Jim O'Rourke

Born in 1969. He is an American musician and producer. Known for his idiosyncratic tastes, and regarded as something of an expert on modern experimental music, he has released albums of jazz, electronica, noise and guitar rock music. O'Rourke has collaborated with the likes of Derek Bailey, Stereolab, Loren Mazzacane Connors, Fennesz, Henry Kaiser, Flying Saucer Attack, and most recently produced Beth Orton's new album Comfort of Strangers. He has produced albums by artists as varied as John Fahey, Smog, Faust and Tony Conrad. He mixed Wilco's very successful Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album, which made many reviewers' top ten lists for 2002, and produced their 2004 album, A Ghost is Born, for which he won a Grammy for "Best Alternative Album". During the recording of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, O'Rourke collaborated with Wilco member Jeff Tweedy and pre-Wilco Glenn Kotche, a veteran of the Chicago scene and O'Rourke's own solo albums. O'Rourke has released a large number of albums and was once a member of Gastr Del Sol with songwriter David Grubbs and The Red Crayola. From 2000 he played bass guitar and guitar with New York City band Sonic Youth; he quit as a full member in 2005 to pursue his interest in filmmaking, but continues to play with them in their side projects.