Ergo's music is one of stark melodic beauty, enveloping electro-acoustic texture and empathic imagination. In efforts to describe their sound critics have cited music as diverse as Sun Ra, Steve Reich, Sigur Rós, Autechre and Duke Ellington.

After crystallizing his years at Manhattan School of Music with the release of “Hearsay” (Fresh Sound - New Talent), trombonist Brett Sroka began exploring beyond Jazz and became particularly fascinated with the infinite palette of electronic music. Hearing Radiohead’s “Kid A” sparked the idea of incorporating electronic sounds and techniques with a live, improvisational group. Surrounding himself with synthesizers and software he began writing music and asked his old friend from Boston, drummer Damion Reid, and keyboardist Carl Maguire to form a group. In 2003 they began playing throughout New York City and the Northeast US and an idiosyncratic dynamic began to cohere.

The band recorded their debut cd, "Quality Anatomechanical Music Since 2005", which was lauded by All About Jazz - NY as “Best Debut CD” of 2006. That year Shawn Baltazor replaced Reid on drums and premiered with Ergo at the Williamsburg Jazz Festival in Brooklyn, NY. They played at the Sonic Circuits Festival in Washington D.C. in 2007, and Risonanze in Venice, Italy in 2008. In 2009 Ergo signed with the stalwart avant-prog label Cuneiform Records and released their sophomore cd, “multitude, solitude”, and performed again at the Sonic Circuits festival, opening for the mysterious Jandek.

In 2010 Maguire left the group and pianist Sam Harris was recommended by his teacher and Sroka’s former schoolmate Jason Moran. In 2010 the band performed at New Languages, the New York Slide Workers Union Trombone Festival, the Avant Fairfax Festival and BAM Café. They are presently developing music for a new recording based on loops cresting and crashing with miniature motific structures, expanding their sound with piano, prepared piano and a host of special guest guitarists from across the spectrum including Mary Halvorson and Christian Fennesz.

brettsroka.com
shawnbaltazor.com
sam harris on myspace
cuneiformrecords.com
carlmaguire.com
damionreid.com