Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot, who the New York Times describes as “a deceptively articulate artist who uses inarticulateness as an expressive device,” has released 25 albums under his own name over a 40-year career, exploring everything from the pioneering jazz of Albert Ayler to the Cuban son of Arsenio Rodríguez. His solo release, “Silent Movies”(Pi Recording 2010) has been described as a “down-in-mouth-near master piece” by the Village Voice and has landed on several Best of 2010 lists including the LA Times and critical praise across the board, and 2014 saw the monumental release: “Marc Ribot Trio Live at the Village Vanguard”(Pi Recordings), documenting Marc’s first headline and the return of Henry Grimes at the historical venue in 2012 and included on Best of 2014lists such as Downbeat Magazine and NPR’s 50 Favorites.
2018 saw the release of two politically charged albums: “YRU Still Here?” (Northern Spy), the long awaited third album from Ribot’s post-rock/noise trio Ceramic Dog, and “Songs of Resistance 1942-2018” (featuring guest vocalists Tom Waits, Steve Earle, Meshell Ndegeocello and more on Anti- Records) voicing anger and outrage during these turbulent times, and both albums landing on various Best of 2018 lists including NPR’s All Songs Considered.
In 2025, the long-awaited, 30-years in the making, “Map of a Blue City” made its debut on New West Records. This collection of songs features Ribot’s imaginative playing and leads to what may be his definitive statement as an instrumentalist, as a songwriter, and even as a singer. Jazzwise Magazine4-star review states, “Ribot needs no introduction. But nothing prepares us forMapof a Blue City… Beyond jazz, steeped in humanity… an album of the year”, and was in fact amongst BBC 6Music’s 2025 Albums of the Year.
Additionally in 2025, for the 60th anniversary of Jazzaldia in San Sebastian (one of the world’s longest running jazz festivals), Marc was awarded the Donostiako Jazzaldia Prize, along with Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Bruford, for outstanding artists in recognition of their contribution to jazz, and performed 3 projects: Solo, Hurry Red Telephone & Ceramic Dog.
‘Author’ can now be added to Marc’s list of accomplishments, with his first collection of writings, “Unstrung: Rants & Stories of a Noise Guitarist”, was published by Akashic Books in 2021. “Unstrung” is also available as an audio book with Marc narrating, and has been translated into French, Italian, plus German and Japanese edition currently in the works.
Rolling Stone points out that “Guitarist Marc Ribot helped Tom Waits refine a new, weird Americana on 1985’s Rain Dogs, and since then he’s become the go-to guitar guy for all kinds of roots-music adventurers: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Elvis Costello, John Mellencamp.” Additional recording credits include Neko Case, Diana Krall, Elton John/Leon Russell’s The Union, Solomon Burke, John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards, Marianne Faithful, Joe Henry, Allen Toussaint, Medeski Martin & Wood, Caetono Veloso, Susana Baca, Allen Ginsburg, Madeline Peyroux, Nora Jones, Céu, Akiko Yano, The Black Keys, and many others. Marc works regularly with Grammy® award winning producer T Bone Burnett and NY composer John Zorn. He has also composed and performed on numerous film scores such as “Walk The Line”, “The Kids Are All Right,” and “The Departed” (Scorcese).
“…he can sit down with just his guitar and simultaneously confound you with technique, beauty, and surprise.” – John Garratt and Will Layman, PopMatters Picks: The Best Music of 2010for the album “Silent Movies”
