Charlie Looker (born 1980, New York City) has been active since high school as a composer, guitarist, vocalist, keyboardist and improviser, between the worlds of underground rock and art music. With roots in metal, modern composition, jazz, indie pop and Early Music, both Looker’s music and his modus operandi have always been an intuitive synthesis of diverse influences. While his music has been performed by various ensembles, his primary focus has always been on his own bands which perform regularly in grassroots contexts. Looker holds a B.A. in Music from Wesleyan University (2003) where he studied with Anthony Braxton, Alvin Lucier and Mark Stambaugh, however he still considers himself mostly self-taught. Central to Looker’s music is the play between crushing severity and the lighter touch of Irony’s ladyfingers.

From 2003 to 2007 Looker was a core member of the notorious Brooklyn “brutal chamber” group Zs, recording for the Troubleman Unlimited, Tzadik, Planaria and Rice Control labels. In 2007, Looker formed his own band Extra Life, to explore more fully his vocal writing, folk-based forms and synthetic instrument sounds. Extra Life’s first album Secular Works was released in 2008 on Planaria Recordings to wide critical praise, followed by U.S. and European tours. Looker also continues his work as an improviser in the band Period, with drummer Mike Pride.