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Music Profile

Record Label Name:

In The Garden of Souls

Record Label Type:

Indie

Biography:

Feast of Silence

In Stores May 18, 2004

Percussionist Greg Ellis and vocalist Azam Ali began working together as Vas (Latin for “vessel”) in 1995, creating a unique and evocative sound best described as ‘alternative world’ — defined by the duo as music that transcends cultural and geographic boundaries.

FEAST OF SILENCE is their first album in three years, after two solo projects and extensive recording and touring with the Dead’s Mickey Hart, Japan’s Kodo drummers, and Zakir Hussain. The band have significantly expanded their compositional range, with a wider array of vocal stylings in evidence than on any of their three earlier Vas albums — incorporating Indian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and, for the first time, songs with English lyrics. They have also broadened their instrumentation, incorporating guitar and bass and other elements into their signature blend of multi-ethnic percussion, cello, and bansuri flute.

Sound clips

Track Name
1 Amrita
2 In Our Faith
3 Mandara
4 Izgrejala
5 Moksha
6 The Reaper And The Flowers
7 Bardo
8 Feast of Silence
9 Kali Basa



From Azam Ali ~

NIYAZ - release date April 19, 2005 on Six Degrees Records. From Azam Ali and Loga Ramin Torkian of Axiom of Choice, featuring programmer/producer Carmen Rizzo, and percussionist/ vocalist Arash Khalatbari of Ekova. An electronic/acoustic project exploring the mystical poetry of Urdu and Persian Sufi poets. www.niyazmusic.com (site in progress, check back if link isn't active yet.)
~

ROSELAND features Azam singing entirely in English against a rock/ambient soundscape . Roseland is a partnership between Azam and prominent film composer/ guitar player Tyler Bates, featuring drumming and percussion of Greg Ellis as well and a number of other talented musicians. For more information on Roseland and the release of their first album please visit www.Roselandmusic.com For more information on Tyler Bates please visit www.Tylerbates.com. (Sites in progress, check back if links aren't active yet.)





Portals of Grace

Vas’ evocative vocalist Azam Ali renders innovative interpretations of medieval sacred and love songs, masterfully weaving traditional European period instruments — hurdy-gurdy, rebec, and vielle — with the rich vocal ornamentation and instruments of her own Middle Eastern heritage.

Featuring the renowned percussionist Greg Ellis, this eclectic assemblage includes exquisite songs in French, Latin, Arabic, Judeo-Spanish, and Galician, as well as instrumentals from Brittany and Sweden. Exotic and atmospheric, it will appeal to core world music listeners as well as aficionados of early and classical and ambient/new age/goth sensibilities.


Eastern voice, Western groove - the spellbinding sound of Vas. Bridging cultures and boundaries, Azam Ali’s entrancing voice and Greg Ellis’ elaborate percussion technique come together in an ethereal world music recording.

VAS’ new recording, IN THE GARDEN OF SOULS, blends their vast global influences into a sound entirely their own. This is most evident on the title track, where the duo uses Tibetan bowls, oud, and a processed cello (played by Cameron Stone, who is featured on many of the songs), over a harmonic vocal drone to produce a sound eerily ancient and modern at the same time. Unbecome, features Ali’s haunting solo voice surrounded by cello, temple bells, and drones in an evocative and powerful fusion of sound. Ceremony Of Passage is a percussion powerhouse, where drum is layered upon drum to sound like an entire village drumming. The effect is surprising melodic, as Ellis coerces tonal sounds from the drum skins.

IN THE GARDEN OF SOULS is a unique soundscape of voice, percussion, and sonic textures that defies genres, and creates for the listener a one of a kind musical experience.

Greg Ellis greg@rhythmpharm.com
Azam Ali azamali@earthlink.net


Influences:

Greg Ellis greg@rhythmpharm.com Azam Ali azamali@earthlink.net

Artist's Website:

www.vasmusic.com

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Personal
  • About me:Feast of Silence

    In Stores May 18, 2004

    Percussionist Greg Ellis and vocalist Azam Ali began working together as Vas (Latin for “vessel”) in 1995, creating a unique and evocative sound best described as ‘alternative world’ — defined by the duo as music that transcends cultural and geographic boundaries.

    FEAST OF SILENCE is their first album in three years, after two solo projects and extensive recording and touring with the Dead’s Mickey Hart, Japan’s Kodo drummers, and Zakir Hussain. The band have significantly expanded their compositional range, with a wider array of vocal stylings in evidence than on any of their three earlier Vas albums — incorporating Indian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and, for the first time, songs with English lyrics. They have also broadened their instrumentation, incorporating guitar and bass and other elements into their signature blend of multi-ethnic percussion, cello, and bansuri flute.

    Sound clips

    Track Name
    1 Amrita
    2 In Our Faith
    3 Mandara
    4 Izgrejala
    5 Moksha
    6 The Reaper And The Flowers
    7 Bardo
    8 Feast of Silence
    9 Kali Basa



    From Azam Ali ~

    NIYAZ - release date April 19, 2005 on Six Degrees Records. From Azam Ali and Loga Ramin Torkian of Axiom of Choice, featuring programmer/producer Carmen Rizzo, and percussionist/ vocalist Arash Khalatbari of Ekova. An electronic/acoustic project exploring the mystical poetry of Urdu and Persian Sufi poets. www.niyazmusic.com (site in progress, check back if link isn't active yet.)
    ~

    ROSELAND features Azam singing entirely in English against a rock/ambient soundscape . Roseland is a partnership between Azam and prominent film composer/ guitar player Tyler Bates, featuring drumming and percussion of Greg Ellis as well and a number of other talented musicians. For more information on Roseland and the release of their first album please visit www.Roselandmusic.com For more information on Tyler Bates please visit www.Tylerbates.com. (Sites in progress, check back if links aren't active yet.)





    Portals of Grace

    Vas’ evocative vocalist Azam Ali renders innovative interpretations of medieval sacred and love songs, masterfully weaving traditional European period instruments — hurdy-gurdy, rebec, and vielle — with the rich vocal ornamentation and instruments of her own Middle Eastern heritage.

    Featuring the renowned percussionist Greg Ellis, this eclectic assemblage includes exquisite songs in French, Latin, Arabic, Judeo-Spanish, and Galician, as well as instrumentals from Brittany and Sweden. Exotic and atmospheric, it will appeal to core world music listeners as well as aficionados of early and classical and ambient/new age/goth sensibilities.


    Eastern voice, Western groove - the spellbinding sound of Vas. Bridging cultures and boundaries, Azam Ali’s entrancing voice and Greg Ellis’ elaborate percussion technique come together in an ethereal world music recording.

    VAS’ new recording, IN THE GARDEN OF SOULS, blends their vast global influences into a sound entirely their own. This is most evident on the title track, where the duo uses Tibetan bowls, oud, and a processed cello (played by Cameron Stone, who is featured on many of the songs), over a harmonic vocal drone to produce a sound eerily ancient and modern at the same time. Unbecome, features Ali’s haunting solo voice surrounded by cello, temple bells, and drones in an evocative and powerful fusion of sound. Ceremony Of Passage is a percussion powerhouse, where drum is layered upon drum to sound like an entire village drumming. The effect is surprising melodic, as Ellis coerces tonal sounds from the drum skins.

    IN THE GARDEN OF SOULS is a unique soundscape of voice, percussion, and sonic textures that defies genres, and creates for the listener a one of a kind musical experience.

    Greg Ellis greg@rhythmpharm.com
    Azam Ali azamali@earthlink.net


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Guestbook

6/26/2007 9:32 AMCheers :))

Gorostas
Marco 31, SERBIA
Welcome to Musicians Community Elite.
Thank you for joining the group.
Cheers :))

6/26/2007 3:58 PMRe: Cheers :))

ethnicmusic
VAS 27, Beirut, Lebanon
Thank you for the warm greetings... I'm glad to be there as well :)

6/25/2007 11:01 AMhey there

kidrockers
Glen 34, Pakistan
hi and how r u wassup............

6/25/2007 11:22 AMRe: hey there

ethnicmusic
VAS 27, Beirut, Lebanon
Hi...

6/29/2007 9:44 AMRe: Re: hey there

kidrockers
Glen 34, Pakistan
hi and how r u dus ur web page is complete or still thing to do on it.
glen.

6/30/2007 9:03 PMRe: Re: Re: hey there

ethnicmusic
VAS 27, Beirut, Lebanon
No it's not finished yet, been having trouble uploading the music... it will take some time... thanks for your concern and visit... :)

7/14/2007 8:54 AMRe: Re: Re: Re: hey there

kidrockers
Glen 34, Pakistan
hi and how r u.........wassup how u doin.......so whts happening nowz days.

6/25/2007 11:28 AMRe: hey there

kidrockers
Glen 34, Pakistan
hey.........wassup......how u doin......howz ur day......so whts happening.

6/25/2007 11:30 AMRe: Re: hey there

ethnicmusic
VAS 27, Beirut, Lebanon
lol! My day is fine, I'm just working on this page a bit... adding some tracks...

6/25/2007 11:37 AMRe: Re: Re: hey there

kidrockers
Glen 34, Pakistan
i feel u know to put some cool pics of urs and bit colors.....so it can show more creative....u know.lol

6/25/2007 11:40 AMRe: Re: Re: Re: hey there

ethnicmusic
VAS 27, Beirut, Lebanon
Well those are not my pictures, all the pictures over here are of the band:VAS, this is a page dedicated to Ethnic Music, I started with VAS, and in the upcomind days I will be uploading some music from different bands from all over the world...

6/25/2007 12:00 PMRe: Re: Re: Re: Re: hey there

kidrockers
Glen 34, Pakistan
ok tell wht kind of music is this rock,pop,blues,cha cha....

6/25/2007 11:53 AMRe: Re: Re: Re: Re: hey there

kidrockers
Glen 34, Pakistan
ok no i havent heard its a new.......howz it is...let me know, whos pics are those.....

Reply to this Thread

6/25/2007 11:33 AMRe: Re: Re: hey there

kidrockers
Glen 34, Pakistan
well i like ur web page its tooooo cool

6/25/2007 11:37 AMRe: Re: Re: Re: hey there

ethnicmusic
VAS 27, Beirut, Lebanon
Thank you.

Do you know VAS? Ever heard any songs by them?

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