Joe Westerlund

Biography

Joe Westerlund is an American percussionist, composer, and improviser, born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and currently based in Durham, North Carolina. He began his musical journey as a child, playing with friends in bands that would later evolve into notable projects. Westerlund attended Bennington College, where he immersed himself in avant-garde jazz and classical music, studying percussion and improvisation with legendary figures such as Milford Graves, Anthony Coleman, and Kitty Brazelton. This formative period deeply shaped his approach to rhythm and composition, blending experimental techniques with a strong grounding in American roots music.[2][4]

Westerlund first gained recognition as a founding member of DeYarmond Edison, alongside Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), before forming the acclaimed folk-rock trio Megafaun. Megafaun toured extensively across the U.S. and Europe, earning praise for their adventurous spirit and creative vision. Westerlund's collaborative spirit led him to anchor acts like Watchhouse and The Dead Tongues, and to participate in projects such as Grandma Sparrow and Setting, an improvisational trio. In recent years, he has focused on solo work, releasing albums like 'Reveries in the Rift' (2020), 'Elegies for the Drift' (2023), and 'Curiosities from the Shift' (2025), which explore meditative, cinematic, and dance-oriented percussive textures.[1][3][4]

Westerlund's music is characterized by a deep curiosity for rhythm, especially the clave patterns found in Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz traditions. His compositions often blend experimental soundscapes with instinctual grooves, reflecting both joy and bittersweetness. Through his solo and collaborative projects, Westerlund has become a respected figure in contemporary experimental and folk music, known for his emotional depth, improvisational skill, and innovative approach to percussion.[1][4]

Fun Facts

• Westerlund recorded the sound of an air conditioner sighing in time with his music and incorporated it into a track as a tribute to Japanese experimentalist Ai (OLAibi).[1]
• He spent extra days alone at Sylvan Esso's studio in North Carolina, refining his solo compositions after a bandmate from Setting fell ill.[1]
• Westerlund's solo album 'Curiosities from the Shift' was partly inspired by rhythmic sketches he created for Califone's Tim Rutili during the COVID lockdown, which ultimately became the foundation for the album.[1][4]
• He describes his latest solo work as 'dance music,' a departure from his previous meditative and cinematic styles, influenced by his deep study of the clave rhythm.[4]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Milford Graves - Studied percussion and improvisation theory at Bennington College; Graves emphasized Afro-Cuban rhythms and clave. (Influence evident in solo albums and rhythmic approach.) [Early 2000s]
• Anthony Coleman - Studied contemporary composition at Bennington College. (Avant-garde influences in Westerlund's improvisational work.) [Early 2000s]
• Kitty Brazelton - Studied contemporary composition at Bennington College. (Experimental compositional techniques.) [Early 2000s]
• Brevan Hampden - Studied Latin jazz and clave history with Hampden at UNC. (Clave rhythms in 'Curiosities from the Shift'.) [Recent years]

Key Collaborators

• Justin Vernon - Bandmate in DeYarmond Edison. (DeYarmond Edison recordings.) [Early 2000s]
• Brad Cook and Phil Cook - Bandmates in Megafaun. (Megafaun albums and tours.) [2006-2016]
• Tim Rutili - Collaborated on sketches that inspired solo work; member of Califone. (Califone collaborations; inspiration for 'Curiosities from the Shift'.) [2010s-2020s]
• Jaime Fennelly and Nathan Bowles - Members of Setting, improvisational trio. (Setting trio albums.) [2020s]
• Trever Hagen - Electro-acoustic trumpet/drums duo. (Forthcoming debut record.) [2024-present]
• Matthew E. White - Producer for Grandma Sparrow project. (Grandma Sparrow and His Piddletractor Orchestra.) [2014]
• Sam Gendel - Contributed saxophone to solo recordings. (Curiosities from the Shift.) [2025]

Artists Influenced

• Ai (OLAibi) - Japanese experimentalist honored in Westerlund's compositions. (Elegy (for OLAibi) on 'Elegies for the Drift'.) [2023]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. “Heroes” (A Merge Group Plays "Heroes")
2. Tem (Tem)
3. Abdulmajid (A Merge Group Plays "Heroes")
4. Can Tangle (Can Tangle)
5. Tem (Can Tangle)
6. Wall of the Night - Intro (Vaggimal Sessions)
7. Beauty and the Beast (A Merge Group Plays "Heroes")
8. V-2 Schneider - Live (A Merge Group Plays "Heroes")
9. Slow Down Time (Vaggimal Sessions)
10. Shuffle (Vaggimal Sessions)

External Links

• Spotify