Slowmotionary Ethan Gruska

A solo artist as well as half of indie pop duo the Belle Brigade, Ethan Gruska is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. From an extended family of professional musicians, Ethan's father is Emmy-nominated TV/film composer and songwriter Jay Gruska, and his grandfather is Oscar-winning composer John Williams. Other professional musicians from the family include but are not limited to drummer Johnny Williams of Raymond Scott Quintette and Joseph Williams of Toto. His older sister, Barbara Gruska, has played drums for the likes of Jenny Lewis and HONEYHONEY, and is the other half of the Belle Brigade, contributing drums, vocals, and guitar. The duo's self-titled debut was co-produced by Matthew Wilder and released by Reprise in 2011. They followed it with Just Because on ATO in 2014. To support the album, the Belle Brigade opened for Ray LaMontagne on his North American Supernova tour, doubling as members of his backing band.

In 2016, a song Gruska co-wrote with Blake Mills and John Stephens for John Legend, "Right by You," appeared on Legend's album DARKNESS AND LIGHT. A year later, Mills would appear on Gruska's solo debut album alongside guests Rob Moose, Gabe Noel, and Barbara Gruska. With production by Tony Berg (Aimee Mann, Andrew Bird), Slowmotionary carried a strong singer/songwriter voice in the tradition of influences like Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell. It arrived via Sire in March 2017. ~ Marcy Donelson