American post-classical composer Jim O'Rourke has been a key component in the
increasing overlap of the American and European experimental music avant-garde,
working in everything from jazz and rock to ambient and electro-acoustic and
building many a bridge in between. A Chicago native, his work has found equal
luck with experimental jazz and noise fanatics, chill room denizens, and bedroom
experimentalists, and has had the resultant effect of cross-pollinating many
otherwise isolated compositional communities. Dealing most often with prepared
guitar in improvisational group settings, O'Rourke has also released a fair
bit of material as a soloist, although more often in the electro-acoustic/musique
concrète vein. He's collaborated with such contemporary improv heroes
as Derek Bailey, Henry Kaiser, Eddie Prevost and Keith Rowe (of English improv
group AMM), KK Null, David Jackman (Organum), and early Krautrock experimentalists
Faust. O'Rourke is also engaged in an ongoing exploration of experimental rock
as a member of Gastr del Sol, who've released albums through the Teen Beat and
Table of the Elements labels.
Beginning with guitar at the age of 6, it wasn't until his collegiate career
at DePaul University that O'Rourke's interest in the less obvious possibilities
of the instrument led him through the early catalogs of the post-classical and
electro-acoustic traditions. While at DePaul, O'Rourke completed much of the
work that would constitute his first few releases. He also had the opportunity
to meet up with noted improvisational guitarist Derek Bailey, whose invitation
to O'Rourke to play at the British improv festival Company Week led to further
collaborative projects with Bailey, Henry Kaiser, Eddie Prevost, and David Jackman.
O'Rourke began working with Dan Burke's Illusion of Safety project in the early
'90s, releasing three albums through Staalplaat and Tesco, before moving on
to form experimental "rock" group Gastr Del Sol with David Grubbs.
Although focusing more on collaboration after a string of solo releases in the
early '90s, O'Rourke has shifted back to solo work of late, releasing Terminal
Pharmacy through John Zorn's Tzadik label and completing commissioned pieces
for the Kronos Quartet and the Rova Saxophone Quartet. In 1995, O'Rourke was
invited by German experimental electronic label Mille Plateaux (Oval, Steel,
Microstoria) to conduct an extended remix of their entire back catalog. He also
produced and co-wrote a good portion of innovative German outfit Faust's Table
of the Elements release, Rien. Subsequent releases include 1997's acclaimed
Bad Timing and its equally brilliant follow-up, 1999's Eureka. — Sean
Cooper
