Cleared is the duo of Steven Hess and Michael Vallera Cleared is the duo of percussionist Steven Hess and guitarist Michael Vallera.
Since 2009 the project has released a series of records on various labels and performed sparingly in North America. While their discography explores many facets and interpretations of minimalist composition and repetitive themes, at heart Cleared is centered on the construction of a language and structural system between two musicians concerned with patience and environmental sound. Currently arra
nging their first record in nearly three years, Cleared has begun playing once again in 2019 and will continue into the next decade with select performances and the release of new material. Steven Hess is a member of Locrian, RLYR, Innode, Slow Bell Trio, and Haptic. He has recorded and performed with such artists as Mark Nelson (Pan•American), Bobby Donne, Stefan Németh, Sylvain Chauveau (as On), David Daniell & Douglas McCombs, Fennesz, Dropp Ensemble, Boris Hauf, Jenks Miller (Horseback), and Mamiffer. Steven has recorded for Relapse, Type Records, Utech, Profound Lore, Kranky, Thrill Jockey, Entr’acte and The Flenser, to name a few. Michael Vallera is a musician and photographer who lives and works in Chicago. Prolific as both a solo artist and collaborator, he has released albums under his own name and as COIN (Opal Tapes), with percussionist Steven Hess as Cleared (Immune Recordings), and with Joseph Clayton Mills as Maar (Umor Rex, Entr’acte). He sings and plays guitar in the experimental rock group Luggage (Don Giovanni Records). An MFA graduate of School of the Art Institute of Chicago, his work has been exhibited in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and elsewhere.
