Yezda Urfa


Yezda Urfa was an American progressive rock band founded in the fall of 1973. The band recorded two albums before breaking up in the spring of 1981. The band's music is currently distributed by Syn-Phonic.

The name

The name Yezda Urfa comes from Yazd, Iran and Urfa, Turkey. The band came across these names while leafing through the dictionary, looking for a band name. Yazd was changed to Yezda to ease pronunciation. In the Russian language "yezda" is a noun meaning a "ride" or "drive", however this is apparently incidental.

The sound

Described as a blend of Yes and Gentle Giant, Yezda Urfa was known for playing high-energy progressive rock. Break-neck tempos, changing time signatures, and diverse instrumentation were hallmarks of their sound.

Members

The original members:
  • Rick Rodenbaugh – vocals
  • Phil Kimbrough – keyboards, mandolin, wind, vocals
  • Mark Tippins – guitar, vocals
  • Marc Miller – bass, cello, marimba, vibes, vocals
  • Brad Christoff – drums, percussion
Members during the live concert:
  • Ronnie Platt — vocals
  • Michael Barry — keyboards
  • Mark Tippins — guitar, vocals
  • Marc Miller — bass, vocals
  • Brad Christoff — drums, percussion

    Discography

  • Boris - Demo album 1975
  • Sacred Baboon
  • YEZDAURFALIVE - NEARfest 2004 CD and MP3 release recorded live at NEARfest 2004