Squidco: Dystil (Qu / Mayes / Ballyk): Dystil

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Artist Title Label

Dystil (Qu / Mayes / Ballyk)

Dystil

(Clean Feed

- Portugal)

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For their first album together the trio of Bryan Qu on alto saxophone & objects, Quincy Mayes on piano & objects, and Mark Ballyk on percussion, voice & objects, resolved to live together for three months, achieving through intense effort the synthesis of different approaches to improvisation to create this large and encompassing "imaginary film".

Price: $13.95

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Product Information:

Personnel:

Bryan Qu-alto saxophone, objects

Quincy Mayes-piano, objects

Mark Ballyk-percussion, voice, objects

Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.

UPC: 5609063004861

Label: Clean Feed
Catalog ID: CF486
Squidco Product Code: 26173

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2018
Country: Portugal
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at Dystillation Studios, during June and July 2017, by Dystil.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"The melting pot we call New York is very much alive, and one proof is this band coming from a new generation of musicians living in the Big Apple. New and with a militant attitude, committed to build what Bryan Qu, Quincy Mayes and Mark Ballyk point as a "progressive future".

Following a DIY philosophy, with complete control of the composition, performance, recording and production process of their music, the trio Dystil propose their debut CD as an "imaginary film", with the purpose to turn their dreams into realities.

The three musicians never played together before this work, and when they decided to do it the proceedings were radical: they lived together for three months to achieve their musical goals. There was only one rule: to synthesize the different approaches without compromise.

You may not yet know any of them, but they are globally active and building platforms in New York, China, Canada, and Europe. The road is open."-Clean Feed

Artist Biographies

• Show Bio for Bryan Qu

"Bryan Qu [曲知白] works in sound and performance to explore improvisation, conjunction, and identity with a focus on relational spectatorship.

Education:
BFA, Saxophone Performance - New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, New York
Jazz Studies - University of Toronto, Canada

Additional Studies:
Banff Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music - Alberta, Canada

Selected Performances:
Bryan Qu Large Ensemble, Tranzac (Toronto) - August 2016
Tyshawn Sorey Conduction Emnsemble, The Stone (NYC) - July 2016
Diametric, ShapeShifter Lab (NYC) - March 2016
Tyshawn Sorey Conduction Ensemble, Met Breuer (NYC) - March 2016
Hocevar / Lopez / Tevis / Qu, Spectrum (NYC) - February 2016
Dre Hocevar Large Ensemble, ShapeShifter Lab (NYC) - January 2016
Bryan Qu Quartet feat. Dre Hocevar, East Shore Jazz Club (Beijing) - October 2015
Bryan Qu Quartet, Bern International Jazz Festival (Switzerland) - May 2015
Asymptote, Canada Tour - March 2015

Awards, Grants, & Scholarships:

New School
Beacon's Legacy Scholarship
Excel Scholarship Fund

University of Toronto
Music Alumni Scholarship
Jazz.FM91 Scholarship
Paul Read Scholarship
Moe Koffman Memorial Jazz Scholarship

Canada Council for the Arts
Grants to Professional Musicians

Ottawa International Jazz Festival
Galaxie Rising Star Award

Teachers:
Joe Morris, Sam Pluta, Ellery Eskelin, Peter Evans, Ryan Muncy, Oliver Lake, Reggie Workman, Jacob Sacks, Matt Wilson, Andrew Cyrille, Mike Murley, Alex Dean, Charles Stolte"

-Bryan Qu Website (http://bryanqu.com/bio/)
12/15/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

^ Hide Bio for Bryan Qu

• Show Bio for Quincy Mayes

Pianist Quincy Mayes is a pianist who is a member of the New York City based group Dystil.

-Squidco 12/15/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

^ Hide Bio for Quincy Mayes

• Show Bio for Mark Ballyk

Mark Ballyk is a Canadian drummer, known for the groups Laura Swankey Quartet, Denison / Ballyk / Davis, and Dystil.

-Squidco 12/15/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

^ Hide Bio for Mark Ballyk

Track Listing:

1. Imaginary Film 2:00

2. One in the Age of None 2:38

3. Ink Pots 2:53

4. Obligatory Post-Neverdom 1:39

5. 2017s Containers 2:19

6. dreamingmatrices 5:13

7. Hollowed Hope 0:43

8. Surge Toward Untruths 3:54

9. Afterward's Horizon (If It Ever Comes) 3:02

10. Exhale_Softseq 1:52

11. Warm Grey Meadow 3:15

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