Susan Alcorn (1953-2025)

[clifford_thornton]

According to friends and collaborators, the pedal steel guitarist, improviser & composer Susan Alcorn has passed quite suddenly.

I was lucky to see her in wide-ranging contexts from Jandek to Mary Halvorson. A fascinating presence on the experimental music scene, she will be missed.

The first record of hers that I heard was "And I Await the Resurrection of the Pedal Steel Guitar." It's excellent, and there's a whole lot more where that came from.

RIP.

[mjazzg]

Just seen Matana Roberts post the same.

That's not very old. A great loss. A semi regular visitor to Oto.

I never got on with her music but that's my loss, many, many people with good ears did 

Edited 12 hours ago by mjazzg

[clifford_thornton]

yeah, some things click and some things don't. She was here to do what she did & that's important.

[rostasi]

Well, that's a damn shame - and quite unexpected.
My wife and I are both fans of her work -
especially after seeing her perform a few times.
Sorry to hear this.

Edited 11 hours ago by rostasi

[clifford_thornton]

yeah, it is -- confirmed by family, major loss.

[Steve Reynolds]

Omg this is awful 

i just saw her play a few months ago

genius level improvisor

very very nice person as well

RIP

[Rabshakeh]

Very sad to hear.

[Д.Д.]

Very sad, hers was a unique voice. Have had a couple of her albums in my bandcamp wish-list for years, will go ahead and buy them now.

Susan Alcorn's bandcamp: https://susanalcorn1.bandcamp.com/ 

 

[T.D.]

RIP. Very sad indeed, I "discovered" her music just a few months ago and have listened to a fair amount on bandcamp.

Edited 6 hours ago by T.D.

[Steve Reynolds]

Don’t miss among others 

At Union Pool

with Patrick Holmes & Ryan Sawyer

devastating awe inspiring 

 

Her performance with Nels Cline & Booker Stardum at Solar Myth this past fall was among the best examples of improvised beyond possible stuff I’ve ever experienced. 
 

so blessed to have seen her play 4 times last year. If not for a back problem recently I would have been at her final performance which was a solo set at Zurcher Gallery on January 21st.

[BFrank]

Very sad. Was looking forward to seeing her at Big Ears: Susan Alcorn Septet