Bob Ostertag

Bob Ostertag is an experimental composer, improviser, and instrument builder known for pushing the boundaries of sound, technology, and politics. Active since the 1970s, Ostertag has worked at the intersection of avant-garde music, social activism, and political commentary. He’s collaborated with a wide range of groundbreaking artists, including Fred Frith, John Zorn, and Roscoe Mitchell, and has gained a reputation for integrating cutting-edge electronics with live performance. His work often blends sampling, modular synthesis, and unconventional sound design.

Aside from music, Ostertag is also an author, journalist, and LGBTQ+ rights advocate. His projects often tackle complex themes, from war and media manipulation to gender and identity. Releases like A Book of Hours and All The Rage showcase his deeply conceptual approach to composition, often inviting vocalists and other instrumentalists into rich, improvisatory soundscapes. Whether he's manipulating a Buchla modular synth or crafting politically charged audio collages, Bob Ostertag remains a vital and provocative voice in contemporary experimental music.

Genres

Free Jazz

Avant-garde

Dub Techno

Latest Release

Bob Ostertag Plays the Aalto

Bob Ostertag

Album - 11 Tracks - Released October 21, 2013