Utrillo Kushner - Keyboard & Piano, Eli Eckert - bass/guitar, Tim Tsuda - Bass, Garett Goddard - drums
*** Occasional assistance & inspiration from: Andy Jordan - guitar & Tracy Sawyer - drums***
Influences
ALL TIME FAVORITE PIANO MEN: Richard Manuel, Peter Jefferies, Epic Soundtracks, Bill Fay, Gary Booker, Harry Nilsson, Freddie Mercury, Robert Wyatt, McCoy Tyner, Thelonious Monk, Sun Ra, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, Bob James, Keith Garrett, Chick Corea, Erik Satie, Pascal Rogé, Brian Eno, Paul Bley, Keith Godchaux, Kazuo Ogino, Ian McLagan, Tony Banks, Richard Sohl, Richard Wright, Nicky Hopkins, Rod Argent, Rowlf The Dog, Emitt Rhodes, David Ackles, Roy Bittan, Terry Allen, Randy Newman, Robb Kunkel, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, Joel Robinow, Dennis Wilson, John Lennon, John Cale, John Simon, Dr. John, James Booker, and last but not least Sir Elton Hercules John..........
ALL TIME FAVORITE PIANO WOMEN: Alice Coltrane, Carole King, Nina Simone, Yoko Ono, Christine McVie, Roberta Flack, Lea Cho, Mira Billotte..........
ALL TIME FAVORITE ORGAN GRINDERS: Matthew Fisher, Jon Lord, Garth Hudson, Jimmy Smith, Keith Emerson, Brian Auger, Bo Hansson, Eric Malmberg, Hugh Banton, Peter Bardens, Ken Hensley, Steve Windwood..........
LEGION OF MAESTROS: Ennio Morricone, Bela Bartok, Gabriel Faure, Carter Burwell, John Carpenter, Moondog, Pino Donaggio, Luis Enríquez Bacalov, Jack Nitzsche, Lolo Schifrin, James Last, Quincy Jones, Franco Battiato, Wendy Carlos, John Cage, Terry Riley, David Axelrod, Jack Arel..........
MANTLED ROCK OF AGES: The Mantles, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Band, T.2, Neil Young, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Neil Young & The Santa Monica Flyers, Thunderclap Newman, Bobbie Gentry, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Shizuka, White Magic, The Carpenters, Faust, Kevin Ayers, ELO, CCR, Meat Puppets, Big Star, The Move, Tall Dwarfs, The Clean, The Modern Lovers, Dream Syndicate, Love & Rockets, Fred Neil, Tim Hardin, Moody Blues, Blind Faith, Spooky Tooth, Spirit, Roky Erickson, George Harrison, The Hollies, Bee Gees, Van Morrison, Red Crayola, Nico, Brigitte Fontaine, Judee Sill, Troggs, Eddie Gale, Hank Williams, The Pretty Things, Chris Spedding, Battered Ornaments, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Greg Oblivian, Reigning Sound, Amps for Christ, Queen, Barclay James Havest, Van Der Graaf Generator, Ghost, Brainticket, Andre Ethier, Gordon Lightfoot, Nick Garrie, Robin Scott, Nikki Sudden, Swell Maps, Glenn Campbell, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Traffic, James Gang, The Zombies, Chicago, Shocking Blue, The Shangri-Las, Apollo 100, Badfinger, Rodriguez, Be Bop Deluxe, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis, Cosmic Jokers, Growing, Goblin, Zombi, Popol Vuh, Six Organs of Admittance, Sagor & Swing, Björn Olsson..........
clenched fists - colossal yes ..
Widely known as the ‘drummer dude’ in Comets on Fire, Utrillo Kushner’s musical talents range far beyond the drunken-master-style wailing he unleashes on any given night with the Comets. Having tickled the ivories for close to a decade, Kushner assumes command of the keys in Colossal Yes and steps it up as a full-fledged piano man.
Colossal Yes has existed in Kushner’s mind for years, heard only by a few close friends on home demos or at one of a handful of solo shows. Far from their humble beginnings, these simple piano chords and melodies have morphed and developed over the years, reaching maximum clarity on the debut ablum Acapulco Roughs.
The risks are obvious, but the payoff is ever greater chooglin’. In fact, the two elements that should damn Colossal Yes to lite-rock purgatory - unabashed sincerity and piano-playing - miraculously works to the band’s advantage. Somehow, when untainted musicianship meets earnest presentation something happens, and the results are damn good. Maybe it’s just the joy of creation. If you haven’t guessed yet, this is the ‘70s. The idealized, mythological ‘70s, where you’re not sick of great songs because play-it-to-death AOR stations haven’t been invented yet. Think Badfinger, Harry Nilsson, Procol Harum, The Band. The true essence of rock, stripped to its essentials by virtue of its vainglorious indulgences, existing forever as the absolute articulation of the form. Colossal Yes is the greatest affirmation of them all, bigger than big, and there’s no joke behind the smiling.
I edited my profile with Thomas’ Myspace Editor V4.4
I forgot to tell you awhile back how rad this album is! Jamming it now on my high fi, reading the lyric sheet like a teenager! "Yeah, that's right!" Still up for pictures, just need to do it before I leave town.
Been trying to find some new music on myspace all night. But I gave up and decided to listen to "The Phoenix" again. Man, thats a great recording, made the hair stand up on my arms.
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