BAND HISTORY:
Born in 1969, American post-classical composer Jim O'Rourke has been a key component in the increasing overlap of the American and European experimental music avant-garde, working in everything from jazz and rock to ambient and electro-acoustic and building many a bridge in between. A Chicago native, his work has found equal truck with experimental jazz and noise fanatics, chill room denizens, and bedroom experimentalists, and has had the resultant effect of cross-pollinating many otherwise isolated compositional communities.

Dealing most often with prepared guitar in improvisational group settings, Jim has also released a fair bit of material as a soloist, although more often in the electro acoustic/musique concrete vein. He's collaborated with such contemporary improv heroes as Derek Bailey, Henry Kaiser, Eddie Prevost and Keith Rowe (of English improv group AMM), KK Null, David Jackman (Organum), and early Krautrock experimentalists Faust. Beginning with guitar at the age of six, it wasn't until his collegiate career at DePaul University that O'Rourke's interest in the less obvious possibilities of the instrument led him through the early catalogs of the post-classical and electro-acoustic traditions.

While at DePaul, Jim completed much of the work that would constitute his first few releases. He also had the opportunity to meet up with noted improvisational guitarist Derek Bailey, whose invitation to play at the British improv festival Company Week led to further collaborative projects with Bailey, Henry Kaiser, Eddie Prevost, and David Jackman. In Chicago, Jim began working with Dan Burke's Illusion of Safety project in the early '90s, releasing three albums through Staalplaat and Tesco. It was here that Jim met drummer Thymme Jones (see the Cheer Accident page for more info).

Darin Gray befriended Jim when the two met at a performance by Darin's post hardcore band Dazzling Killmen and soon after Brise-Glace was put into motion. Thymme was enlisted on drums and Dylan Posa, then of Chicago's perennial jazz favorites, The Flying Luttenbachers completed the core group. At the same time Jim joined David Grubbs in Gastr Del Sol.

Brise-Glace recorded one album and a single for SKiN GRAFT in the mid-90's. They also made unique contributions to the AC/DC tribute series SIDES 1 4 and the Camp Skin Graft cd. The band toured the East as part of the SkiN GRAFT irritational tour, performed a festival in the Netherlands and played a spattering of live events around Chicago. Later live shows deviated from the core group, consisting of Jim and Darin and guests such as Kevin Drumm and Azita Youseffi (The Scissor Girls). Shortly after the release of "when in Vanitas...", brise-glace returned to Steve Albini's studio, this time to record under the name Yona-Kit, with Zeni-Geva's Kazuyuki K. Null (see the Yona-Kit page for details).

Brise-Glace eventually dissolved and though they've never officially "broken up", future recordings do not seem to be in the foreseeable future, though the members all continue to perform with each other under various incarnations. Jim and Darin play together often, with Darin regularly appearing on Jim's solo releases. Dylan Posa joined Thymme's "steady" rock band, Cheer-Accident, shortly after Brise-Glace became inactive. But certainly, the acorn nearest the tree would be Thymme and Darin's anti-band, You Fantastic! Together with guitarist Tim Garrigan of Dazzling Killmen, the trio build upon the foundation set by "when In Vanitas..." but develop the neighborhood in ways uniquely their own.

History written in part by Sean Cooper/ All Music Guide