Jef Bek has spent the majority of his musical career composing and performing live interactive original music for theatrical productions. A multiple award winning multi-instrumentalist, his main instruments are keyboards and drums.

1988

Jef is an original member of John Cusack’s New Crime Productions. Their first production: ALAGAZAM…AFTER THE DOG WARS by Tim Robbins and Adam Simon at Blind Parrot Theatre, was the first original theatrical production of Jef’s career. • Later that year, Jef was recruited by Byrne Piven to compose music for a post-nuclear production of MACBETH at The Piven Theatre. The production starred Harry J. Lennox, Jeremy Piven, and Hope Davis.

1989

Jef served as Composer/Musical Director for New Crime Production’s METHUSALEM directed by John Cusack. Jef won a Joseph Jefferson Award for his Musical Direction and was nominated for a Joseph Jefferson Award for his Original Music. • That same year Jef provided original music for The Looking Glass Theatre Co.’s LOOKING GLASS OPERA (which included David Schwimmer of FRIENDS as a dead guy on a gurney).

1990

New Crime Production’s took on MARAT-SADE at The Blue Rider Theatre • Bek provided live original music for Odds Blood Theatre Company’s GLORY HOLE featuring Charles Pike and Scott Baker at The Prop Theatre • A ROOM FOREVER at The Piven Theatre • New Crime Production’s THE PORCH SHOW at The Blue Rider Theatre.

1991

Jef provided live piano accompaniment for his original score of Anaïs Nin’s EROTICA/LITTLE BIRDS at The Organic Theatre. • New Crime Production’s adapted Hunter S. Thompson’s FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS at the Chopin Theatre directed by John Cusack and Steve Pink. Bek provided Musical Direction and an original score performed by a live rock band with Bek on drums and keyboards. • Bek also provided Live Original Music and Sound Design for ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SUICIDE (A STUDY OF VINCENT VAN GOGH) featuring Charles Pike for Odds Blood Theatre Co. at The Blue Rider Theatre • Sound Design for Piven Theatre’s AMERICAN VOICES at The Next Theatre. • Bek released a CD of original material titled ONE F NO C.

1992

Bek performed Original Music for THE HYPOCHONDRIAC starring Jeremy Piven at The Live Bait Theatre. • UNAUTHORIZED BECKETT and SAM I AM for Odds Blood Theatre Company at The Prop Theatre. • Bek was invited by Richard Cotovsky of Mary-Arrchie Theatre to co-direct Bertolt Brecht’s THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURU UI in 1992. Bek wrote and performed live original music as well as directed the 23 person cast in the New Crime Production’s style of Commedia del Arte.

1993

Bek directed DIRTY HANDS at Angel Island Theatre. The production made the list of The Best Three Productions of 1993 by The Chicago Reader. • Bek provided Original Music and Sound Design for Odds Blood Theatre’s JUNGLE OF TONGUES at The Prop Theatre featuring Charles Pike and Scott Baker. • New Crime Production’s MEET THE PRESIDENT at Urbis Orbis Theatre. • Stage Left Theatre’s SUNKEN LAND and Stage Left Theatre’s production of DAPPLES AND GREYS at The Organic Theatre.

1994

Bek provided live original music for the American Premiere of Steppenwolf Theatre’s A CLOCKWORK ORANGE directed by Terry Kinney (OZ). • New Crime Production’s HEART OF A DOG directed by Jeremy Piven at Famous Door Theatre. • Bek also wrote a Musical called WILHELM REICH IN HELL directed by Charles Harper (who also asked Bek to Direct Commedia del Arte workshops for the cast) at The Straw Dog Theatre. • Sound Designer/Composer for BORN GUILTY directed by Shira Piven at A Red Orchid Theatre. • Stage Left Theatre’s Production of ESCAPE FROM HAPPINESS at The American Blues Theatre. • SEVEN STORIES at A Red Orchid Theatre.

1995

Bek provided Sound Design for Mary-Archie Theatre Co’s Production of CEMENTVILLE at Angel Island Theatre. • Bek moved to Los Angeles and headed to Tim Robbins’ Actor’s Gang and performed Live Original Music for THE WORLD OF WRESTLING directed by Jason Reed featuring Jon Favreau. • Scored the film ELECTION DAY written and directed by Michael Spielberg.

1996

Bek provided Sound Design for I’M DREAMING OR AM I? at The Evidence Room before being invited to go on tour playing drums for The Broadway Production of THE WHO’S TOMMY which toured North America and Canada.

1997

Bek provided Original Music and Sound Design as well as co-directed FUN WITH DICK AND PERRY written by Charles Pike at The Evidence Room. • Bertolt Brecht’s DRUMS IN THE NIGHT directed by Jon Kellam at The Wolfskill Theatre. Bek had worked with Kellam back in the New Crime days and together with a handful of like-minded artists they formed Zoo District Theatre Company. Their first production was THE DESCENT at Studio Nine.

1998

Zoo District presented METALUNA AND THE AMAZING SCIENCE OF THE MIND REVIEW and THE FACE OF EVIL at Art Share Los Angeles. • Bek was then invited by Charles Harper to perform original music and direct a Commedia del Arte workshop for The Black Box International Theatre Company’s production of QUILLS at the Cirnoherny Club Theatre in Prague, Czech Republic and Friends of the Italian Opera Theatre in Berlin, Germany. • Released a CD with the band MISTRESS OF THE POPE.

1999

Bek provided Sound Design for Zoo District’s production of Tennessee Williams’ TWO CHARACTER PLAY and performed live Original Music for Zoo District’s SCENES FROM AN EXECUTION for which Bek won an L.A Weekly Award for Original Music. • Zoo District Theatre created an original theatrical piece: NOSFERATU…ANGEL OF THE FINAL HOUR. Bek was granted an Ovation Award for Sound Design and Garland Awards for Original Music and Musical Direction. During the production, Bek was invited to teach Commedia del Arte in Rome, Italy to 150 students from 15 countries at The International Schools Theatre Association Festival.

2000

Zoo District presented Mikhail Bulgakov’s THE MASTER AND MARGARITA directed by Loren Rubin at Art Share Los Angeles and The Hudson Theatre. Bek won an L.A. Weekly Award and a Garland Award for his Original Music. • Zoo District presented PATHE-X at The Lillian Theatre, a play written by Zoo District member, Ricardo Zeger, inspired by Salvador Dali. Bek won an Ovation Award for his Original Music.

2001

Zoo District presented THE SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH OF SAM SHEPARD by Jeffrey Dorchen, directed by Bill Cusack at Sacred Fools Theatre. Bek’s Sound Design was nominated for an Ovation Award. • Zoo District then remounted NOSFERATU at The Evidence Room. • Scored the film WHO SLEW SIMON THADDEUS MULBERRY PEW? written and directed by Joe Jordan • Bek began writing the music, lyrics and book for EVEL KNIEVEL THE ROCK OPERA.

2002

Bek provided Sound Design for The Geffen Playhouse’s UNDER THE BLUE SKY directed by Gilbert Cates (a record 14-time Academy Award Producer). • Bek also provided original music and Sound Design for Cornerstone Theatre’s production of MARY SHELLY’S SANTA CLAUSE at the Furious Theatre. • Sound Design for NIGHTMARE ON PUBERTY STREET produced by The Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Department as a North American touring production. • Sacred Fools Theatre’s production of THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH for which Bek was nominated for an L.A. Weekly Award for Sound Design.

2003

Bek signed an exclusive contract with Evel Knievel to write and produce a rock opera based on his life.

2005

Bek served as an adjunct professor teaching Interactive Sound Design at the University of Southern California.

2007

EVEL KNIEVEL THE ROCK OPERA by Jef Bek received its World Premiere at The Bootleg Theatre. The show received rave reviews and was nominated for Musical of the Year by the L.A. Weekly.

2011

Bek returned to Tim Robbins’ Actors Gang to perform live original music for TARTUFFE directed by Jon Kellem. • At various times from 2010 to 2014, Jef performed live original music for ongoing instillations of KHARMFUL CHARMS OF DANIIL KHARMS with ARTEL (American Russian Theatre Ensemble Laboratory). The shows were a collection of vignettes derived from Soviet-era Russian writer Daniil Kharms’ poetry.

2016

Jef teamed up with Brian Powell (of New Crime Productions) and his wife Gina Powell to create an original theatre company called Citizen Change Theatre. Their first production was LANGUAGE OF THE HEART and Jef contributed to the writing for their follow-up original production of WHAT THE FRACK HAPPENED.

2023

Released the album DISTANT STARLIGHT to rave reviews and world wide airplay. Began hosting a radio show called THE PROPER PROGGY PROG SHOW which airs on THE MORNING BREEZE/PLANETARY JAM, KTAL-LP 101.5 FM and EPIC PROG RADIO.

2024

DISTANT STARLIGHT receives a 2024 Album of the Year Award by FRIDAY NIGHT PROGRESSIVE. The Proper Proggy Prog Show airs weekly on PROGROCK.COM (continues on EPIC PROG RADIO and KTAL-LP 101.5 FM)