Charlie Looker

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Charlie Looker

| image = Charlie Looker Ensemble 2017.jpg

| image_size =

| landscape = yes

| alt =

| caption = The Charlie Looker Ensemble performing at Knockdown Center in Queens, 2017

| birth_name = Charles Andrew Looker

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|5|23}}

| birth_place = New York City

| origin =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| genre =

| occupation =

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|keyboards}}

| years_active =

| label = {{hlist|Northern Spy|Profound Lore|Last Things|Astral Spirits}}

|current_member_of = Extra Life

|past_member_of = Zs, Psalm Zero, Dirty Projectors

| associated_acts = Extra Life, Zs, Dirty Projectors

| website = {{URL|charlielooker.com}}

}}

Charles A. Looker{{Cite web |title=BIO / DISCOGRAPHY |url=https://www.charlielooker.com/bio-discography |access-date=September 27, 2023 |publisher=Charlie Looker}} (born May 23, 1980) is an American composer, improviser, vocalist, and guitarist known for his work in experimental metal,{{cite web |last1=O'Connor |first1=Andy |title=Charlie Looker: Simple Answers |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/charlie-looker-simple-answers/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=26 June 2018}} contemporary classical,{{cite web |last1=Walls |first1=Seth Colter |title=Oh! Oh! Ojai: The Week in Classical Music |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/arts/music/oh-oh-ojai-the-week-in-classical-music.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=15 June 2018}} avant-jazz, and Renaissance and Medieval musical forms.{{cite web |last1=Sharp |first1=Elliott |title=Exit Interview: Charlie Looker on the Life and Death of Extra Life |url=https://vvstaging.villagevoice.com/2013/01/18/exit-interview-charlie-looker-on-the-life-and-death-of-extra-life/ |website=The Village Voice |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=18 January 2013}}

Education and career

Looker is a graduate of Wesleyan University, where he studied with Anthony Braxton and Alvin Lucier.{{cite web |last1=Margasak |first1=Peter |title=Tirra Lirra, Extra Life, Cool Memories |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/tirra-lirra-extra-life-cool-memories/Event?oid=1485029 |website=The Chicago Reader |date=23 September 2009 |access-date=10 February 2021}}

Alongside his work as a solo artist, Looker also leads an Early/Renaissance-music inspired project, Seaven Teares;{{cite web |last1=Gompers |first1=Sjimon |title=Stream: Seaven Teares, Power Ballads |url=https://imposemagazine.com/bytes/new-music/stream-seaven-teares-power-ballads |website=IMPOSE Magazine |access-date=10 February 2021}} performs improvised "death-jazz" with Period, whose rotating cast includes Darius Jones, Chuck Bettis, and Mike Pride;{{cite web |last1=Cohan |first1=Brad |title=Zevious |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2014/08/20/zevious/ |website=The Village Voice |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=20 August 2014}} played in Sculptress, a duo with Chuck Stern;{{cite web |last1=Weingarten |first1=Christopher |title=Download: Tracks By Charlie Looker's Extra Life And Sculptress |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/download-tracks-by-charlie-lookers-extra-life-and-sculptress/ |website=The Village Voice |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=21 June 2011}} and leads the industrial-metal duo Psalm Zero, formerly alongside Castevet's Andrew Hock.{{cite web |last1=O'Connor |first1=Andy |title=Review: Psalm Zero Put the Power in Corruption and Lies on 'Stranger to Violence' |url=https://www.spin.com/2016/07/review-psalm-zero-stranger-to-violence/ |website=SPIN |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=22 July 2016}} He is the songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for avant-rock band Extra Life{{cite web |last1=Cohan |first1=Brad |title=Q&A: Extra Life's Charlie Looker On Dream Seeds, Being A Music Schoolteacher And Thinking Antony Is Awesome |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/05/04/qa-extra-lifes-charlie-looker-on-dream-seeds-being-a-music-schoolteacher-and-thinking-antony-is-awesome/ |website=The Village Voice |access-date=9 February 2021 |date=4 May 2012}} and a former member and co-founder of avant-garde band Zs.{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Mike |title=Zs: Music of the Modern White |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13128-music-of-the-modern-white/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=29 June 2009}} He worked with Dirty Projectors and appears on their record Rise Above.{{cite web |last1=Carlson |first1=Jen |title=Charlie Looker, Extra Life |url=https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/charlie-looker-extra-life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201063837/https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/charlie-looker-extra-life |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |website=Gothamist |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=22 October 2008 }} Other collaborators include M Lamar,{{cite web |title=Listen: M. Lamar, Charlie Looker & Mivos Quartet |url=https://www.newsounds.org/story/listen-m-lamar-charlie-looker-mivos-quartet/ |website=New Sounds |publisher=New York Public Radio |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=28 April 2016}}

Mariel Roberts, Ty Braxton,{{cite web |title=Charlie Looker (Seaven Teares, Psalm Zero, ZS) begins residency at NY's The Stone this month, premieres Twin Peaks cover song |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/news/charlie-looker-begins-residency-at-the-stone-premieres-twin-peaks-cover-song |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=6 January 2015}} Mary Halvorson, Mick Barr, Tim Berne, Nat Baldwin,{{cite web |title=Extra Life: "I'm really into a certain amount of artifice in music." |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/extra-life |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=5 May 2009}} Earle Brown, Sam Mickens, Kelly Moran, Dax Riggs, Lingua Ignota,{{cite web |last1=Collo-Julin |first1=Salem |title=Sparta marks a new beginning for NYC's Psalm Zero |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/sparta-marks-a-new-beginning-for-nycs-psalm-zero/Content?oid=77969054 |website=The Chicago Reader |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=21 February 2020}} Matthew Welch,{{cite web |title=Matthew Welch: Ceol Nua |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ceol-nua-mw0000221260/credits |website=AllMusic.com |access-date=10 February 2021}} Stu Watson, William Parker,{{cite web |last1=Puccio |first1=Michael |title=Mike Pride: Scrambler / Bartlomiej Brat Oles: Free Drum Suite |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mike-pride-scrambler-bartlomiej-brat-oles-free-drum-suite-by-michael-puccio.php |website=All About Jazz |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=22 January 2006}} 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".{{cite web |title=The Mix: 100 Composers Under 40 |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/04/23/135473622/the-mix-100-composers-under-40 |website=NPR |access-date=10 February 2021 |date=17 April 2011}}

Discography

=As leader=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year	Artist	Title	Label
2002 \|Lavender \|Get Your Eye{{cite web \|last1=Kendrick \|first1=Monica \|title=Spot Check \|url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/spot-check/Content?oid=909353 \|website=The Chicago Reader \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=8 August 2002}} \|Newsonic
2006 \|Extra Life \|Three-Song EP \|FuckingA
2008 \|Extra Life \|A Split (EP) \|Shatter Your Leaves
2008 \|Extra Life \|Secular Works{{cite web \|last1=Roesgen \|first1=Jeff \|title=Extra Life: Secular Works \|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/extra-life-secular-works \|website=Tiny Mix Tapes \|access-date=10 May 2021}} \|Planaria / I & Ear / LOAF
2010 \|Extra Life \|Made Flesh{{cite web \|last1=Galil \|first1=Leor \|title=Reviewed: Extra Life's Made Flesh \|url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/433975/reviewed-extra-lifes-made-flesh/ \|website=Washington City Paper \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=25 March 2010}} \|LOAF / Africantape
2011 \|Extra Life \|Ripped Heart (EP){{cite web \|last1=Louche \|first1=Liz \|title=Former Zs member releases Ripped Heart EP with his new(ish) band Extra Life \|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/news/former-zs-member-releases-ripped-heart-ep-his-newish-band-extra-life \|website=Tiny Mix Tapes \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=22 February 2011}} \|Last Things
2012 \|Extra Life \|Dream Seeds{{cite web \|last1=Cohan \|first1=Brad \|title=Q&A: Extra Life's Charlie Looker On Dream Seeds, Being A Music Schoolteacher And Thinking Antony Is Awesome \|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/05/04/qa-extra-lifes-charlie-looker-on-dream-seeds-being-a-music-schoolteacher-and-thinking-antony-is-awesome/ \|website=The Village Voice \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=4 May 2012}} \|Northern Spy
2013 \|Seaven Teares \|Power Ballads{{cite web \|last1=Roesgen \|first1=Jeff \|title=Seaven Teares Power Ballads \|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/seaven-teares-power-ballads \|website=Tiny Mix Tapes \|access-date=10 May 2021}} \|Northern Spy
2014 \|Psalm Zero \|The Drain{{cite web \|last1=Currin \|first1=Grayson Haver \|title=Psalm Zero: The Drain \|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19070-psalm-zero-the-drain/ \|website=Pitchfork \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=18 March 2014}} \|Profound Lore
2016 \|Psalm Zero \|Stranger to Violence{{cite web \|last1=Reyes-Kulkarni \|first1=Saby \|title=Psalm Zero: Stranger to Violence \|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22133-stranger-to-violence/ \|website=Pitchfork \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=30 July 2016}} \|Profound Lore
2018 \|Charlie Looker \|Simple Answers \|Last Things
2020 \|Psalm Zero \|Sparta \|Last Things
2020 \|Charlie Looker \|Pleasures Of A Normal Man \|Last Things
2020 \|Seaven Teares \|Older Than Love \|
2022 \|Extra Life \|Secular Works, Vol. 2{{cite web \|last1=Hudson \|first1=Nick \|title=Extra Life – Secular Works, Vol. 2 \|url=https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2022/09/05/extra-life-secular-works-vol-2/ \|website=Toilet ov Hell \|access-date=25 May 2023 \|date=5 September 2022}} \|Last Things
2024 \|Extra Life \|The Sacred Vowel{{cite web \|title=Nine Songs I Liked This Week in List Form \|url=https://machinemusic.net/2024/03/30/nine-songs-i-liked-this-week-in-list-form-mar-24-mar-30/ \|website=Machine Music \|access-date=31 March 2024 \|date=30 March 2024}} \|Last Things

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

Artist

Title

Label

2002

|Lavender

|Get Your Eye{{cite web |last1=Kendrick |first1=Monica |title=Spot Check |url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/spot-check/Content?oid=909353 |website=The Chicago Reader |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=8 August 2002}}

|Newsonic

2006

|Extra Life

|Three-Song EP

|FuckingA

2008

|Extra Life

|A Split (EP)

|Shatter Your Leaves

2008

|Extra Life

|Secular Works{{cite web |last1=Roesgen |first1=Jeff |title=Extra Life: Secular Works |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/extra-life-secular-works |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 May 2021}}

|Planaria / I & Ear / LOAF

2010

|Extra Life

|Made Flesh{{cite web |last1=Galil |first1=Leor |title=Reviewed: Extra Life's Made Flesh |url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/433975/reviewed-extra-lifes-made-flesh/ |website=Washington City Paper |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=25 March 2010}}

|LOAF / Africantape

2011

|Extra Life

|Ripped Heart (EP){{cite web |last1=Louche |first1=Liz |title=Former Zs member releases Ripped Heart EP with his new(ish) band Extra Life |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/news/former-zs-member-releases-ripped-heart-ep-his-newish-band-extra-life |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=22 February 2011}}

|Last Things

2012

|Extra Life

|Dream Seeds{{cite web |last1=Cohan |first1=Brad |title=Q&A: Extra Life's Charlie Looker On Dream Seeds, Being A Music Schoolteacher And Thinking Antony Is Awesome |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/05/04/qa-extra-lifes-charlie-looker-on-dream-seeds-being-a-music-schoolteacher-and-thinking-antony-is-awesome/ |website=The Village Voice |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=4 May 2012}}

|Northern Spy

2013

|Seaven Teares

|Power Ballads{{cite web |last1=Roesgen |first1=Jeff |title=Seaven Teares Power Ballads |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/seaven-teares-power-ballads |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |access-date=10 May 2021}}

|Northern Spy

2014

|Psalm Zero

|The Drain{{cite web |last1=Currin |first1=Grayson Haver |title=Psalm Zero: The Drain |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19070-psalm-zero-the-drain/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=18 March 2014}}

|Profound Lore

2016

|Psalm Zero

|Stranger to Violence{{cite web |last1=Reyes-Kulkarni |first1=Saby |title=Psalm Zero: Stranger to Violence |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22133-stranger-to-violence/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=30 July 2016}}

|Profound Lore

2018

|Charlie Looker

|Simple Answers

|Last Things

2020

|Psalm Zero

|Sparta

|Last Things

2020

|Charlie Looker

|Pleasures Of A Normal Man

|Last Things

2020

|Seaven Teares

|Older Than Love

2022

|Extra Life

|Secular Works, Vol. 2{{cite web |last1=Hudson |first1=Nick |title=Extra Life – Secular Works, Vol. 2 |url=https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2022/09/05/extra-life-secular-works-vol-2/ |website=Toilet ov Hell |access-date=25 May 2023 |date=5 September 2022}}

|Last Things

2024

|Extra Life

|The Sacred Vowel{{cite web |title=Nine Songs I Liked This Week in List Form |url=https://machinemusic.net/2024/03/30/nine-songs-i-liked-this-week-in-list-form-mar-24-mar-30/ |website=Machine Music |access-date=31 March 2024 |date=30 March 2024}}

|Last Things

= As co-leader=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year	Artist	Title	Label
2000 \|Daniel Carter / Charlie Looker / Greg Stare \|Light \|Aristocracy Communication
2003 \|Zs \|Zs \|Troubleman Unlimited
2005 \|Zs \|Buck{{cite web \|last1=Allen \|first1=Clifford \|title=2002-2007: Zs Score: The Complete Sextet Works 2002-2007 \|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/delorean/zs-score-the-complete-sextet-works-2002-2007 \|website=Tiny Mix Tapes \|date=4 January 2013}} \|Folding Cassettes
2005 \|Zs \|Karate Bump (EP) \|Planaria
2006 \|PERIOD \|PERIOD \|FuckingA
2006 \|Seductive Sprigs \|Seductive Sprigs{{cite web \|title=Seductive Sprigs \|url=https://www.wnyc.org/story/61955-seductive-sprigs/ \|website=WNYC \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=11 June 2006}} \|FuckingA
2007 \|Zs \|Arms{{cite web \|last1=Mackey \|first1=Robbie \|title=Zs: Arms \|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11063-arms/ \|website=Pitchfork \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=25 January 2008}} \|Planaria
2008 \|Zs \|The Hard (EP) \|Three One G
2011 \|Sculptress \|Cuckold \|Last Things
2012 \|Zs \|The Complete Sextet Works 2002-2007 \|Northern Spy
2014 \|PERIOD \|PERIOD 2{{cite web \|last1=Eidenberger \|first1=Julian \|title=Period – 2 (Public Eyesore, 2014) ***½ \|url=https://www.freejazzblog.org/2014/09/period-2-public-eyesore-2014.html?m=1 \|website=The Free Jazz Collective \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=17 September 2014}} \|Public Eyesore
2021 \|Jeremiah Cymerman / Charlie Looker \|A Horizon Made of Canvas{{cite web \|title=AMN Reviews: Jeremiah Cymerman / Charlie Looker – A Horizon Made Of Canvas (2021; Astral Spirits) \|url=https://avantmusicnews.com/2020/12/12/amn-reviews-jeremiah-cymerman-charlie-looker-a-horizon-made-of-canvas-2021-astral-spirits/ \|website=Avant Music News \|access-date=10 May 2021 \|date=12 December 2020}} \|Astral Spirits

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

Artist

Title

Label

2000

|Daniel Carter / Charlie Looker / Greg Stare

|Light

|Aristocracy Communication

2003

|Zs

|Troubleman Unlimited

2005

|Zs

|Buck{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Clifford |title=2002-2007: Zs Score: The Complete Sextet Works 2002-2007 |url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/delorean/zs-score-the-complete-sextet-works-2002-2007 |website=Tiny Mix Tapes |date=4 January 2013}}

|Folding Cassettes

2005

|Zs

|Karate Bump (EP)

|Planaria

2006

|PERIOD

|PERIOD

|FuckingA

2006

|Seductive Sprigs

|Seductive Sprigs{{cite web |title=Seductive Sprigs |url=https://www.wnyc.org/story/61955-seductive-sprigs/ |website=WNYC |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=11 June 2006}}

|FuckingA

2007

|Zs

|Arms{{cite web |last1=Mackey |first1=Robbie |title=Zs: Arms |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11063-arms/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=25 January 2008}}

|Planaria

2008

|Zs

|The Hard (EP)

|Three One G

2011

|Sculptress

|Cuckold

|Last Things

2012

|Zs

|The Complete Sextet Works 2002-2007

|Northern Spy

2014

|PERIOD

|PERIOD 2{{cite web |last1=Eidenberger |first1=Julian |title=Period – 2 (Public Eyesore, 2014) ***½ |url=https://www.freejazzblog.org/2014/09/period-2-public-eyesore-2014.html?m=1 |website=The Free Jazz Collective |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=17 September 2014}}

|Public Eyesore

2021

|Jeremiah Cymerman / Charlie Looker

|A Horizon Made of Canvas{{cite web |title=AMN Reviews: Jeremiah Cymerman / Charlie Looker – A Horizon Made Of Canvas (2021; Astral Spirits) |url=https://avantmusicnews.com/2020/12/12/amn-reviews-jeremiah-cymerman-charlie-looker-a-horizon-made-of-canvas-2021-astral-spirits/ |website=Avant Music News |access-date=10 May 2021 |date=12 December 2020}}

|Astral Spirits

=As sideperson=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year	Artist	Title	Label
2002 \|Alvin Lucier \|Vespers and Other Early Works \|New World Records
2002 \|Matthew Welch \|Ceol Nua \|Leo Records
2005 \|Mike Pride \|Scrambler{{cite web \|title=Mike Pride: Scrambler \|url=https://m-etropolis.com/blog/mike-pride-scrambler-nottwo-records/ \|website=M.etropolis \|date=7 January 2011 \|access-date=10 May 2021}} \|Not Two Records
2006 \|Earle Brown \|Folio and Four Systems \|Tzadik
2007 \|Dirty Projectors \|Rise Above \|Dead Oceans
2016 \|Tredici Bacci \|Amore Per Tutti{{cite web \|last1=Schneider \|first1=Meredith \|title=Tredici Bacci Rolls Out Imaginary Cinematic Masterpiece in Amore Per Tutti \|url=https://imposemagazine.com/features/tredici-bacci-rolls-out-imaginary-cinematic-masterpiece-in-amore-per-tutti \|website=Impose Magazine \|access-date=1 November 2023}} \|NNA
2017 \|M Lamar \|Surveillance Punishment and the Black Psyche{{cite web \|title=Listen: M. Lamar, Charlie Looker & Mivos Quartet \|url=https://www.wqxr.org/story/listen-m-lamar-charlie-looker-mivos-quartet/ \|website=WQXR \|publisher=New Sounds Live \|access-date=7 March 2021 \|date=28 April 2016}} \|Negrogothic
2021 \|Xiu Xiu \|OH NO \|Polyvinyl
2023 \|Xiu Xiu \|Ignore Grief \|Polyvinyl

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

Artist

Title

Label

2002

|Alvin Lucier

|Vespers and Other Early Works

2002

|Ceol Nua

2005

|Scrambler{{cite web |title=Mike Pride: Scrambler |url=https://m-etropolis.com/blog/mike-pride-scrambler-nottwo-records/ |website=M.etropolis |date=7 January 2011 |access-date=10 May 2021}}

|Not Two Records

2006

|Earle Brown

|Folio and Four Systems

|Tzadik

2007

|Dirty Projectors

|Rise Above

|Dead Oceans

2016

|Tredici Bacci

|Amore Per Tutti{{cite web |last1=Schneider |first1=Meredith |title=Tredici Bacci Rolls Out Imaginary Cinematic Masterpiece in Amore Per Tutti |url=https://imposemagazine.com/features/tredici-bacci-rolls-out-imaginary-cinematic-masterpiece-in-amore-per-tutti |website=Impose Magazine |access-date=1 November 2023}}

|NNA

2017

|M Lamar

|Surveillance Punishment and the Black Psyche{{cite web |title=Listen: M. Lamar, Charlie Looker & Mivos Quartet |url=https://www.wqxr.org/story/listen-m-lamar-charlie-looker-mivos-quartet/ |website=WQXR |publisher=New Sounds Live |access-date=7 March 2021 |date=28 April 2016}}

|Negrogothic

2021

|Xiu Xiu

|OH NO

|Polyvinyl

2023

|Xiu Xiu

|Ignore Grief

|Polyvinyl

References

External links

[https://charlielooker.bandcamp.com Charlie Looker Bandcamp]
[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-looker-mn0000014223/credits AllMusic.com credits]

Category:Dirty Projectors members

Category:Musicians from New York City

Category:Wesleyan University alumni

Category:Living people

Category:1980 births