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Elliott Sharp
A key figure in the avant-garde and experimental music scene in New York City for over thirty years, Sharp has released over sixty-five recordings ranging from blues, jazz, and orchestral music to noise, no wave rock, and techno music. He pioneered ways of applying fractal geometry, chaos theory, and genetic metaphors to musical composition and interaction, as well as the use of computers in live improvisation with his Virtual Stance project of the 1980s. He is an inveterate performer, playing mainly guitar, saxophone and bass clarinet. Sharp has led many ensembles over the years, including the blues-oriented Terraplane and Orchestra Carbon.
Sharp describes himself as a lifelong "science geek,"[1] having modified and created musical instruments from his teen years.
Sharp attended Cornell University from 1969 to 1971, studying anthropology, music, and electronics. He completed his B.A. degree at Bard College in 1973, where he studied composition with Benjamin Boretz and Elie Yarden; jazz composition, improvisation, and ethnomusicology with trombonist Roswell Rudd; and physics and electronics with Burton Brody. In 1977 he received an M.A. from the University at Buffalo, where he studied composition with Morton Feldman and Lejaren Hiller, and ethnomusicology with Charles Keil.
From the late '70s, Sharp established himself in New York's music scene. His compositions have been performed by the Symphony of the Hessischer Rundfunk, the Ensemble Modern, Continuum, the Orchestra of the SEM Ensemble, Kronos Quartet, Zeitkratzer, the Soldier String Quartet, and the Quintet of the Americas. He releases music under his own label (zOaR music) as well as punk label SST and downtown music labels such as Knitting Factory records and John Zorn's Tzadik label. Guitar Player magazine's 30th anniversary issue included Sharp among their list of "The Dirty Thirty - Pioneers and Trailblazers".
He has collaborated regularly with many people, including Christian Marclay, Eric Mingus, Zeena Parkins, Vernon Reid, Bobby Previte, Joey Baron, David Torn, Nels Cline, and Frances-Marie Uitti, as well as qawaali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, blues legend Hubert Sumlin, and Bachir Attar, leader of the Master Musicians of Jajouka. He also curates the State of the Union compilations of one-minute tracks by experimental musicians, and produces records for numerous artists.
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Ivo Perelman: Artificial Intelligence
by Jeff Schwartz
Do not be misled by the title: no bots or algorithms were involved in creating this album. While there have been fascinating experiments in improvisation with interactive software by George Lewis, Richard Teitelbaum and others, Artificial Intelligence is just under an hour of spontaneous human interaction by two of the most prolific and uncategorizable improvisers in New York. This is a studio recording of free improvisation, from January 2022. There are no compositions, and if there are ...
read moreIvo Perelman and Elliott Sharp: Artificial Intelligence
by Hrayr Attarian
Saxophonist Ivo Perelman has mastered the art of duets. In addition to multiple collaborations with pianist Matthew Shipp, in the third decade of the 21st century he released two box-sets of one-on-one recordings, the first with pianists and the second with other woodwind players. On Artificial Intelligence he is paired with composer and guitarist Elliott Sharp for an entirely improvised four-part set of provocative music. The versatile Sharp, an experimenter par excellence, is immediately in sync with Perelman ...
read moreAndrew Cyrille, Elliot Sharp, Richard Teitelbaum: Evocation
by Howard Mandel
Evocation is what all writing about music must be about and may be the mission of music itself. To create an impression, to summon a memory or tender a suggestion of presence using materials that are not substantially those of the endeavor's subject--isn't that the fundamental purpose of any art? Not to be pretentious or obscure the thing itself: It must be said that master drummer Andrew Cyrille, guitarist-reedist Elliott Sharp and Richard Teitelbaum, the pioneering electronic music ...
read moreWayne Horvitz: Live Forever Vol. 1: The President - New York in the '80s
by Vic Albani
«Numero 1 della Live Forever Series: una collezione di spettacoli dal vivo curata da Wayne Horvitz e Toby Dodds. Il volume 1 contiene un imperversante set dal vivo al CBGBs nel 1987, con un “who's who" della scena downtown NY degli anni '80. Altre tracce includono quattro demo, materiale mai pubblicato dalle sessioni al Power Station per l'album Bring Yr Camera, precedenti demo in studio del 1984, e materiale da due spettacoli dal vivo, sempre al CBGBs, nel ...
read moreSaadet Türköz, Elliott Sharp: Kumuska
by Angelo Leonardi
La relazione musicale tra la cantante turco-kazaka e il chitarrista statunitense, iniziata un ventennio fa nel quintetto che registrò Marmara Sea (Intakt 1999) ritorna con una collaborazione a due, non meno singolare e affascinante della precedente. L'universo vocale di Saadet, carico di suoni ancestrali e profonde connessioni col folklore dell'Asia centrale, trova in Sharp il partner ideale per un'indagine che è al tempo stesso arcaica e contemporanea. A differenza del disco precedente qui domina un clima più intenso, caratterizzato da ...
read moreElliott Sharp: Syzygy
by Don Phipps
Immaculately recorded by Italian label Dodicilune, Elliott Sharp's Syzygy continues Sharp's explorations of spontaneous and improvisatory sound. He and his collaborators offer up studio versions of Syzygy on the first disc and live versions of the material on disc two. As much modern classical as abstract jazz, it is the musical textures and abstractions that give the album its dream-like eeriness. The instrumentation offers a twist as well—eschewing drums, Sharp populates his music with computer devices, “objects," and ...
read moreElliott Sharp: Chansons Du Crepuscule
by Don Phipps
In Chansons Du Crepuscule, the French multi-genre vocalist, harpist, composer and improvisor Helene Breschand hooks up with the multi-genre New York guitarist Elliott Sharp to yield spell-binding music of the first order. This fascinating collaboration crosses musical genres as easily as a nuthatch jumps from a birch tree to a cedar and then to a hickory. But since jazz has elements of all music embedded within its frame work, it's not a significant leap to suggest that Chansons Du Crepuscule ...
read moreGuitar Virtuosos Daniel Reyes Llinás, Harvey Valdes, Elliott Sharp Release New Collaborative Album 'String Schemas' Now Available on 7D Media
Source:
Glass Onyon PR - William James
“In April 2022, I was about to perform in Brooklyn for the first time since the pandemic. Offering a solo set didn't excite me much, so I invited my avant-garde jazz-wizard friend, Harvey Valdes, who had just released his superb recording of Bach’s lute works on the electric guitar. To complete the trifecta, I reached out to downtown legend, experimental guitarist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Elliott Sharp, whom I have been a fan of for many years and recently reconnected with. ...
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Elysium Furnace Works Kicks Off 2023 Season With Elliott Sharp & Donald Sturge Anthony McKenzie—Saturday, March 25 In Poughkeepsie, NY
Source:
James Keepnews
"One of the godfathers of the Downtown New York music scene, guitarist-composer Elliott Sharp has been conceiving experimental works for a variety of small and large ensembles over the past 40 years... he remains as restlessly creative as ever, continuing to churn out provocative new projects with remarkable regularity." —Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes “Don McKenzie is a powerhouse and a master of deep-pocket hip hop, funk, jazz and rock” —Vernon Reid, Guitarist Elysium Furnace Works is excited to announce the initial ...
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Elliott Sharp and Scott Fields - Afiadacampos (Neos, 2010) ****
Source:
Free Jazz by Stef Gijssels
By Paul Acquaro According to Scott Fields' website, this recording with Elliot Sharp, Afiadacampos, came out in 2010, which on the cusp of 2012, makes me a little more than fashionably late. Apologies for my tardiness, however, I am pleased to report the music has not aged a bit. I think the first thing that stuck out to me on this recording is just how nicely recorded the steel string acoustic guitars sound. Since they are rather indistinguishable sonically, the ...
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Elliott Sharp Honored at ISSUE Project Room Benefit Concert 3/4
Source:
AMT Public Relations
ISSUE Project Room Proudly Presents E#@60: A Benefit Concert Honoring Elliott Sharp's 60th Birthday A One-Night Celebration Featuring Internationally Renowned Artists and World Premiere Performances Hosted by Jo Andres and Steve Buscemi with performances by Elliott Sharp, JACK Quartet, Sirius Quartet, Jack Womack, and Tracie Morris Brooklyn, NY—Known as “Brooklyn's leading avant-garde venue," (Wall Street Journal) ISSUE Project Room presents a spectacular music- and star-filled evening on Friday, March 4th, honoring the 60th birthday of the prolific composer, innovator, and ...
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New Under Your Skin Videos: Anthony Coleman & Elliott Sharp Interviews
Source:
All About Jazz
Elliott Sharp's Terraplane Wed., Nov. 28th Sets at 8:30 & 10:30PM at the Iridium Jazz Club
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121 Sets At 8:30 & 10:30PM Les Paul Sets Remain at 8:00 & 10:00PM Effective immediately, minimums are $10/person/set for all show except Les Paul- $15 mins.
Nov. 28 ELLIOT SHARP'S TERRAPLANE Elliott Sharp- guitar, steel guitar, saxophones Curtis Fowlkes- trombone David Hofstra- bass
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Channel Classics to Release Meridian Art Ensemble's "Brink" CD Featuring Works by Elliott Sharp, David Sanford & Nick Didkovsky
Source:
All About Jazz
Noted for its arrangements and recordings (with the composer's approval) of Frank Zappa's material, the Meridian Arts Ensemble approaches its eighth CD Brink (Channel Classics) with commissioned concert-length works from cutting edge composers Elliott Sharp, David Sanford and Nick Didkovsky.
The Meridian Arts Ensemble notes, “whereas we arranged rock or jazz tunes on previous recordings, this time we went directly to the composers who create this kind of music for complete pieces, rather than short tunes. These pieces draw on ...
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John Zorn & Elliott Sharp Duo At The Bowery Poetry Club Friday Dec. 2nd 10PM - 12 Midnite
Source:
All About Jazz
November 30, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES ********************************** FRIDAY DECEMBER 2nd, 10PM - 12 MIDNITE BOWERY POETRY CLUB 308 Bowery [between Bleecker & Houston] JOHN ZORN & ELLIOTT SHARP Duo!!! at 10 PM 'sharp' It's been a long while since the Twin Titans of NY's Downtown Scene have dueted! and... THE SCORCH TRIO!!! [RAOUL BJORKENHEIM/ INGEBRIGT HAKER FLATEN/ PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE] at 10:45 PM sharp This is the first U.S. performance of the amazing free-metal-jazz SCORCH TRIO, whose two ...
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Vision Club Saturday, January 29 Butch Morris conducts Elliott Sharp's CARBON Sets at 7:30pm & 9pm
Source:
All About Jazz
A R T S F O R A R T 508 East 6th Street #3, NYC 10009 January 11, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: The Vision Festival / www.visionfestival.org PRESS Contact: Jim Eigo [email protected] / 845.986.1677 Saturday, January 29, 2005 VISION CLUB At Clemente Soto Velez LES Gallery 107 Suffolk St. at Rivington Butch Morris conducts Elliott Sharp's CARBON Butch Morris “Most impressive, and most valuable was Morris' ability to unite his players into a vibrant community that while being unlike ...
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Payton MacDonald
vibraphonePhotos
Music
Twenty Dollar Bill
From: Twenty Dollar BillBy Elliott Sharp
Kenosis
From: String SchemasBy Elliott Sharp
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Elliott Sharp
Instrument: Guitar, electric
Born: March 1, 1951
