Photo by Socrates Mitsios.

Ebe Oke

During his Clocktower residency at Pioneer Works, Ebe Oke crafts exquisite, experimental compositions and seductive, avant-garde pop music exploring the idea of ''otherness.'' From an early age Oke's artistic practice has been multi-disciplinary, with work in various media including photography, design, performance, poetry, video, and storytelling. Raised in southern Georgia, the artist mixes a sense of mythology with the traditional art of song. His otherworldly compositions often incorporate the sounds of birds and insects, echoing his childhood spent on an exotic bird farm. He has studied composition with Karlheinz Stockhausen, collaborated and performed with Brian Eno, and headlined at The Kitchen for Synth Nights, curated by Laurie Anderson.

Ebe Oke's studio is located on the third floor of Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, just a few steps from the Clocktower Radio studios. While in residency, he is working on material for his performance for the July 13th Second Sunday event at Pioneer Works. This performance is the world premier of the first of four movements from his first string quartet composition, OBID. He is simultaneously creating music for his July 23rd After Hours program, hosted in collaboration with Times Square Arts. Set against the dramatic Manhattan skyline, Oke's After Hours electroacoustic performance marks the culmination of his residency, and is presented on the rooftop of the Viacom building in midtown Manhattan. During his stay, Oke also premieres his music video, The Gospel of Oke, animated and directed by Noriko Okaku.

View Ebe Oke's performance, Blood Grows Cold, curated by Laurie Anderson for Synth Nights at The Kitchen here: http://youtu.be/wZgvfECMGN0

After Hours, Ebe Oke

Inspired by the songs of birds, Ebe Oke shares new compositions with his electroacoustic ensemble while soaring just above the Times Square epicenter on The Lodge roof deck, Viacom’s legendary company cafeteria. The event is SOLD OUT, but streaming LIVE here on Clocktower.org at 10:30pm EST. From an early age Oke's artistic practice has been multi-disciplinary, with work in various media including photography, design, performance, poetry, video, and storytelling. Raised in southern Georgia, the artist mixes a sense of mythology with the traditional art of song. His otherworldly compositions often incorporate the sounds of birds and insects, echoing his childhood spent on an exotic bird farm. He has studied composition with Karlheinz Stockhausen, collaborated and performed with Brian Eno, and headlined at The Kitchen for Synth Nights, curated by Laurie Anderson. View Ebe Oke's performance, Avian Avatar, curated by Laurie Anderson for Synth Nights at The Kitchen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub7ewiMSHP4

Ebe Oke, OBID

The composer, performer, poet, and Clocktower artist-in-residence premiered Movement I, the first of four planned movements for OBID, his string quartet inspired by birds and synæsthesia. The performance took place at Pioneer Works during the July 2014 Second Sundays festivities. Following the performance, Oke sat down with Clocktower Radio's David Weinstein to discuss the background of the piece and his own story of a life that began on an exotic bird farm in Georgia and a path that led him to Stockhausen, Brian Eno, and Laurie Anderson, for whom the piece is dedicated. The performing ensemble is Audrey Morse – violin, Andrew Pak – violin, Beth Holub – viola, and Luna Shyr – cello.

After Hours: Ebe Oke

In this After Hours recording, the unearthly Ebe Oke steps out of the woods and into Viacom's legendary company headquarters at Times Square, The Lodge, to share new compositions for electroacoustic ensemble. The premiered work intertwines Oke's mythology with the music of birds and insects, in this transcendent live performance. After Hours, a collaboration between Times Square Arts and Clocktower, brings experiential, multimedia programming to select venues around Times Square. This event took place July 23, 2014.