Jack Vees

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Jack Vees (born 1955) is an American composer and bassist from Camden, New Jersey. He performs on electric bass, guitar, and electronics, and writes music for his own group, Chez Vees, as well as for ensembles like Ensemble Modern, California EAR Unit, and Zeitgeist. He has worked with performers such as Ashley Bathgate, Libby Van Cleve, Amy Knoles, Jeffrey Krieger, and Ben Verdery, and has created pieces with choreographers and video artists. Influences include Louis Andriessen, John Cage, George Crumb, Charles Ives, Erik Satie, Joel Thome, and Captain Beefheart.

Vees earned an undergraduate degree from Glassboro State College and an MFA from the California Institute of the Arts. His teachers included Louis Andriessen, Vinko Globokar, Stephen L. Mosko, Bernard Rands, and Morton Subotnick.

He lives in Guilford, Connecticut with his wife Libby Van Cleve. He previously served as the operations director and instructor at the Center for Studies in Music Technology at the Yale School of Music.

Selected works:
- National Anthem (2000) for guitar and electronics
- Surf Music Again (1996) for guitar and electronics
- Rocket Baby (1994) for electric cello and MIDI cellos
- Apocrypha (1986) for oboe and electronic tape
- John Henry (1984) for bass guitar
- Piano Trio (Hulk Smash!) (1994) for three players on two pianos
- Tattooed Barbie (1991) for 12-string guitar, oboe, and computer
- Saints Before the Vanishing Point (1990) for small ensemble
- Colorized Chaplin (1989) for electric guitar and harpsichord
- Child Bride (1988) for cello, electronics, and MIDI
- Feynman (2003–2005), chamber opera
- Piece for Composition (1987) for multimedia and percussion

Recordings and releases:
- 2001: Ben Verdery – Soe-Pa
- 2000: The Restaurant Behind the Pier
- 1998: Emergency Music
- 1997: Surf Music Again
- The Book on Bass Harmonics (Alfred, 1981)

Jack Vees is known for blending contemporary classical music with electronic and rock elements, creating works that span traditional performance and multimedia formats.