Art Terry is a songwriter/musician from Los Angeles. His songs explore sexuality, black politics and religion, through a lyrical fusion of psychedelic folk music and orchestrated funk. A singer and pianist, Art underpins deeply personal lyrics with dense melodic textures.
He presents 'Is Black Music' on Resonance FM: an alternative music radio show featuring Black folk, country and avant garde classical music.
Brought up in the gospel tradition – from which he was ejected for singing wild salacious songs – Art evokes the figure of the robed and commanding preacher in his live performances. Whether playing solo or with his collective of musicians, the Black Bohemians, his live performances are theatrical and compelling.
Art collaborates with the artist Stew, who created the musical Passing Strange, exploring his and Art’s youthful experiences on the seamy streets of downtown Los Angeles and in Europe, living in squats and art collectives and surviving on a diet of shoplifted food, hashish and freaky music. Passing Strange was made into a film by Spike Lee.
'Art Terry has a vivid element of meta-theatre as well as a broad sound palette, and he remains a genre of his own.' - Kevin LeGendre, BBC Radio 3
'An amazing album, jaw-dropping for its deceptive simplicity' - review of Art Terry's Sex Madness album in THE WIRE
