San Francisco Electronic Music Festival

Ben Bracken

For the past 15 years, Ben Bracken has slowly been creating a unique sonic language utilizing
electronics, acoustic sound sources (guitar, cymbal, bells, found objects, etc), electric guitar, and field
recordings.

Primarily interested in the possibilities of echo-relocation in sound-based art, his work has oscillated
from performance to installation, often blurring the lines between the two. In both, the location of
the event becomes an active participant, intimately shaping the nature and direction of each work.

Some previous or current musical groups include Crystal Village (With Gregg Kowalsky), Flashpapr,
Tiny Lights, Remote Viewing Ensemble, Duo with Luis Maurette, Duo with Zach Wallace, and
Bones (with Jacqueline Gordon).

Ben has improvised with Le-Quan Ninh, Brent Guetzeit, Kevin Drumm, Peter Kowald, Chris Cutler,
Phil Minton, Rhodri Davies, Werner Dafeldecker, Fred Van Hove, and Johannes Bauer, among
others.

In the spring of 2006, Ben received his MFA in Electronic Music from Mills College. From 2006-09
he curated the Totally Intense Fractal Mind Gaze Hut, a performance space in West Oakland, CA.
Ben has just completed his most recent installation, contributing sound, live generated 3D visuals and
interactivity to the Illuminated Forest installation at The Lab in San Francisco, CA. He currently resides
in Oakland, CA and works at Cycling ‘74, the developers of Max/MSP and Jitter.