Julius Eastman

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Julius Eastman (October 27, 1940 – May 28, 1990) was an American composer. He was among the first composers to combine the processes of some minimalist music with other methods of extending and modifying his music as in some experimental music. He thus created what he called "organic music". In compositions like Stay On It (1973), his melodic motifs were not unlike the catchy refrains of then pop music. He studied performance and composition in New York and contributed to new music scenes in New York City, Buffalo, New York, and Chicago, Illinois, touring and recording as a performer and enjoying many performances of his own music. As a conductor, musician, and vocalist, he had a close artistic relationship with Arthur Russell and worked briefly with Meredith Monk and Pierre Boulez. His voice can be heard in the Nonesuch recording of Peter Maxwell Davies' Eight Songs for a Mad King. He worked in a variety of musical styles, including classical, jazz, and crossover. During the 1970s (and...

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