Marc Ribot

Since making his first records as a leader in the early 1990s, Marc Ribot has maintained his status as one of the most versatile figures in experimental music, moving easily among the worlds of rock, jazz, and improvised music. His range is even more impressive, as his raunchy, grimy tone is almost instantly recognizable within any context. Ribot was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1954. He initially found success as a sideman who could stop listeners in their tracks while playing behind artists as diverse as Tom Waits, Wilson Pickett, and John Zorn. That early eclecticism has only blossomed over time, and his work has ricocheted among various approaches, including his acclaimed Los Cubanos Postizos (a group offering jacked-up interpretations of music by Cuban son pioneer Arsenio Rodriguez), solo and band projects celebrating the music of free jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler, and interpretations of Haitian American classical composer Frantz Casseus, one of his early mentors. He also leads the Young Philadelphians, a group surveying the 1970s catalog of Philadelphia International Records, and the post-punk trio Ceramic Dog with drummer Ches Smith and bassist Shahzad Ismaily. Beyond his musical pursuits, Ribot has also worked as an activist and organizer to help musicians achieve greater financial stability.