Projections of sound + vision using technology and non-technology to push the limits of universal love wave correspondence.
Bio
Rob Mazurek Biography
Last updated on Jun 17, 2010.
Artistic experience
Rob Mazurek (born Jersey City, NJ 1965) is a sound/vision abstractivist, cornetist, improviser, composer and multi-media artist with a unique style drawing from many facets of contemporary and non-contemporary sound and vision.
A prime mover in the vibrant Chicago sound scene, he is the leader/organizer of the Exploding Star Orchestra, Rob Mazurek's SOUND IS Quintet, The Chicago Underground Collective, Mandarin Movie and Sao Paulo Underground. Mazurek has toured extensively with these ensembles and has established himself as a musician, composer, and recording artist throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Brazil and Japan.
His discography includes recordings on Thrill Jockey, Delmark, Aesthetics, Mego, Family Vineyard, Bottrop-Boy, Submarine records as well as other labels. He has received numerous reviews/features in publications such as: New York Times, The Wire, Rolling Stone, Chicago Tribune, BOMB and others.
His solo projects reflect his experimentation with sound/visiual manipulation and musique concrete with releases on Mego, Moikai, Bottrop-Boy (En/Of), Delmark and Aesthetics. A visual artist as well, he has exhibited his works at Le Consortium (Dijon), Heaven Gallery (Chicago), Naked Duck Gallery (New York), Gantner Multi-Media Center (France) and other locations throughout US and Europe.
He has collaborated and/or recorded with Bill Dixon, Jim O'Rourke, Fred Hopkins, Luc Ferrari, Tigersmilk, Ted Sirota's Rebel Soul Ensemble, Gastr del Sol, Noamnesia, Isotope 217, Active Ingredients, Tortoise, Brokeback, Stereolab, Pan American, Sam Prekop among others.
In March of 2003, Mazurek participated in the SUB/SAS workshop in Palermo, Italy. A workshop exploring the means of a contemporary trend of interdisciplinary relationships between artists, sound artists, landscape designers and architects. Through this group he has exhibited paintings-videos-sound works in Rome, Copenhagen, Brussels, Paris, Palermo, Helsinki, Barcelona and Toronto.
In 2005, Mazurek was awarded the prestigious grant/residency at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud in France where he developed a multi-media piece based on the environment of the Abbaye. The piece (which includes digital manipulation of piano compositions, paintings, digital manipulation of paintings, video and text) was presented in May 2005 as part of the Abbaye's "Creation Week".
On August 11, 2005 Mazurek debuted his new large ensemble, Exploding Star Orchestra, at Millenium Park in Chicago. The group includes some of the most powerful and interesting players in Chicago today.
In 2006, he introduced the Sao Paulo Underground (Aesthetics Records/Submarine Records/Headz Japan), touring worldwide and became a member of Jason Ajemian's new ensemble "Day Dream New Life Styles" featuring Tony Mallaby, Jeff Parker, and Chad Taylor.
January 2007, saw the debut release of his EXPLODING STAR ORCHESTRA "We Are All From Somewhere Else".
In April of 2007 he celebrated the release of a DVD/CD release of the Chicago Underground Trio entitled "Chronicle", which features the film work of Raymond Salvatore Harmon.
In June of 2007, Tigersmilk will release it's third cd "Android Love Cry" with new digital prints by Mazurek.
Currently he is working on new solo cornet/music concrete works based on material from the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud residency, that will be released on Adluna Records fall of 2007 and new sound/visual works that will be featured on the Bottrop-Boy label in winter 2008.
In June 2007, he was invited to the Dieppe Bienale in Normandy France to present new sound and visual works.
On September 2nd 2007, his group Exploding Star Orchestra performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival with the great Bill Dixon, performing a new composition by Bill Dixon and a new composition by Mazurek utilizing his first experiments in the world of video score.
In 2008, Bill Dixon with Exploding Star Orchestra (recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago) was released on Thrill Jockey Records.
In 2010, Chicago Underground Duo released it 5th album, Boca Negra, to much international acclaim. The Duo, part of the larger Chicago Underground Collective, will be touring in the US and Europe this Spring and Fall.
A prime mover in the vibrant Chicago sound scene, he is the leader/organizer of the Exploding Star Orchestra, Rob Mazurek's SOUND IS Quintet, The Chicago Underground Collective, Mandarin Movie and Sao Paulo Underground. Mazurek has toured extensively with these ensembles and has established himself as a musician, composer, and recording artist throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Brazil and Japan.
His discography includes recordings on Thrill Jockey, Delmark, Aesthetics, Mego, Family Vineyard, Bottrop-Boy, Submarine records as well as other labels. He has received numerous reviews/features in publications such as: New York Times, The Wire, Rolling Stone, Chicago Tribune, BOMB and others.
His solo projects reflect his experimentation with sound/visiual manipulation and musique concrete with releases on Mego, Moikai, Bottrop-Boy (En/Of), Delmark and Aesthetics. A visual artist as well, he has exhibited his works at Le Consortium (Dijon), Heaven Gallery (Chicago), Naked Duck Gallery (New York), Gantner Multi-Media Center (France) and other locations throughout US and Europe.
He has collaborated and/or recorded with Bill Dixon, Jim O'Rourke, Fred Hopkins, Luc Ferrari, Tigersmilk, Ted Sirota's Rebel Soul Ensemble, Gastr del Sol, Noamnesia, Isotope 217, Active Ingredients, Tortoise, Brokeback, Stereolab, Pan American, Sam Prekop among others.
In March of 2003, Mazurek participated in the SUB/SAS workshop in Palermo, Italy. A workshop exploring the means of a contemporary trend of interdisciplinary relationships between artists, sound artists, landscape designers and architects. Through this group he has exhibited paintings-videos-sound works in Rome, Copenhagen, Brussels, Paris, Palermo, Helsinki, Barcelona and Toronto.
In 2005, Mazurek was awarded the prestigious grant/residency at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud in France where he developed a multi-media piece based on the environment of the Abbaye. The piece (which includes digital manipulation of piano compositions, paintings, digital manipulation of paintings, video and text) was presented in May 2005 as part of the Abbaye's "Creation Week".
On August 11, 2005 Mazurek debuted his new large ensemble, Exploding Star Orchestra, at Millenium Park in Chicago. The group includes some of the most powerful and interesting players in Chicago today.
In 2006, he introduced the Sao Paulo Underground (Aesthetics Records/Submarine Records/Headz Japan), touring worldwide and became a member of Jason Ajemian's new ensemble "Day Dream New Life Styles" featuring Tony Mallaby, Jeff Parker, and Chad Taylor.
January 2007, saw the debut release of his EXPLODING STAR ORCHESTRA "We Are All From Somewhere Else".
In April of 2007 he celebrated the release of a DVD/CD release of the Chicago Underground Trio entitled "Chronicle", which features the film work of Raymond Salvatore Harmon.
In June of 2007, Tigersmilk will release it's third cd "Android Love Cry" with new digital prints by Mazurek.
Currently he is working on new solo cornet/music concrete works based on material from the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud residency, that will be released on Adluna Records fall of 2007 and new sound/visual works that will be featured on the Bottrop-Boy label in winter 2008.
In June 2007, he was invited to the Dieppe Bienale in Normandy France to present new sound and visual works.
On September 2nd 2007, his group Exploding Star Orchestra performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival with the great Bill Dixon, performing a new composition by Bill Dixon and a new composition by Mazurek utilizing his first experiments in the world of video score.
In 2008, Bill Dixon with Exploding Star Orchestra (recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago) was released on Thrill Jockey Records.
In 2010, Chicago Underground Duo released it 5th album, Boca Negra, to much international acclaim. The Duo, part of the larger Chicago Underground Collective, will be touring in the US and Europe this Spring and Fall.
Collaborations/Multi-media
- SubSas Troll Protocol: Interdiscipinary sound work collaboration with Paris based architects AWP Sound/video/painting exhibitions and performances in Sicily, Brussels, Copenhagen and Rome 2004. Helsinki, Barcelona and Toronto 2005
- "Noamnesia" (Gene Coleman) featuring composition "Electric Eels" for bass clarinet, tuba, cello, percussion, clarinet, contra bass, cornet and computer. premier in Lucerne Switzerland 2004
- "The UnEmbaresesed Mind" - sound for theatre piece by Stefan Mazurek (Chicago) 2004
- Luc Ferrari (Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago) 2002
- "Red Pool". multi-media, sound, dance, video piece featuring dancer choreographer Marianne Kim, drummer Chad Taylor.
- BlueRyder Theatre (Chicago) 1997
- "Sea of Fire" - sound for theatre piece by Kevin McCoy (Chicago)
- "Frank's Corner" - sound for theatre piece by Kevin McCoy (Chicago, Edinburgh) 1992
Exhibitions/Installations
- Le Consortium (Dijon) September-October 2007
- Gantner Center for Multi-Media (France) October 2006
- DANK Museum: Rough Space Gallery (Chicago) May 2006
- Alternate Currents: Empty Bottle (Chicago) August-September 2006
- Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud (France) May 2005
- Troll Protocol (Helsinki, Barcelona, Toronto) 2005
- Heaven Gallery (Chicago) July 2004
- Naked Duck Gallery (New York) Feb-March 2004
- Open-End Gallery (Chicago) March 2004
- Troll Protocol (Paris, Rome, Copenhagen,Brussels) 2004
- Sub/Sas exhibition (Sicily) 2003
- Carrie Secrist Gallery (Chicago) 2002
Grants Received
- La Grande Fabrique (residency throughout 2008) Dieppe France
- Creative Connections Grant for Mandarin Movie performance 2006
- Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud (Le Centre Culturel de L'Ouest) France. Grant-residency for multi-media piece 2004-2005
- Scotish Arts Council grant for composition. 1994
Website by Hylawa.
2006-2010 © Rob Mazurek, all rights reserved.