Charles A. Looker (born May 23, 1980) is an American composer, improviser, vocalist, and guitarist known for his work in experimental metal, contemporary classical, avant-jazz, and Renaissance and Medieval musical forms.
Education and career
Looker is a graduate of Wesleyan University, where he studied with Anthony Braxton and Alvin Lucier.
Alongside his work as a solo artist, Looker also leads an Early/Renaissance-music inspired project, Seaven Teares; performs improvised "death-jazz" with Period, whose rotating cast includes Darius Jones, Chuck Bettis, and Mike Pride; played in Sculptress, a duo with Chuck Stern; and leads the industrial-metal duo Psalm Zero, formerly alongside Castevet's Andrew Hock. He is the songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for avant-rock band Extra Life and a former member and co-founder of avant-garde band Zs. He worked with Dirty Projectors and appears on their record Rise Above. Other collaborators include M Lamar, Mariel Roberts, Ty Braxton, Mary Halvorson, Mick Barr, Tim Berne, Nat Baldwin, Earle Brown, Sam Mickens, Kelly Moran, Dax Riggs, Lingua Ignota, Matthew Welch, Stu Watson, William Parker, and Glenn Branca.
He founded Last Things Records, a label that has released recordings by Extra Life, Larkin Grimm, Parenthetical Girls, Psalm Zero, and Sculptress.
In 2011, Looker was named one of NPR Music's "Top 100 Composers Under 40".
Discography
As leader
Year Artist Title Label2002LavenderGet Your EyeNewsonic2006Extra LifeThree-Song EPFuckingA2008Extra LifeA Split (EP)Shatter Your Leaves2008Extra LifeSecular WorksPlanaria / I & Ear / LOAF2010Extra LifeMade FleshLOAF / Africantape2011Extra LifeRipped Heart (EP)Last Things2012Extra LifeDream SeedsNorthern Spy2013Seaven TearesPower BalladsNorthern Spy2014Psalm ZeroThe DrainProfound Lore2016Psalm ZeroStranger to ViolenceProfound Lore2018Charlie LookerSimple AnswersLast Things2019Nothing Human[Five Bandcamp singles]2020Psalm ZeroSpartaLast Things2020Charlie LookerPleasures Of A Normal ManLast Things2020Seaven TearesOlder Than Love2022Extra LifeSecular Works, Vol. 2Last Things2024Extra LifeThe Sacred VowelLast Things
As co-leader
Year Artist Title Label2000Daniel Carter / Charlie Looker / Greg StareLightAristocracy Communication2003ZsZsTroubleman Unlimited2005ZsBuckFolding Cassettes2005ZsKarate Bump (EP)Planaria2006PERIODPERIODFuckingA2006Seductive SprigsSeductive SprigsFuckingA2007ZsArmsPlanaria2008ZsThe Hard (EP)Three One G2011SculptressCuckoldLast Things2012ZsThe Complete Sextet Works 2002-2007Northern Spy2014PERIODPERIOD 2Public Eyesore2021Jeremiah Cymerman / Charlie LookerA Horizon Made of CanvasAstral Spirits
As sideperson
Year Artist Title Label2002Alvin LucierVespers and Other Early WorksNew World Records2002Matthew WelchCeol NuaLeo Records2005Mike PrideScramblerNot Two Records2006Earle BrownFolio and Four SystemsTzadik2007Dirty ProjectorsRise AboveDead Oceans2016Tredici BacciAmore Per TuttiNNA2017M LamarSurveillance Punishment and the Black PsycheNegrogothic2021Xiu XiuOH NOPolyvinyl2023Xiu XiuIgnore GriefPolyvinyl
References
External links Charlie Looker Bandcamp AllMusic.com credits