About John Also Bennett
John Also Bennett (aka JAB) is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist who creates music that could be described as avant-garde, atmospheric, or minimalist. His debut solo album Erg Herbe, which used flutes, microtonal synthesis and field recordings, was released on the French label Shelter Press in 2019. His most recent solo work, Out there in the middle of nowhere, adds a custom tuned lap steel guitar and is the result of a year of travel, using simple ingredients to engage with empty spaces, time and resonance on a glacial scale to illuminate a complexity and magic inherent within apparent nothingness.
As well as composing and performing under his own name he regularly collaborates with Christina Vantzou as CV & JAB (Shelter Press, Editions Basilic), and has released albums with the groups FORMA (Kranky, Spectrum Spools) and Seabat. He has also collaborated with the likes of Jon Gibson, Pauline Anna Strom, Michael Harrison, the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME), Jefre-Cantu Ledesma, LEYA, Peter Burr, and Zin Taylor, among many others, and performed at festivals such as Big Ears, Moogfest, Ambient Church, Dark Mofo (Tasmania), MODE (London), Meakusma (Belgium), Jue (China), The World Minimal Music Festival (Amsterdam), and Nostos (Greece). His work as a composer for animation and film has been screened at institutions and film festivals around the world including the Sundance Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, 25FPS, London International Animation Festival, The Biennale of Sydney, The Museum of the Moving Image (MOMI), as well as on Adult Swim and ESPTV.
In addition to these activities Bennett runs the small private imprint Editions Basilic and is involved in archival work and production for the New York-based music institution RVNG Intl., and has a history of organizing and producing underground performances of experimental music. After over a decade in New York City, he is currently based in Athens, Greece.
General Contact, Commissions, Bookings: johnalsobennett@gmail.com
Publishing: Mute Song - simon.ballard@mute.com
Download CV (pdf)
Selected Discography:
CV & JAB - Klima - (Editions Basilic, 2023)
JAB - Out there in the middle of nowhere - (Poole Music, 2022)
Christina Vantzou, Michael Harrison and John Also Bennett - S/T (Seance Centre, 2022)
JAB - Save Room 5 - Track on “A Little Night Music: Aural Apparitions from the Geographic North” Compilation (Geographic North, 2020)
CV & JAB - Saint-Gilles Lockdown in Three Parts - Track on "New Neighborhoods” Compilation (Freedom To Spend, 2020)
CV & JAB - Landscape Architecture (editions basilic, 2020)
JAB - Music For Save Rooms (editions basilic, 2020)
JAB - Indiana Blindfold - Track on "Field Works - Ultrasonic" Compilation (Temporary Residence, 2020)
JAB - Erg Herbe - LP (Shelter Press, 2019)
JAB - The Gallop - 7" Lathe Cut (In Context Music, 2019)
Forma - Semblance - LP / CD (Kranky, 2018)
CV & JAB - Zin Taylor's Thoughts of a Dot as it Travels a Surface - LP (Shelter Press, 2018)
CV & JAB - Seeing Redness, Plastic Fingers - Track on "Don't Look Now" Compilation (Geographic North, 2018)
Seabat - Outside The Disc - CD / CS (Vestibule, 2018)
CV & JAB - Chione - Track on "Disquiet, Vol. 1" Compilation (Unseen Music, 2017)
Jon Gibson - Jon Gibson’s Visitations - Flute & Electronics (Otoroku, 2017)
Forma - Physicalist - 2x LP / CD (Kranky, 2016)
Seabat - Synthus - CD (Beer On The Rug, 2015)
Seabat / Lucky Dragons - Peter Burr's Special Effect - Split LP (Vestibule, 2015)
Forma - Cool Haptics - 12" (The Bunker New York, 2014)
John Also Bennett - Talking Puddle - Track on "Ohio Volume One" Compilation (A Soundesign Recordings, 2014)
Seabat - Scattered Disc - LP / CS (Goldtimers / Seabat Worldwide, 2013)
Seabat - Crescent ParC - LP (Constellation Tatsu, 2012)
Seabat - Mountains Of Palawan - CS (Goldtimers, 2012)
Slime Detective - New Slime City - CS (Total Reality International, 2012)
Seabat - No Wake - CS (Hyperdelic, 2011)
Seabat - Rift Store - CS (S.B. Crypt, 2011)
Seabat - Understanding Holography - CDr (Celebrity Sex Tapes, 2010)
Eagle Nebula - Remnants - CS (Stochastic Releases, 2010)
Sword Heaven - Gone - Saxophone - (Load Records, 2010)
Eagle Nebula - s/t - CS (No Label, 2009)
Tuberculosis Ward - s/t - (Celebrity Sex Tapes, 2009)
Ginger Fetus - 3 Footer - Track on “Confluence Park” Compilation (Teen Action Records, 2009)
Out There Dudes / Biff Boff Barf - 2% Milf - Split 7” (Out There Home Entertainment, 2009)
Sinkane - s/t - Saxophone (Emergency Umbrella Records, 2009)
Eagle Nebula - Nebulosis - CS (Celebrity Sex Tapes, 2008)
Eagle Nebula / Wasteland Jazz Unit - Untitled Split - CS (Celebrity Sex Tapes, 2008)
John Bennett / Mike Vallera - Untitled Split - CS (Celebrity Sex Tapes, 2008)