Born: 1965 Primary Instrument: Cornet
Is a sound/vision abstractivist, cornetist, improviser, composer and multi-media artist with a unique style drawing from many facets of contemporary and non-contemporary sound and vision.
A prime mover in the vibrant Chicago sound scene, he is the leader/organizer of the Chicago Underground collective, Mandarin Movie and Exploding Star Orchestra.
His discography includes recordings on Thrill Jockey, Delmark, Aesthetics, Mego, Family Vineyard, Bottrop-Boy (EN/OF) as well as other labels.
He has received numerous reviews/features in publications such as: The Wire - Adventures In Modern Music, Rolling Stone, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, BOMB and others.
Mazurek has toured extensively and established himself as a performer and recording artist throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Brazil and Japan.
He has collaborated and/or recorded with Jim O'Rourke, Luc Ferrari, Tigersmilk, Ted Sirota's Rebel Soul Ensemble, Gastr del Sol, Noamnesia, Isotope 217, Active Ingredients, Tortoise, Brokeback, Stereolab, Pan American, Sam Prekop among others.
His solo projects reflect his experimentation with sound/visiual manipulation and musique concrete with releases on Mego, Moikai, Bottrop-Boy (En/Of), Delmark and Aesthetics.
A visual artist as well, he has exhibited his works at Heaven Gallery (Chicago), Naked Duck Gallery (New York), Gantner Multi-Media Center (France) and other locations throughout US and Europe.
In March of 2003 Mazurek participated in the SUB/SAS workshop in Palermo, Italy. A workshop exploring the means of a contemporary trend of interdisciplinary relationships between artists, sound artists, landscape designers and architects. Through this group he has exhibited paintings-videos-sound works in Rome, Copenhagen, Brussels, Paris and Palermo and continues his collaboration with the group with exhibitions/workshops planned in 2005 for Helsinki, Barcelona and Toronto.
In 2005 Mazurek was awarded the prestigious grant/residency at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud in France where he is developing a multi-media piece based on the enviroment of the Abbaye. The piece (which included digital manipulation of piano compositions, paintings, digital manipulation of paintings, video and text) was presented the last week of May 2005 as part of the Abbaye's “Creation Week”.
On August 11, 2005 Mazurek debuted his new large ensemble “Exploding Star Orchestra”, at Millenium Park in Chicago. The group includes some of the most powerful and interesting players in Chicago today.
2006 unleashed the Sao Paulo Underground (Aesthetics Records/Submarine Records/Headz Japan), touring worldwide. Jason Ajemian's new ensemble “Day Dream New Life Styles” featuring Tony Mallaby, Jeff Parker, Chad Taylor and Rob Mazurek.
Currently Mazurek makes his home in Brasilia, Brasil.
