Marc Ribot: Map of a Blue City

The New York Times describes Mark Ribot as “a deceptively articulate artist who uses inarticulateness as an expressive device.” Over 40 years, 25 albums, and numerous collaborations, he’s explored everything from the pioneering jazz of Albert Ayler to the Cuban son of Arsenio Rodriguez. His first collection of writings, “Unstrung: Rants & Stories of a Noise Guitarist” (2021) has been translated into French and Italian, with more to come. His 2025 album, the long-awaited, 30 years in the making Map of a Blue City, features Ribot’s imaginative playing and leads to what may be his definitive statement as an instrumentalist, as a songwriter, and even as a singer.