Booker Stardrum

Booker Stardrum is a Los Angeles based performer-composer. His recent compositions are sculptural, involving the dense layering of instruments, a focus on pan-tonality and an intuitive approach to rhythm. Booker’s sophomore solo release ‘Temporary etc.’ (NNA, 2018) is a highly personal amalgamation of electro-acoustics, minimalism, ambient, jazz, and contemporary experimental electronic music.

Using integrative sampler technology, Booker’s newest live solo set seamlessly synthesizes acoustic and electronic sounds, combining drums, cymbals, and bells with deconstructed and reimagined recorded samples of horn instruments, vocals, synthesizers, and other collected sonic ephemera.

Aside from his solo practice, Booker has dedicated himself to the art of percussion across multiple platforms, having recorded and performed with rock-based groups like Cloud Becomes Your Hand, Landlady, Lee Ranaldo, and Weyes Blood, in addition to more experimental and free improvisation collaborations with Nels Cline, VaVatican, and many more.

Booker has toured in the US, Europe, Asia, and South America and has performed at such festivals as Meltdown (U.K.), Brighton (U.K), Rewire (NL), Le Guess Who (NL), Festival Bo:m (ROK), and Ecstatic Music (US). His discography includes solo and collaborative releases on independent labels such as NNA Tapes, Northern Spy Records, Mexican Summer, Saddle Creek, Prom Night Records and Home Tapes.