Composer & multi-instrumentalist
Biography:
Elliott Sharp (born March 1, 1951 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who is part of New York's experimental avant-garde scene.
Sharp had piano lessons from the age of 6 and played the clarinet in the school orchestra from the age of 8. From 1969 to 1971 he studied physics, composition, ethnomusicology and improvisation at Cornell University, then at Bard College (BA 1973) and at the University of Buffalo (MA 1977) with Morton Feldman and Roswell Rudd, among others. In addition, Sharp, who switched to the guitar as his main instrument in 1968, performed with psychedelic bands, but also with avant-garde jazz groups and with classical concert ensembles. In 1978 he moved to New York where he played with Bobby Previte, Charles Noyes and Guy Klucevsek and founded the record label zOaR music. Projects with Bill Laswell, Eugene Chadborne, John Zorn, Anthony Coleman, Samm Bennett, Mike Watt and David Linton followed. He formed his band Orchestra Carbon in 1983 and has played with Zeena Parkins, Eric Mingus, Vernon Reid, Joey Baron and David Torn.
He was also involved in recordings by Ned Rothenberg, Wayne Horvitz and Jim Staley. Sharp has developed his own instruments and written "energetic" compositions for the Soldier String Quartet, the American Composers' Orchestra and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, whereby his tendency to organize musical progressions algorithmically becomes clear. He has also composed theater, ballet and film music. Sharp's music is located between the genres and cannot be characterized as rock, jazz or new music.
Sharp lives in lower Manhattan with designer and video artist Janene Higgins and their two children.
Albums:
Spectropia Suite – Original Soundtrack to the film “Spectropia”:
Donaueschinger Music Days 2007 – NOWJazz – War Zones:
Orchestra Carbon – RHEO~UMBRA:
Spring & Neap – RE:ITERATIONS:
