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Bill Gilliam

Experimental & New Music
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Recordings

Uncountable Spheres – Marbyllia

Record Details

Artist
Margaret Maria & Bill Gilliam
Release
2023:11
Uncountable Spheres Bandcamp 1400 x 1400

Uncountable Spheres is a journey from our earth’s core gravitational forces and our troposphere where we live impacted by climate change, and further up into our distressed stratosphere. Our experimental cello and piano free improvisations continue to imagine a passage through the wonderful ethereal nature of the different levels of our atmosphere’s protective mesosphere and thermosphere until we reach the very edge of the exosphere where atoms and molecules escape into space and satellites orbit the earth. As we encounter the weightlessness of space we begin our search for unexplored worlds.

Here on our fragile sphere for only a tiny fraction of the immense universe, our atmospheric cello and piano free improvisations are both a sliver and an eternity of hope; radiating through a moment in time.

Listen to Uncountable Spheres on Bandcamp

PERSONNEL/CREDITS:

Marbyllia:
Margaret Maria – cello
Bill Gilliam – piano

All compositions and production by Margaret Maria & Bill Gilliam
© ℗ Marbyllia, 2023 SOCAN
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Gary Honess at Khul Muzik, Toronto

MEDIA QUOTES & REVIEWS (JAN, FEB 2024)

“the masterfully meticulous Uncountable Spheres” – Mark Druery, Indie Shark
indieshark.com/music-reviews/marbyllia-uncountable-spheres-lp/

“I don’t think you’re going to hear anything like Uncountable Spheres no matter how far and wide you scan the underground section of your local record store this month.” – Trace Whittaker, Popicon
popiconmagazine.com/music/marbyllia-release-uncountable-spheres/

“Simply put, this is top-notch listening for experimental fans of all stripes”. Heather Savage, Top Buzz Magazine
topbuzzmagazine.com/music/marbyllias-uncountable-spheres/

“This duo is the real article, which isn’t easy to come by anymore on either side of the pop music universe” – Mindy McCall, Indie Pulse Music
indiepulsemusic.com/2024/02/18/margaret-maria-and-bill-gilliam-marbyllia-record-new-music/

“For those of us who demand quality that’s a cut above in our ambient beats, this is a sound arriving at the perfect moment this late winter. I love what I hear in this album, and something tells me you will too.” – Garth Thomas, Hollywood Digest
thehollywooddigest.com/uncountable-spheres-by-canadas-marbyllia/

“The two improvisors push the limits of each other: Gilliam’s extensive range of sounds from his piano and Maria’s extended cello technique and unusual sound makers. The track Stratosphere in Distress is a solid representation of this dynamic team”. – Cheryl Ockrant, TheWholenote
www.thewholenote.com/index.php/booksrecords2/jazzaimprovised/33233-uncountable-spheres-goddess-of-edges-margaret-maria-bill-gilliam

 

About Bill

Bill is a Toronto based composer / pianist who creates and improvises new music compositions blending contemporary harmony and jazz idioms with his unique style of piano and prepared piano playing.

Originally from London UK, he studied jazz and film composition at Berklee College of Music. His diverse compositions, performances and recordings, with support from the Ontario Arts Council and Toronto Arts Council, have been showcased at Canadian venues as well as in London, UK and the USA.

He is active in Toronto as a composer, improvisor and presenter of innovative performances combining composed and improvised music, spoken word and visuals.

Upcoming Concerts

Date
September 28, 2025 Sep 28
Art of Improv presents John Gzowski & Julia Alpin
Annette Studios, 566 Annette St, Toronto, M6S 2C2
Note

Art of Improv is very excited to present the well known composer / guitarist John Gzowski and his partner and dancer, Julia Alpin performing improvised music and dance at Annette Studios on Sunday Sept 28th at 8pm.

The opening set will feature cellist Kye Marshall improvising with Eugene Martnec (electroacoustic) and Bill Gilliam (piano).

Art Of Improv
Set 1:Kye Marshall (cello), Eugene Martynec (electroacoustics), Bill Gilliam (piano)
Set 2: John Gzowski (guitar) and Julia Aplin (dance)

Annette Studios
566 Annette St, Toronto, ON M6S 2C2
Sunday, Sept 28th, 8pm
$20 / PWYC

Composer, sound designer, musician and instrument maker John Gzowski worked on over 300 theatre, dance and film productions for which he has done composition, sound design, live foley, live music and as musical director. He has played banjo for opera in Banff, studied Carnatic classical music in India and played oud and guitar in jazz and folk festivals across Canada and Europe. His theatre work has won him 6 Dora’s, from 18 nominations for companies like Stratford, Shaw Festival, Luminato, National Arts Centre, the Mirvishes, MTC, the Arts Club, Canstage, Soulpepper, Dancemakers, Red Sky, Tarragon, Factory Theatre and YPT. Gzowski has played on numerous CD’s, with recent releases with Patricia O'Callghan, Tasa, and Autorickshaw as well as a Juno nomination with Maza Meze. He has run Canada’s first microtonal group, touring Canada playing the works of Harry Partch, composed and performed with several new music groups and worked as co-artistic director of the Music Gallery. 

Julia Aplin has created dances with theatres, rivers, boxing rings, wading pools, cyberspace, neuroscience labs and forests.  Julia works with a wide range of people from elite performers to beginners and has created work with organizations such as Canadian Opera Company, Urbanvessel, Moonhorse Dance Theatre, Dancemakers, Wild Soma, Double Pendulum and The Grove Collective.

Kye Marshall is a professional composer, cellist and nature photographer. She has written for full orchestra and numerous chamber ensembles. Her Dora nominated full length opera Pomegranate was presented by the Canadian Opera Company in June 2023. An eclectic musician, Kye performs jazz, classical and free music with six CD’s to her credit.

www.kyemarshall.com

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Recent PostsFeed

  • Marbyllia – Uncountable Spheres – Media Quotes & Reviews
    March 4, 2024
  • Marbyllia – Margaret Maria & Bill Gilliam release “Uncountable Spheres”
    November 18, 2023
  • “Outside The Maze” – media comments & album reviews 2023
    August 18, 2023
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