Background

Ampient is a collective of musicians in Knoxville, TN, creating musical conversations through improvised sounds.

Initially started as a sly nod to Brian Eno’s Music For Airports, Ampient founders Todd Steed and John Baker released Music For Bus Stations in 2006. The idea of live performance grew out of that album and more Knoxville musicians joined the fold.

Foreground

Ampient returned to the Big Ears Festival on 29 Mar & 30 Mar 2014, with midday Ampient Café performances at Old City Java. Performances took place from 1-3pm on Saturday 29 Mar and 12-2pm on Sunday 30 Mar.

Releases

Music4 Projec (2013)

5 of the Ampient collective offer an update on Mr. E's concept of musical support for the everyday mundrone.

Knoxville is Ampient (2009)

The collaboration/compilation that started it all.

More releases by Ampient artists

Todd Steed and the Orchestra of pHere / Music for Laundromats (2013)

Field Effect / Songs From An Open Field (2013)

Unmind Institute For Positive Waves / UNMIND: A Solution For Modern Life (2010)

Field Effect / Re[dis]covery Loops (2010)

Carl Snow / Bitmapping (2010)

John T Baker / Ohm (2009)

Todd Steed & John T. Baker / Music for Bus Stations (2005)

Artists

Present and past performers/collaborators include:

B.J. Alumbaugh
Toby Applegate
John T. Baker
Adrian Belew
Jason Bowman
Dugan Broadhurst
Doug Campbell
Bob Deck
Travis Gray
Scott Heiskell
Greg Horne
Matt Klimas
Eric Lee
George Middlebrooks
Cecilia Miller
John Phillips
Jim Rivers
Daniel Scott
Carl Snow
Todd Steed
Kukuly Uriarte
Jesse Wagner

Booking

For booking and all other inquiries, email ask[at]ampient.com.
Not all members are available at all times, but you’ll probably like what you get.