Justin Peake is a sound composer, multi-instrumentalist, experimental media artist, and technologist living in New Orleans, LA. His work explores narrative philosophy, improvisation, ecological storytelling, political aesthetics, and human physiology through formats of live performance, interactive design, immersive installation, and educational research.
He seeks to enrich the lives of others through wonder, astonishment, contemplation, confusion, surprise, laughter, and empathy. Sometimes, all at once.
As a musician he performs principally on drums, electronics, and basses.
He has released music for solo percussion as well as variably structured ensembles. He has performed with artists such as Frank Gratkowski, Wilbert de Joode, Mike Gamble, Byron Asher, Alissa Derubeis, Jeff Albert, Aurora Nealand, Dana Reason, Mark Dresser, Rob Mazurek, Holland Andrews, Tim Daisy, Jacob Wick, Jason Stein, Helen Gillet, Jim Baker, Scott Amendola, Quintron, Charlie Hunter, Eivind Opsvik, Tom Rainey, Simon Berz, Ingrid Laubrock, James Singleton, and Simon Lott among many others.
As a sound designer he produces soundtracks for film, dance, and installation.
He produces and releases electronic music under his moniker Beautiful Bells which has 5 full length albums and a handful of remixes to it’s credit.
In 2009, he started the New Orleans based multimedia company Articulated Works, to release works of music, art, and technology which might include not only musical albums but audio-visual installations, software applications, literature, visual art, sculpture, and beyond.
He works as a video & projection designer, creating visual content and final projection installation designs.
He is the main programmer behind FIGURE, a new music platform for improvised musical arrangement / conduction as well as M.A.N.T.I.S. (the Mutually Adaptive Neuro-Tonal Interface System) which is a physiological musical instrument based on the performers heart rate and breath.
In 2016, Justin earned a Master’s degree from NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) during which time he focused on building new software tools for variably structured improvisation in performance and music education.
He is a researcher, writer, and educator and is an adjunct instructor at New York University and Tulane University.
“...a wonderful glimpse into not only what music can be, but also how art must necessarily involve its audience...”
- Mike Griffith, myneworleans.com“Peake belongs to a rich corner of the New Orleans music scene, one that is nonetheless largely invisible within the town’s broader musical culture. In the birthplace of jazz - a music born out of the freedom of creative improvisation. Peake’s electro-acousticism is just one branch of an extremely varied tradition.”
- Zachary Young, offbeat.com—