. For years now, we have been gathering weekly in pursuit of this goal. Also keeping with this exploratory tradition, all songs are improvisational!...there is no over-dubbing, no multi-tracking and no manipulation of the sound once it is laid down; hence, the songs on MUSICAL CATECHISM are titled by the date they were created. EFFIGY, our first cd, was a tribute to the Native American effigy mounds that are more numerous in Dane County, Wisconsin than anywhere else in the world.  These ancient, eternal places were - among other things - conscious art works intended to evoke mystical feelings and open perceptual doors.   The music on EFFIGY explores this aural terrain with similar intent.

Music Style Improvisational Ambient Soundscapes

Musical Influences Eric Dolphy, Brian Eno, Ornette Coleman, Jon Hassel, O Yuki Conjugate, Nurse With Wound, Lightwave, Daniel Lanois

Similar Artists Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream, Jon Hassel, Lightwave, Michael Hoenig, Popul-Vuh

Artist History An evolutionary grouping of folks who morph with the times...sharing a common appreciation for creating new sound textures.

Group Members Thomas Ferrella / Kevin Schaefer / Michael Winter / Alan Fark / Andre Ferrella / Jonathan Konrad / Craig Walkner / William Gilmore / Ed Ahrens / Vincent Olmstead / Maia Reinhart-Ferrella

Instruments Our studio is 600 sq. ft. and it's packed with eclectic instruments from around the planet; some hand-made/some found...the ethnically traditional are represented by tablas, mbira, tamboura, djembes, pueblo drums... the contemporary electron-driven instruments by synths, effects processors, samplers...add field recordings to this array and the sound library is limitless...yea!

Albums EFFIGY / MUSICAL CATECHISM

Press Reviews "I cannot emphasize enough the masterfulness of this album. This is no new age dalliance - this is a serious and potent sound narrative that keeps one on the edge of one's seat. It is intricate and highly evocative .... a timeless, almost primordial ambience has been evoked by EARTHBOYS, and the fact that it is layered with mystical intent serves to make it even more atmospherically charged. Truly, EFFIGY is a marvelous transportation into the realms of one's own consciousness. This is how ambient music should be. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!" - - JASPER / AMBIENCE MUSIC MAGAZINE //////// "This is music which is about experimentation; using sounds, rhythms and electrons to investigate the creative process. This is music about experience and living, about subtlety, sensitivity, exploration and innovation. There are transformations and developing dramas." - - CHRIS BJORKLUND / WORT / 89.9 FM / MADISON / WI //////// "Listening to EFFIGY it is hard to believe it was completely improvised. This is a very successful mixture of different styles, subtle hints of progressive, freejazz and more apparent expressions in ambient and deep chill on certain tracks... an experimental album made by excellent musicians who share a certain vision and have the right means of capturing the interest of those who yearn for rich and powerful music" - - VLADIMIR JOVANOVIC / INNER SPACE / 100.5 FM / ZAGREB / CROATIA //////// "This is space travelling and space unravelling at the same time" -- NATASHA KASSULKE / WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL.

Additional Info MUSICAL CATECHISM is a double cd that includes 'EarthStar', a bonus multi-media video clip!

Location Madison, Wisconsin - USA

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