Sally Gates is a musician, composer, and visual artist from New Zealand, currently based in New York. Her music and paintings channel the realms of Surrealism, quantum physics, and science-fiction, reflecting the hallucinatory nature of perception.

Her avant-rock quartet, Titan to Tachyons released their second album, Vonals, through John Zorn’s Tzadik records late 2022. Received to excellent critical acclaim, Vonals was said to “harness virtuosity...with an enticingly organic fluidity” by The Wire. 

The band toured internationally in support of the album, including appearances at Big Ears, Sarajevo Jazz Fest, and Phristina Jazz Festival, and a US tour supporting the Melvins and Napalm Death. 

Gates has released free-jazz albums on Intakt Records, Mahakala Music, and Riverworm Records, with collaborators such as Elliot Sharp, Trevor Dunn, and Greg Fox, and composed a score for the New Zealand short film, ‘Slasher DMC’. Her second residency at The Stone (Zorn curated) is set for February 2026, and includes improvisors Christian McBride, Alex Skolnick, Brian Chase, and others.
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A recipient of the 2022 Wellington Jazz Festival Composer Commission, Gates returned home to premiere her piece “Thought & Terraform” for solo guitar at the Wellington Opera House.

Before relocating to New York, Gates released original music with the Miami progressive-metal band Orbweaver, and toured throughout the US, Canada, and New Zealand with various acts.

Gates is endorsed by PRS Guitars, Orange Amps, and Asterope Cables.

EVENTS

Upcoming

01/12/26 - Nels Cline and Sally Gates duo at Sisters, Brooklyn, NY

Residency at The Stone at the New School, NYC:
02/04/26 - Sally Gates, Alex Zhang Hungtai, and Lesley Mok
02/05/26 - Alex Skolnick, Sally Gates, and Brian Chase
02/06/26 - Christian McBride, Carla Kihlstedt, Sally Gates, and Ches Smith
02/07/26 - Titan to Tachyons [Sally Gates, Matt Hollenberg, Kenny Grohowski]

Photos by David Avidan, Aaron Sarles, and THETINFOILBITER