Shock Breakout by Brandon Seabrook and Philip White

Brandon Seabrook: Guitar
Philip White: Electronics


Brandon Seabrook is a guitarist, banjoist, and composer living in New York City where he has established himself as one of the most unique and volatile guitarists of his generation. Described by Spin Magazine as “An apocalyptic, supersonic general of the banjo…” he has also made a name for himself as a powerful banjo innovator, relentlessly committed to immediacy and precision. His work focuses on the intersections between improvisation and structure through fragmented and rapidly changing soundscapes, angular composition; and a massive dynamic range that can change in a joyous nanosecond.

Seabrook honed his guitar skills at the New England Conservatory in Boston. He has since performed extensively in North and South America, Mexico and Europe, as a solo artist, bandleader, and collaborator. He has been summoned by the likes of Anthony Braxton, Nels Cline, The Flying Luttenbachers and Joey Arias for his idiosyncratic blend of spiked improvisation and severe technical facility. He has been profiled in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Magnet Magazine, Downbeat, Alternative Press, Fretboard Journal, NPR and The Wire

Brandon is an accomplished solo artist, named Best Guitarist in New York City by the Village Voice 2012. In 2014, New Atlantis Records released his first solo album titled Sylphid Vitalizers. Noisey called the album a “dissonant guitar army…(with) mind-blowing prog-rock complexities – all at mind-numbing breakneck speed.” Brandon has presented his solo work at Pioneer Works, Sonic Transmissions Festival, Secret Project Robot, NK Berlin, The Smell, Lawrence University and the Ruidismos Festival in Lima, Peru.

The music of composer, performer, improviser, and sound designer PHILIP WHITE (b.1981) is known for its ecstatic intensity and expressive sonic palette. Working with an array of homemade electronics at the intersection of noise, jazz and contemporary concert music, White exploits the tension between rigorous, closed electronic systems and the urgency of human compulsion.

In addition to his solo work (“bona fide evocative music,” Brooklyn Rail, “vibrant textural tapestry” (Wall Street Journal) current projects include R WE WHO R WE with Ted Hearne (“utterly gripping” Time Out Chicago) and a duo with Chris Pitsiokos (“annihilating and enervating” Village Voice).

Philip has also performed with such diverse musical talents as Toshimaru Nakamura, Kronos Quartet, Tomomi Adachi, Paula Matthusen, Sam Pluta, Peter Evans, Nate Wooley, Suzanne Thorpe, Bob Bellerue, Weasel Walter, Hans Tammen, Aram Shelton, Gene Coleman, MV Carbon, Phillip Stearns, Pete Edwards, Molly Bradbury and Jeff Donaldson, and he has worked closely with visual artists Seth Gadsden and Kevin Taylor. Recent performances include Carnegie Hall (NYC), Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Kitchen (NYC), ISSUE Project Room (NYC), Diapason (NYC), The Stone (NYC), Silent Barn (NYC), Spectrum (NYC), Center for New Music (SF) Bent Festival, Red Room (Baltimore), Fylkingen (Stockholm), and the American Academy in Rome.

Outside of the music world, he has worked closely with several artists in the dance/performance/theater realm including Ralph Lemon, Nora Chipaumire, Urban Bush Women, Daniel Fish and he is currently collaborating with Jim Findlay on a musical based on the works of Bruce Haack.

Philip has been an artist in residence at Electronic Music Foundation, Harvestworks, High Concept Labs and the Rensing Center. He has lectured at Wesleyan University, University of Texas, University of Chicago, University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston.

He received his BA in Music from the College of Charleston (working closely with Trevor Weston and Quentin Baxter) and an MFA in Electronic and Recorded Media from Mills College (working closely with James Fei).

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