“Captivating” Portland Mercury
“Absolutely Tremendous!” Capitol Public Radio
“Her fantastic voice is between old punk and dramatic soprano and supported by Slavic passion and depth. Musically, there are violins, ukulele, accordion, trumpet and especially the cello that Ashia plays herself. Folk and classical, but mostly accessible pop songs come out in the end.” 8/10 Melody & Rhythm DE
Diesel vs Lungs Album on TOP 20 World Music Charts Europe October & November 2013!
Full Length Live and Music Videos YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE!
Diesel vs Lungs Album:
Release on JARO Median Germany Fall 2013
Biography
Ashia’s solo project songs and compositions, written and sung with the cello, reflect her longing for her Slavic roots, while adding the pop, rock, indie folk, and classical of the land she grew up in. This comes naturally from being born in Wroclaw, Poland, raised in the US, and performing internationally. Her belief is to bring and celebrate Polish and Slavic culture and ancestry to new audiences, as well as using the cello, non-traditionally, as an instrument of accompaniment and melodic lead. She performs solo with a looping pedal, in duo with violin, in String/Accordion Trio, and with a full String Quartet/Quintet, as well as larger ensembles.
Her newest full-length CD ‘Diesel vs Lungs’is currently released on the German record label, JARO Median, and independently in North America to much excitement after successfully raising funds to produce it on Kickstarter in 2012.
This Spring of 2013 she performed in Berlin, Germany with the celebrated show, Dummy, with original compositions of cello, voice, loops set to acrobatic choreography along with electronic tracks written by Reecode. She has performed with Cirque du Soliel’s “O” production in Las Vegas, NV, received an award (Portland Drammy for best original music 2010) for original compositions for Third Rail Theater’s, “The Gray Sisters” written by Craig Wright (Six Feet Under). She performs her solo act extensively under the title ‘Ashia & the Bison Rouge’ as well as being in demand for Portland, OR bands and internationally, including a Czech Republic Summer Shakespeare Festival in Ostrava, CZ and venues in Poland, Germany, and Czech Republic. She received a RACC Grant under the title of “A CD Release of Polish Immigrant Songs” to perform in Portland, OR in the Fall of 2013.
Ashia also believes and is part of the growing indie movement in the US that brings folk and classical sounds into pop and rock settings, as well as using the cello non-traditionally/Classically. She was invited to and performed at the NDCA (New Directions Cello Festival) in June 2012. She is a member of The Portland Cello Project, Vagabond Opera, and Classical Revolution PDX.
Her ideas and voice, at once ethereal and demanding, are pop/rock, yet the sounds are at times classical and folk, being on the cello. Her style as described by Portland Monthly: “…one can’t help but hear a collage of influences. Grzesik can certainly give Joanna Newsom a run for her whimsy, she possesses the old-world charm and quirky dramatics of Regina Spector and the cello-punk instincts of Bonfire Madigan, and her voice vacillates between the throaty alto of Amanda Palmer and the ethereal soprano of Maria Callas. Simply put, she’s got a little bit of everything.”
Current Music Video:
“…Utilising her full vocal range and putting in a virtuoso performance on cello, accompanied only by accordian. Is this folk? It’s mixed with classical, but yes it’s folk, most certainly: Grzesik sang of her Polish Grandmother’s numerous ploys to discourage her family from moving away from home; ranged through intimate tales, both emotional & mature, tossed in jaunty escapades; and sang in English and Polish. It was nicely varied and consequently never boring…. I should mention her voice – a sumptuous but delicate soprano which scales, sometimes violently, but to good effect, to a forceful almost ‘rock’ vocal.” – Zaph Mann, Oregon Public Broadcasting