JT BATES

Growing up in a musical family gave JT Bates an early start into sound and rhythmic exploration. While playing in his father’s big band with this two older brothers as a teen, Bates began the path to becoming a working musician. Remaining steeped in creative and improvised music scenes (both as performer and presenter) in addition to the working aspects led to the 2015 release of his first recording under his own name “Open Relationships” (Totally Gross National Product). The result is a slightly left of center take on minimal electronics and beats, utilizing chopped up feedback and gates to create broken landscapes. Minnesota based drummer JT Bates has performed session work for many different folks including Taylor Swift,Justin Vernon, Flock Of Dimes (Jenn Wasner for SubPop Records) Aaron Dessner, Big Red Machine, Folk Uke(AmyNelson & Cathy Guthrie),Joe Pug, JeffKlein, David Huckfelt, MC Taylor, Phil Cook and many others. Until recently Bates was actively involved with Big Red Machine (Justin Vernon/Aaron Dessner/Bradley Cook), Bonny Light Horseman (Anais Mitchell/Eric D Johnson/Josh Kaufman), and Bon Iver & TU Dance’sCome Through. Come Through has brought JT to the stages of the The Kennedy Center and Hollywood Bowl. Bates has also appeared or recorded with The National, The Lone Bellow, Jenny Lewis, Hiss Golden Messenger, Andrew Bird, PhilCook, Eyedea, Pieta Brown, Bruce Hornsby, Dead Man Winter, Anais Mitchell,Trampled by Turtles, Craig Taborn, Frankie Lee, Erik Koskinen, Tortoise, Evan Parker and Anthony Cox. Life long collaborators include Alpha Consumer and Fat Kid Wednesdays, both of which are still making music after over 20 years