Ellis Ashbrook on JamBase

Ellis Ashbrook's Profile

About me:Experience the band Ellis Ashbrook as they hit the stage armed with genre-bending rock that exhibits fiery eclecticism rooted in solid foundations of funk, soul and blues. Though their music defies easy description by critics, audiences in the Northeastern US and beyond are finding clear musical inspiration and excitement from the Ellis Ashbrook live experience. This sense of excitement reverberated in recent shows leading to Ellis Ashbrook being named top winners in the 2007 Emergenza Worldwide Talent Competition. Ellis Ashbrook competed with over 200 bands from the New England area and received first place in the New England regional. From there the outfit went to New York City to perform at the Emergenza Final, one of the largest international festivals and competitions for unsigned bands in the world, and placed third nationally for 2007. Combining old-school jam sensibilities and a brave progressive sound filled with urgency, Ellis Ashbrook both taunt and satisfy listeners with sounds ranging from delicately melodic to elaborately frenetic.

Listeners have described the band as “mesmerizing” and “surreal” while critics appreciate the way an Ellis Ashbrook show stimulates the audience through both sound and visuals. Both agree the band is a compelling force onstage harnessing diverse influences to deliver dynamic and affecting material.

Boston’s The Noise said of a recent show, “The tight rhythm section of bassist Jonathan Granoff and drummer Alex Major reach near Zeppelin-esque heights with their power and inventiveness. In most songs the formula is simple: the rhythm section finds the groove and then the guitars propel the songs into overdrive. Then they start to jam…The bottom line is they get the feet moving and then get the head thinking.” The Noise also says, “It just seems that everyone in this band has serious chops.”

Motif magazine calls them “a super versatile rock/soul/blues/reggae/funk progressive band with fantastic guitar chops.”

The Deli magazine says “The songs are round and intelligent and their presence is tight, not unlike Incubus in their S.C.I.E.N.C.E days. Every player has the prowess, technique, and tenacity to play original music that transcends trend.”

The ferocity and dexterity members bring to their instruments when performing reaches a synergistic crescendo of musical exploration and energy that has left listeners and fans endeared at venues and clubs everywhere they play.

Hailing from Boston as a mainstay of the independent New England music scene, the four members of Ellis Ashbrook have currently moved and reside in Brooklyn. Members include John Barber (lead guitar and vocals), Jonathan Granoff (bass guitar), Natalie Lowe (keyboard and vocals) and Alex Major (drums). Barber, Granoff and Lowe are all recent graduates of the Berklee School of Music and drummer Major is a graduate of Boston University. Though the band has evolved through the years, Barber and Major began collaborating musically when they were both just 10 years old.

Barber is a compelling guitarist who has soaked up diverse influences to wield and command a unique style. Natalie Lowe churns at the organ in non-traditional manner, sometimes wrapped in stage lights, hair and head bouncing to the beat and flickering across the stage like a flame in the open wind. Granoff spreads the glue and lays the foundation with funky lines on the bass and a sly smirk on his face. Finally, drummer Major flails like a madman or an octopus on speed depending on your vantage point.

Band member cite a wide array of rock and roll influences including but not limited to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Tool, Ween, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Talking Heads, Bob Marley, Beck, P-Funk, Hendrix, Zappa, Bowie, James Brown, Phish, Prince, Genesis, The Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Yes, The Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Jane's Addiction, Primus, Pavement, and Bjork.

Ellis Ashbrook released its self-titled cd in April 2006 and received strong acclaim. The band is currently on tour in support of their new album Assemblage which came out October 2008.

Member Since:September 25, 2000

Last Login:March 7, 2010

Location:Brooklyn, NY

General Interests:Check out myspace.com/ellisashbrook or ellisashbrook.com for tunes. youtube.com/ellisashbrook for videos and sonicbids.com/ellisashbrook for the epk and tour history.

SHOWS FOR Ellis Ashbrook's TRACKED ARTISTS

within miles of EverywhereGo

Date Artist Venue Location

02/15/12 Wed moe. First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
02/16/12 Thu Phil Lesh & Friends 1stBank Center Broomfield, CO
02/16/12 Thu George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Berklee Performance Center Boston, MA
02/16/12 Thu moe. The Pageant St. Louis, MO
02/16/12 Thu Ellis Ashbrook The Fire Philadelphia, PA
02/17/12 Fri Phil Lesh & Friends 1stBank Center Broomfield, CO
02/17/12 Fri Ellis Ashbrook The Fire Philadelphia, PA
02/17/12 Fri George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Stage AE Pittsburgh, PA
02/17/12 Fri moe. The Cannery Nashville, TN
02/18/12 Sat Phil Lesh & Friends 1stBank Center Broomfield, CO
02/18/12 Sat moe. The Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL
02/18/12 Sat George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Keswick Theatre Glenside, PA
02/23/12 Thu Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey The Llama Telluride, CO
02/25/12 Sat Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey Dazzle Denver, CO
02/26/12 Sun Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey Dazzle Denver, CO
02/27/12 Mon Radiohead American Airlines Arena Miami, FL
02/29/12 Wed Radiohead Tampa Bay Times Forum Tampa, FL
03/01/12 Thu Radiohead Philips Arena Atlanta, GA
03/01/12 Thu moe. Higher Ground (Ballroom) Burlington, VT
03/01/12 Thu Bela Fleck and the Flecktones University of Wisconsin Madison, WI
03/02/12 Fri Bela Fleck and the Flecktones North Shore Center for the Performing Arts Skokie, IL
03/02/12 Fri moe. House of Blues Boston, MA
03/03/12 Sat Bela Fleck and the Flecktones North Central College Naperville, IL
03/03/12 Sat moe. Palace Theatre Albany, NY
03/03/12 Sat Radiohead Toyota Center Houston, TX
03/04/12 Sun moe. The Sherman Theater Stroudsburg, PA
03/05/12 Mon Radiohead American Airlines Center Dallas, TX
03/06/12 Tue Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Sunset Cultural Center Carmel, CA
03/06/12 Tue moe. Mod Club Toronto, ON
03/07/12 Wed Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Humboldt State University Arcata, CA
03/07/12 Wed moe. The Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
03/07/12 Wed Radiohead Frank Erwin Center Austin, TX
03/08/12 Thu Bela Fleck and the Flecktones The Warfield San Francisco, CA
03/08/12 Thu moe. Stage AE Pittsburgh, PA
03/09/12 Fri Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Orpheum Theatre Los Angeles, CA
03/09/12 Fri Radiohead The Scottrade Center St. Louis, MO
03/09/12 Fri moe. Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA
03/09/12 Fri George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic House of Blues Houston, TX
03/10/12 Sat moe. Rams Head Live Baltimore, MD
03/10/12 Sat Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey 2720 Cherokee St. Louis, MO
03/10/12 Sat Bela Fleck and the Flecktones John Ascuaga's Nugget Sparks, NV
03/11/12 Sun Radiohead Sprint Center Kansas City, MO
03/12/12 Mon Bela Fleck and the Flecktones The Smith Center Las Vegas, NV
03/13/12 Tue Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Anthology San Diego, CA
03/13/12 Tue Radiohead 1stBank Center Broomfield, CO
03/14/12 Wed moe. Melkweg Amsterdam, NL
03/15/12 Thu Radiohead Jobing.com Arena Glendale, AZ
03/15/12 Thu moe. Melkweg Amsterdam, NL
03/16/12 Fri moe. Melkweg Amsterdam, NL
03/16/12 Fri George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic The Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR
03/18/12 Sun moe. Harmonie Bonn, GER
03/19/12 Mon moe. Islington Academy London, GB
03/20/12 Tue moe. Le Bus Palladium Paris, FRA
03/21/12 Wed George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic The Regency Ballroom San Francisco, CA
03/21/12 Wed Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
03/22/12 Thu Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Savannah Music Festival Savannah, GA
03/22/12 Thu moe. Fabrik Hamburg, GER
03/22/12 Thu George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa Stateline, NV
03/23/12 Fri moe. Malzhaus Plauen, GER
03/23/12 Fri Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Weinberg Center for the Arts Frederick, MD
03/24/12 Sat Bela Fleck and the Flecktones University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
03/24/12 Sat moe. Musiktheater Rex Lorsch, GER
03/24/12 Sat Ellis Ashbrook Church Boston, MA
03/25/12 Sun George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic Thunder Valley Casino Lincoln, CA
03/25/12 Sun moe. La Salumeria della Musica Milan, IT
03/25/12 Sun Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Berks JazzFest Reading, PA
03/26/12 Mon Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead Munhall, PA
03/28/12 Wed Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Southwest Missouri State University Springfield, MO
03/29/12 Thu Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Sheldon Concert Hall St. Louis, MO
03/30/12 Fri Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN
03/31/12 Sat Bela Fleck and the Flecktones University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
04/01/12 Sun Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Holland Performing Arts Center Omaha, NE
04/03/12 Tue Bela Fleck and the Flecktones University of Wyoming Laramie, WY
04/04/12 Wed Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Lincoln Center Fort Collins, CO
04/05/12 Thu Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Wheeler Opera House Aspen, CO
04/06/12 Fri Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Vilar Center for The Arts Beaver Creek, CO
04/07/12 Sat Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Boulder Theater Boulder, CO
04/08/12 Sun Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Ogden Theatre Denver, CO
04/09/12 Mon Radiohead Key Arena Seattle, WA
04/10/12 Tue Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Rose State Performing Arts Midwest City, OK
04/11/12 Wed Radiohead HP Pavilion San Jose, CA
04/11/12 Wed Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Cain's Ballroom Tulsa, OK
04/12/12 Thu Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Walton Arts Center Fayetteville, AR
04/12/12 Thu Radiohead Santa Barbara Bowl Santa Barbara, CA
04/13/12 Fri Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Germantown Performing Arts Center Germantown, TN
04/14/12 Sat Radiohead Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
at Empire Polo Grounds Indio, CA
04/14/12 Sat Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
04/19/12 Thu Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Michigan Theatre Ann Arbor, MI
04/20/12 Fri Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Miami University Oxford, OH
04/21/12 Sat Radiohead Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
at Empire Polo Grounds Indio, CA
04/21/12 Sat Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Clay Center for the Arts Charleston, WV
04/22/12 Sun Bela Fleck and the Flecktones University of Richmond Richmond, VA
04/23/12 Mon Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Birchmere Alexandria, VA
04/24/12 Tue Bela Fleck and the Flecktones TCC Roper Performing Arts Center Norfolk, VA
04/25/12 Wed Bela Fleck and the Flecktones University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC
04/27/12 Fri Bela Fleck and the Flecktones MerleFest
at Wilkes Community College Wilkesboro, NC
04/28/12 Sat Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Brown Theatre Louisville, KY
05/25/12 Fri moe. Summer Camp Music Festival
at Three Sisters Park Chillicothe, IL
05/26/12 Sat moe. Summer Camp Music Festival
at Three Sisters Park Chillicothe, IL
05/27/12 Sun moe. Summer Camp Music Festival
at Three Sisters Park Chillicothe, IL

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