ICONOCLAST is a duo from New York City comprised of Julie Joslyn (alto saxophone, live electronics, violin, vocals) and Leo Ciesa (drums, percussion, keyboards, vocals). Ciesa and Joslyn have been composing and performing together since 1987 and have developed a bold and distinctive sound. ICONOCLAST's music and performance is known for its intensity, physicality and "larger than duo" impact. Acoustic and electronic sounds exist side by side as the music moves between improvisation and composition without stylistic limitation. As a review in Culture Catch states, “Falling in the cracks between genres, sounding like nobody else on the scene, Joslyn and Ciesa have carved out a brave niche for themselves as Iconoclast.” ICONOCLAST has performed extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Ciesa and Joslyn have performed at numerous renowned festivals, including the 2019 Jazz Od Nowa Festival in Torun, Poland; the Avantgarde Jazz Festival in Imola, Italy; Audio Art Festival in Krakow, Poland; Sziget Festival in Budapest, Hungary; International Ring Ring Festival in Belgrade, Serbia; Pohyb-Zvuk-Prostor Festival in the Czech Republic; Il Festiwal Muzyka z Mozgu in Bydgoszcz, Poland; Interzone International Festival in Novi Sad, Serbia; The Humanisticni Maraton in Slovenia; For Openers at The Music Gallery in Toronto, Canada; Music With a View, The DUMBO Arts Festival, Festival of Women Improvisers, and NYU Independent Music Fest in New York City. The duo performed regularly at the now legendary New York clubs CBGB and the original Knitting Factory. ICONOCLAST has been featured on various radio and television programs worldwide. Joslyn and Ciesa have done numerous radio and television interviews as well as live on-the-air concerts including WFMU, WBAI and TV Metropolis (Belgrade). ICONOCLAST is one of the artists featured in William Hooker’s groundbreaking film “The Lost Generation: Outside the Mainstream.” The film premiered at The Vision Festival 2022 in NYC. ICONOCLAST composed and performed the title theme music for the cable television series "Labor at the Crossroads," and has been featured on the TV series "Welcome to Nocturnia (The Art World)." The duo composed and performed the music for the documentary film Savage Acts: Wars, Fairs and Empire" and the website "The Lost Museum" (American Social History Productions, Inc.). ICONOCLAST's music provides the soundtrack for the short films "The Bench" (Poland, 2010) and "Con gli occhi di domani"/"With Tomorrow's Eyes" (Italy, 2006). ICONOCLAST contributed compositions to the compilation CDs "¿Quién puede matar a un niño?" (Gyaling Records, 2025, Nepal), "ARRGGGHHHH!!!!! Antonio Murga and Friends (un alegato sonoro sobre los actuales insidias en Argentina" (Hamfuggi Records, 2024, Spain), "The NYFA Collection: 25 Years of New York New Music" (Innova, 2010), and "Transforms: The Nerve Events Project" (Cuneiform, 1993). ICONOCLAST contributed music to Antonio Murga's project "Milagros Santánicos II: Antonio Murga and Friends" (Hamfuggi Records, 2023, Spain). The duo has collaborated and performed with noted Polish poet Andrzej Dorobek. Ciesa and Joslyn have received grants from Meet the Composer and from Arts International: The Fund for U.S. Artists at International Festivals and Exhibitions, and are recipients of Artist's Fellowships in Music Composition from the New York Foundation for the Arts. ICONOCLAST's CDs "Demolition of Wisdom" (2022), "Driven to Defiance" (2017), "Naked Rapture" (2014), "Dirty Jazz" (2010), "The Body Never Lies" (2006), "The Dreadful Dance" (2005), "Paradise" (2000), "Blood is Red" (1995), "The Speed of Desire" (1992), and "City of Temptation" (1990), all on Fang Records, as well as "In the Vodka Garden" (2005) on the Russian label Record One, and the cassette "Sins of New York" (1989), have been enthusiastically reviewed in publications such as The Village Voice, All About Jazz, Cadence, Jazzwise (UK),Impro Jazz (France), Batteur (France), Jazz Forum (Poland), Tone Clusters, EAR, Creem, Option, New York Review of Records, Toronto Eye Weekly, The Gazette (Canada), The London Free Press, Margen (Spain), Il Manifesto (Italy), La Republica (Italy), Rumore (Italy), Rockstar (Italy), Music Club (Italy), Informator "ARS" 2 (Poland), Dziennik Polski (Poland), Afisha (Russia), All About Jazz–Italia, and Blow Up (Italy).

LEO CIESA (Drums, percussion, keyboards, vocals) is based in New York City. In addition to ICONOCLAST he has a solo project with which he released the CD "Coat of Arms – Music for Solo Drumset" (Soundyard). He is also a member of the octet Doctor Nerve with which he has performed at renowned festivals such as Moers Jazzfestival (Germany), FIMAV (Canada), Mimi (France), etc. He is on the Doctor Nerve recordings "Loud," "The Gift of Shame", "The Monkey Farm" (Punos Music), "Ereia," "Every Screaming Ear," "Skin," "Beta 14 OK," "Did Sprinting Die" (Cuneiform Records), and on "Live at the Knitting Factory, Vol. 3" (A&M Records). He is also on Micro-East Collective's CD "Out of My Face" (Umbrella) and Larry Polansky's "Change" (Artifact). Leo Ciesa also teaches drums. He has an endorsement with Promark drum sticks. More information on his website. JULIE JOSLYN (Alto saxophone, live electronics, violin, vocals) is a native New Yorker. She is the co-founder of the avantjazz duo, ICONOCLAST. Joslyn has played with the Indian-influenced rock quintet Church of Betty, and can be heard on MacLean and Ponomarenko's album "Music Without Computers" and as guest screamer on Doctor Nerve's "Skin." Joslyn studied for a number of years with soprano saxophonist and composer Jane Ira Bloom. In addition, she is a practicing psychoanalyst and painter.