American Composers Forum

Evan Lipson (b. 1981) has been active as a bassist and composer since adolescence. In an on-going pursuit of all things energetically oblique and unknown, Lipson acquired an early interest in the lateral arenas of underground music -- eventually seeking to push beyond even the furthest idiomatic extremities. This chosen left-hand path has afforded him the opportunity to work in a variety of contexts and styles, with roots predominantly based in modernist classical, outsider pop, jazz, noise, punk, as well as various modes of improvisation.

Lipson has been invariably focused on transcending the politics of genre. Following his own forms of occult research and pragmatic synthesis, Lipson's efforts strive towards cultivating a uniquely rarefied, esoteric, and iconoclastic world of music. With a central emphasis on working directly with his own bands (including regular tours and regional performances), Lipson's music, as well as his modus operandi, has always been based on the intuitive search for the liminal zones where intellect and instinct, history and myth, and creative and destructive forces intersect.

Lipson upholds several working ensembles including:

--NORMAL LOVE (hyper-modernist chamber unit)
--SATANIZED (cuttingly abrasive noise rock)
--DYNAMITE CLUB (high octane oddball punk)
--HISSWIG (telepathic improvised duo with microtonal violinist Katt Hernandez)

Lipson has performed throughout North America, as well as Brazil, Taiwan, and Japan. He has twice been the recipient of the American Composers Forum Subito award (Philadelphia Chapter), as well as Meet The Composer's Metlife Creative Connections grant and Create Here's ArtsMove grant. His music has been released on the High Two, Badmaster, Caminante, Damage Rituals, and Suicide Tax labels.

Lipson counts both Michael Formanek & Robert Kesselman as his primary mentors. He's undergone additional studies under the tutelage of Mark Dresser, Mark Helias, and Robert Black. Despite his formal education, Lipson considers himself to be largely self-taught.

In addition to his day-to-day musical endeavors, Lipson has curated and organized several grassroots and DIY performance events in Baltimore, New York, and Philadelphia.

As a performer and/or collaborator, Lipson has worked with (among others):

Dr. Eugene Chadbourne, Maria Chavez, Audrey Chen, Charles Cohen, Gene Coleman, Alvin Curran, Andrew D'Angelo, Stuart Dempster, Andrew Raffo Dewar, Dr. Dog, Andrew Drury, Michael Evans, Peter Evans, Pepi Ginsberg, Devin Gray, David Grubbs, Col. Bruce Hampton, Katt Hernandez, Shelley Hirsch, Tim Hodgkinson, Charlette Hug, Mazen Kerbaj, Ishikawa Ko, Michael Johnson, Darius Jones, Matthias Kaul, Thomas Lehn, Lukas Ligeti, John McLellan, Toshi Makihara, Mat Maneri, Sabir Mateen, Matt Mitchell, Toshimaru Nakamura, Tatsuya Nakatani, Pauline Oliveros, Mike Pride, Jane Riggler, Vincent Royer, Jamie Saft, Christine Sehnaoui, The Shaking Ray Levis, LaDonna Smith, Fabrizio Spera, Roger Turner, Birgit Ulher, Weasel Walter, Alex Waterman, Veryan Weston, Wolter Wierbos, Nate Wooley, Jack Wright, and Yoshida Tatsuya (RUINS).

"Lipson easily stands among the best bassists I've heard lately, his terrifically strapping tone epitomising the decision to 'really' learn how an instrument works." - Massimo Ricci, bagatellen.com

-I Heard You Could See Baltimore From There... (2010): for soprano, violin, sampler, e. guitar, e. bass guitar, and drums (for NORMAL LOVE)
-The Secular Chansons of STNZD (2006 - present): for voice/turntable, e. guitar, e. bass guitar, and drums (for SATANIZED)
-No Way Out/No Way Back (2007): for alto saxophone, double bass, and drums
-The Signal's Coming From Pittsburgh... [PART 2] (2006): for violin, 2 e. guitars, e. bass guitar, and percussion (for NORMAL LOVE) below)
-Eye Like To Watch (2005): for e. guitar/voice, e. bass, drums/voice (for DYNAMITE CLUB)
-The Signal's Coming From Pittsburgh... [PART 1] (2005): for violin, 2 e. guitars, e. bass guitar, and percussion (for NORMAL LOVE)
-Break The Glass! (2002): for solo marimba, wind-machine, and live electronics (for Eric Beach and Joe Lentini)
-Powerlunch Works (2002-2005): for e. guitar, e. bass, and drums (for POWERLUNCH)