Photo: Schorle / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Marc Ribot is the secret weapon on an astonishing number of records I love, and his angular, deliberately ragged guitar sound is instantly recognizable. His playing on Tom Waits albums like Rain Dogs is foundational, all rust and tension, the sonic equivalent of a streetlight flickering in an alley. What I admire most is his refusal to be a tasteful session pro; he brings genuine danger and noise even to song-form settings. From his Cuban tribute band Los Cubanos Postizos to the punk-jazz fury of Ceramic Dog, he keeps reinventing what a guitar can do. He is also a vocal advocate for musicians' rights, which makes me respect him beyond the fretboard.
Overview
Marc Ribot (born 1954 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American guitarist known for his distinctive work across jazz, rock, avant-garde and experimental music. He is celebrated as a frequent collaborator with Tom Waits, appearing on landmark albums such as Rain Dogs, and has worked with Elvis Costello, John Zorn and many others. He also leads his own projects, including the bands Los Cubanos Postizos and Ceramic Dog.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Marc Ribot
- Name (Japanese)
- マーク・リボー
- Reading
- まーく・りぼー
- Born
- May 21, 1954 (age 72)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Horse
- Origin
- Newark, New Jersey, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- Guitarist / Banjo player / Jazz musician / Jazz guitarist / Musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Guitarist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.