Jeb Bishop

Trombonist Jeb Bishop is best-known as a member of the Vandermark 5, but was heavily involved in most branches of Chicago's experimental music scene of the '90s, from jazz to free improv to the avant-garde hybrid genre post-rock. Bishop grew up in Raleigh, N.C., and began studying music at Northwestern in 1980, but returned to Raleigh after two years and played bass with hardcore punkers the Stillborn Christians. While studying for a year in Belgium, Bishop became interested in avant-garde jazz, but upon returning to Raleigh in 1985, he found no kindred spirits. Instead, Bishop founded a worldbeat-inflected indie rock outfit called the Angels of Epistemology, which he led from 1986-1989. He moved back to Chicago in 1991 and the following year, he began playing bass for the Flying Luttenbachers, a punk-jazz outfit that included Ken Vandermark. Bishop left in late 1994, joining the Vandermark 5 a year later, which marked the first time he'd played out in a serious jazz context as a trombonist (he also doubled on guitar). As the group's local and national profile grew, Bishop became a popular session trombonist on Chicago's post-rock scene, recording with avant-indie luminaries like Stereolab, Jim O'Rourke, Gastr del Sol, and the Sea and Cake. 1998 was a banner year for Bishop: he recorded with Peter Brotzmann's Tentet, debuted his trio In Zenith (with cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and percussionist Michael Zerang) on the LP Building a Better Future, and issued 98 Duets, which featured Bishop interacting with free improvisers including Mats Gustafsson, Wadada Leo Smith, and Hamid Drake. In 1999, Bishop recorded with the Vandermark 5 rhythm section as the Jeb Bishop Trio, issuing a self-titled album on Okka Disk, and also duetted with Joe McPhee on The Brass City. In 2001, Bishop recorded another album for Okka Disk titled Afternoons.