Ben LaMar Gay is a composer who moves sound, color, and space components through folkloric filters producing brilliant electro-acoustic collages. An explorer of many mediums who has been called a “visionary musician” by The New York Times, Gay has found a form of creative expression that begins with improvisation and expands beyond the limits of any single genre. He has been a member of the Association of the Advancement of Creative Musicians since 2010. With more than twenty years in vibrant experimental music scenes, his talents have earned him residencies globally. He is a highly sought-after collaborator by some of the most influential artists of today. He has worked with Theaster Gates, Nicole Mitchell, Mike Reed, Dorothée Munyaneza, Ntone Ejabe, and Qudus Onikeku, to name a few. These multidisciplinary collaborations as well as his own projects have brought his work to Danse Biennale of Lyon, African Dance Biennale Maputo, Chicago Symphony Center, The Barbican, Art Basel, and many other international stages. His work has been commissioned by Pierre Boulez Saal, Wet Ink Ensemble, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Northwestern University, University of Zurich, and National Theater of Strasbourg (France). He is recipient of the 3Arts Award, the Worldwide Award from the BBC’s Gilles Peterson, and was a Mellon Foundation Archival Fellow in 2022. Receiving accolades for a parade of more than eight albums, his recent release Yowzers, released via International Anthem Recording, solidified his place as an important new voice in American creative music. Gay adopts global visions while remaining true to his roots as a South Side Chicago native.