Greg Ellis (musician)
Greg Ellis is an American drummer and percussionist, known for his work in film and world music.
Greg Ellis is a percussionist/composer/producer living in Los Angeles and is recognized as one of the more innovative and versatile drummers in the music world. In a career spanning three decades, he has performed and recorded with musical masters from almost every continent, including Zakir Hussain, Airto, KODO, Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum, Juno Reactor, Billy Idol, Sonu Nigam, Sussan Deyhim, Bickram Ghosh, Chiwoniso Maraire and many more.
Well into his career as a touring and session drummer, at age 28 Ellis discovered the world of hand percussion after reading Mickey Hart’s “Drumming At The Edge Of Magic.” He began collecting percussion instruments during his travels around the world as a touring musician. The instruments and music from these cultures sensitized Ellis to a different form of melody and composition than his Western classical background offered. He began to think of rhythm itself as melodic, Ellis started composing music around rhythm, rather than melody. Through his first hand experiences with the deeper and manifold meanings of ritual rhythms in indigenous cultures, Ellis could no longer deny the power of the drum. He began adapting his intuitive style of playing to incorporate his unique combination of instruments.
He eventually formed the world music duo Vas and signed with Narada/Virgin in 1997. Vas went on to release four successful and critically acclaimed albums as well as a solo CD ‘Kala Rupa.’ His percussion work in Vas drew the attention of some of the top film composers and Ellis is now a featured performer on over 100 film scores including Money Monster, 2012 Best Picture Argo, The Matrix Trilogy, 300, Ironman, Body of Lies, The Day The Earth Stood Still, Transformers, Godzilla, Fight Club and Lara Croft:Tomb Raider. He has also composed music for numerous international film and television documentaries.
Whether on drum set or percussion, Ellis is now recognized as one of the more innovative and versatile drummers in the world. He has performed in concert and recorded with musical masters from most every continent, including Mickey Hart (USA), Zakir Hussain (India), Airto Moreira (Brazil), KODO (Japan), Sussan Deyhim (Iran/US), Mab’i Thobejane (South Africa), Chiwoniso Maraire (Zimbabwe), Mohsen Namjoo (Iran/US), Mâallam Abdellah Stitou (Morocco), Juno Reactor (UK), A-Lin (Taiwan), SHIN (Taiwan), and Sugizo (Japan).
As a passionate advocate for the healing and therapeutic aspects of organic sound and rhythm, Ellis co-created RhythmPharm, a space to receive organic rhythm and sound therapy. Through RhythmPharm, he released the 7 CD box set of ‘Rhythm Tonics,’ which are used by both alternative and mainstream health practitioners worldwide. RhythmPharm is also a platform for Ellis to express his deepening concern of the adverse effects electronic rhythm is having on culture and society as a whole.
Major Film work:
Money Monster (2016) Tri Star
Godzilla (2014) Warner Bros.
Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014) Paramount
Enough Said (2013) Fox Searchlight Pictures
Argo (2012) Warner Bros.
Sucker Punch (2011) Warner Bros. Pictures
The Way (2010) Icon Entertainment
Watchmen (2009) Warner Bros. Pictures
Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009) Lakeshore
The Unborn (2009) Rogue Pictures
The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008) 3 Arts Entertainment
Body Of Lies (2008) De Line Pictures
Ironman (2008) Paramount
300 (2007) Warner Bros. Pictures
Slither (2006) Universal Pictures
The Dukes Of Hazard (2005) Warner Bros.
The Devil’s Rejects (2005) Lions Gate
Dawn Of The Dead (2004) Universal Pictures
The Matrix: Revolutions (2003) Warner Bros.
The Matrix: Reloaded (2003) Warner Bros.
City Of Ghosts (2003) MGM
What’s The Worst That Could Happen? (2001) MGM
Kingdom Come (2001) Fox Searchlight
Television and commercials: NBC, The Winter Olympics, Facebook, Proctor and Gamble, Lee Jeans, A&E, TLC, Bravo, PBS, Discovery, History Channel, HBO, BBC.
References
External links
| ||||||||||||||