Glenn Kotche

For a percussionist and composer as energetic, inquisitive, and versatile as Glenn Kotche, it’s his sense of balance — his ability to thrive in different and seemingly disparate worlds — that really makes him stand out as a musician. Since 2001, Kotche has been the rhythmic anchor in Wilco, one of the most beloved rock bands on the planet. His first studio outing with the Chicago- based band was the breakthrough Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and has continued over the course of five albums, including the Grammy-winning A Ghost Is Born, the critically-acclaimed The Whole Love, and the recently-released Star Wars.

Apart from his time with Wilco, Kotche has appeared on over 80 recordings by artists as diverse as Andrew Bird, Edith Frost, Neil Finn and Radiohead’s Phil Selway. He has written music for classical and post-classical ensembles like Kronos Quartet, the Silk Road Ensemble, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, So Percussion, eighth blackbird and many more, and gained the unbridled praise of his peers. Kotche constantly works to balance the traditional rock band aspect of his music and his more experimental inclinations, creating a diverse and enthralling body of work. “I could never find another drummer who was Glenn Kotche,” musician Jim O’Rourke told Time Out Tokyo in 2013, “because there isn’t.”

What he’s doing at National Sawdust: : In a week-long residency, Glenn Kotche (Wilco), Jeff Zeigler (former cellist of Kronos Quartet), and Andy Akiho (Rome Prize Composer), will be composing, creating and producing a live professional recording with Regg Rock Gray. Glenn will also perform in a live record release and is commissioning a new percussion orchestral work with Jim O’Rourke (Sonic Youth)