"One of my favorite musicians on the planet today.” (Jeff Parker) x “Strikingly original.” (Afropunk)

Cornet player, composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, poet and above all eclectic polymath Ben LaMar Gay (US) has already visited AB several times. Afropunk called him “strikingly original”. Pitchfork defined him as “uncategorizable”. Fellow musician and labelmate Jeff Parker stated: "Hands down, one of my favorite musicians on the planet today.”
By his own admission, he was heavily influenced by the AACM (The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) which was established in 1965 and has the support of jazz icons like Anthony Braxton, Roscoe Mitchell (The Art Ensemble Of Chicago) and Wadada Leo Smith. On International Anthem, he put out three albums under his own name and was featured on other releases, including McCraven’s Highly Rare and Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die.
What’s more, Ben LaMar Gay one of the most prolific musicians of Chicago’s vibrant music scene. That is evidenced by his collaborations with Nicole Mitchell’s EarthSeed, Mike Reed’s Flesh & Bone, Joshua Abrams’ Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas. International Anthem: “It suffices to say, Ben LaMar Gay is nearly omnipresent in the current zeitgeist of progressive jazz sounds sprouting from Chicago.”
Ben LaMar Gay - coronet, synth, vocals
Edinho Gerber - guitar
Matt Davis - sousaphone, vocals
Tommaso Moretti - drums