Ever-active bassist Pascal Niggenkemper in his first solo album of riveting and intriguing double bass work, from aggressive to contemplative and immersive improvisations using work using bass preparations to transform the instrument and make us rethink its potential.

A beautiful and evocative song cycle that meditates on themes of destruction and rebuilding, migration, falsities and undeniable truths performed with the Toomai String Quartet, and Mary Halvorson, Tomas Fujiwara and Emily Manzo.

The Bozzini string quartet working with the melodic and unique universe of Toronto-based composer and performer Martin Arnold, whose roots are in the music of avant and improvisational work.

Premiered by the Bozzini Quartet at Berlin's Ballhaus Naunynstrasze, this haunting work was composed for temporal and architechtural space using unusual tuning systems producing natural harmonics.

Horatiu Radulescu's String Quartet No 4, opus 33 (1976-87) performed by the Arditti String Quartett at IRCAM/Centre Pompidou Paris in 1996.

Portugese harpist Eduardo Raon uses harp, daxophone, electronics, voice & percussion to create dramatic music that applies his classical training to improvisational methods, using real-time electronic processing to create encompassing yet intricate and unusual sonic environments.

Composer/performer/instrument builder Elliott Sharp's 2nd in a series of complete string quartets, inventive works blending computer science, fractals, improvisation and mathematics.

Soprano saxophonist Shibolet performing solo and with the Between the Strings trio (JC Jones, Daniel Hofman, Nori Jacoby) live at the Tel Aviv Museum in 2006.

Philipp Wachsmann, Charlotte Hug, Marcio Mattos & John Edwards performing live at the Uncool Festival in Switzerland, 2007, and in studio recordings from 2006.

Pianist Aki Takase's Planet Quartet ensemble with clarinetist Louis Sclavis, Dominique Pifarely on violin and Vincent Courtois on cello, a beautiful blend of improvisation and composed work that plays with time, space and sound.

Ullman's composition of subtle gradations in sound performed very softly forcing the ear to notice the smallest variations, as realized by the string trio Ensemble Oriol Berline.

Electronics artist Watkins wrote this piece for resonant spaces, interactive electronics, audience participation & string quartet, here in a special version tuning each string to an odd partial of 60Hz.

A portrait of Christian Wolff, documenting the composer's early activity through recordings made close to the time of their composition from artists including Cornelius Cardew, Frederic Rzewski, David Tudor, &c.

Xu Fengxia traditional Sanxian & Guzheng player and free vocalist in duo with drummer/percussionist Lucas Niggli for suspenseful cross-cultural improvisations.

Portuguese violinist Carlos "Zingaro" in a string trio work committed to reinventing chamber music through improvisation that bridges contemporary classical music.

The 16th release in John Zorn's series "The Book of Angels" reworking the Masada songbook, here with the Masada String Trio of Greg Cohen, Mark Feldman, and Erik Friedlander.

Revised version of this 2001 chamber work inspired by the remarkable worlds of Henry Darger, Lewis Carroll and Unica Zurn, remastered and resequenced with a new postlude.

Three young virtuoso violinists perform two new major works by John Zorn - "Passagen" and "Ceremonial Magic" (reworked from his Rimbaud release) and a set of 12 miniatures for two violins, "Apophthegms".

3 pieces of magic and religious mysticism: a string trio-satanic counterpoint for the Witches' Sabbath written for the ICE Ensemble; a work for Shakespeare's "The Tempest"; and Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble performing Zorn's mini piano concerto.

Three compositional works from Zorn: 1999's violin concerto "Contes de Faes"; and two intense pieces of "Crowleana", a bizarre and expansive solo piano piece and a work for 3 cellists.

A beautiful solo album from Montreal/Brooklyn trumpeter Philippe Battikha, who also developed the field recordings over which he plays, joined on two tracks by double bassist Johan Fortune, in a melancholy and haunting album of emotionally rich soundscapes.

The quartet of Cosottini, Melano, Pisani, Miano (EAQuartet Electroacoustic) in compositions referring to the 4 cardinal map points using graphic scores, games, open readings, &c.

Legendary trumpeter, composer and educator Bill Dixon in a 17 piece orchestra playing original compositions live at the 12th Vision Festival in New York City.

Great duo set from bassist Dresser and "hyperpiano" (read: heavily prepared) player Maroney.

Beautiful string work and lovely and unusual vocals from the duo of Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone, music of "stark clarity and introspection."

A solo work from Pierre-Yves Martel performing two works for the viola da gamba, bringing this fretted renaissance-era ancestor to the violin into the 21st century through two slowly evolving and sonically fascinating pieces.

The duo of cellist Anil Eraslan and contrabassist John Lindberg in a "rollicking adventure of sound explosions and subtle sensibilities, ragged expressionism and multi-faceted surprises and shockers. All from simple raw unfettered wood, strings, bow hairs, and flesh."

Two string masters--Mat Maneri on viola and Daniel Levin on cello--recording at The Village in Copenhagen, Denmark in an album titled for psychologist and philosopher Carl Jung, reflecting the balance between intuitive spontaneity and pre-established conditions.

For her second solo album, Charlotte Hug concentrates on solo viola without any electronics in a series of pieces inspired by a then-recent visit to London, showing her strong musical personality and original extended techniques in a solo recital unlike any other.

Deining, meaning "heave" or "commotion", is a long composition from the duo of Rutger Zuydervelt on sine tones and violinist Anne Bakker, who bows each string, sliding slowly from the lowest note to the highest and in reverse, creating an hallucination of shifting tones.

Acoustic hallucinations for violin and piano from the duo of violinist Erkki Veltheim and pianist Anthony Pateras, exploring spectral techniques throughout extended temporal structures to generate unrelenting harmonic waves that create a singular psycho-harmonic texture.

Two albums together. "Carrousel": The Paris based Theo Ceccaldi Trio crosses improv with chamber music in a string trio of lyrical, subtle and advanced improvisation. "Can You Smile": Ceccarelli expands his trio with bassist/free vocalist Joelle Leandre for rich, interactive improvisation.

Ivo Perelman pays tribute to Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos through free improvisation, enlisting two violists--Mat Maneri and Tanya Kalmanovitch-for a uniquely orchestrated set of recordings with Perelman emulating and complementing the strings in engaging ways.

An excellent quartet of 4 female improvisers creating mysterious landscapes, bizarre spaces and surprising topography using dual pianos, flute, melodica, trombone & alphorn.

An engaging encounter between bassist Leandre and pianist Sirjacq, delicate yet intense interaction from two sophisticated & listening players from different generations.

Quartetski Does Stravinsky with drummer Isaiah Ceccarelli, guitarist Bernard Falaise, reedist Phillipe Lauzier, viole de gamaba player Pierre-Yves Martel and violinist Joshua Zubot reinterpret Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in honor of its 100th anniversary.

Geographic improvisations from this trio of string and percussion players, with each track named by location and distance between Montreal and Chelsea, Ontario.

Harpist Gabriele Emde began performing contemporary music by exceptional 20th century artists in the early 80s; in this collection recorded from 1985 to 1987 she presents one of Cage's "Landscape" pieces, a major work by Hans Otte, and several short pieces by Lou Harrison.

An album of beautiful and impressionist musical landscapes: 3 large works in several movements drawing on mythology, visual imagery, and a work for Charles Jencks Garden of Cosmic Speculation.

Composer Jurg Frey's 1988 work "String Quartet" realized by Nadia Francavilla, Clemens Merkel, Stephanie Bozzini and Isabelle Bozzini, exploring ideas of audibility: the moment when sound waves move in space and the air touches the body.

Since 2012 the free improvising duo of vocalist Geraldine Eguiluz and double bassist Stephane Diamantakiou have worked together, taking themes from the jazz songbook as a starting point for free form improvisations of a fragile and unpredictable nature.

Two works from composer Frey performed by Montreal's string ensemble Quatuor Bozzini: "String Quartet No. 3", a minimal work of colors, sensations, shadows, durations; and "Unhorbare Zeit" exploring durations without sound, or empty volumes, to achieve lucidity and transparency.

Drummer Barry Altschul joins saxophonist Jon Irabagon and bassist Peter Brendler in an incredible trio of free improvisation and hard playing that's not afraid to put a little cheesecake on the cover.

Two string players who have developed distinctive improvisation styles--cellist Okkyung Lee and guitarist Bil Orcutt--meet for their first encounter at London's Cafe Oto, for an exultant and sophisticated duo showing intense skill and strong conversational powers.

A solid solo outing from Zurich-based double bassist Friodlin, presenting his 4-part "Camping; Cafe Bar" work, blending the jazz idiom with discursive asides and unusual techniques, plus a lovely and appropriately titled work "But Beautiful".

The duo of Johannes Nastesjo on double bass and Vasco Trilla on drums and percussion, an album of extended techniques and unexpected devising, using quietly aggressive techniques balanced by concentrative improv to create unexpected eruptions and unusual sonic environments.

Unusual approaches to string improvisation from the quartet of Ernesto Rodrigues (viola), Guilherme Rodrigues (cello), Maria da Rocha (violin), and Miguel Mira (double bass), using extended techniques in subtle yet detailed discourse yielding unexpected qualities to their instruments.

Recorded live at the Huddersfield Festival of Contemporary Music in 2006, this is the 3rd and final volume of works by Morton Feldman performed by the Smith Quartet with John Tilbury on piano, recorded in high quality DVD audio and with extensive liner notes by Tilbury.

Using viola, effects, and on one track, voice, New York improviser and Anthony Braxton ensemble member Jessica Pavone presents a uniquely voiced solo album, approaching the instrument through simple means that become increasingly twisted and unforseen as they advance.

A most unusual trio: actually a quartet, this Polish/Ukraine group has three strings (violin, cello, contrabass) with modular synth and electronics reinforcing their sound, less EA than chamber jazz with fascinating orchestration and wonderful harmonic and melodic invention.

A live recording at the Jazzfest Trondheim, Trondelag Senter for Samtidskunst, in May 2015 from the freely improvising duo of John Butcher and contrabassist Michael Duch, a superb extended concert of incredible reed technique and concept anchored by Duch's flexible bass work.

Madrid multi-instrumentalist and cross media artist Edith Alonso in an album of prepared solo electric bass improvisations, a four part work of muscular and shadowy sound, dark vibrations with crepitating edges making a sinister and cathartic dungeon of sound.

Double-bassist Carlo Costa, originally from the Canary Islands and who has worked with Tim Berne, Tomas Fujiwara, Ingar Zach, Wade Matthews, &c. in a solo album of solid and unusual bass technique including plucking, bowing and scraping, in his 9-part series of "Doors".

Violinist Clemens Merkel interprets compositions by Wolfgang von Schweinitz's "Sonata for Violine Solo"; Antonie Beuger's "Unwritten Page"; Bruno Madema's "Piece Pour Ivry"; and Thomas Stiegler's cycle "Kammerkomplex" ("quasi una fantasia", "gran partita" and "sonata facile").

A superb program of string trios from minimalist composers Beat Keller, Tom Johnson, and Joseph Kudirka, from cinematic to spacious sound work, as realized by the trio of Julia Schwob on violin, David Schnee on viola, and Nicola Romano on cello.

A beautifully dramatic album from the trio of electronic artist Rutger Zydervelt (Machinefabriek), violinist Anne Bakker, and vocalist Edita Karkoschka, a sculpted work full of dramatic turns, immersive drones, glitchy electronics and intimate gestures.

(Reissued on Not Two) Solo viola and double bass compositions from Voivodina Hungarian composer, violinist, viola player, and double bass player Szilárd Mezei.

The Quatuor Bozzini string quartet dedicate this double CD to emerging artists in a collection of miniatures written in 2011 by emerging composers for the QB's annual Composer's Kitchen event.

The title reflecting violinist Angharad Davies' Welsh Roots, this duo with inside pianist Tisha Mukarji furthers the collaborations of these improvisers, recording in St Catherine's Church in South London, using the acoustics of the space to shape the form of their music.

A joint composition for violin and double bass, developed over six months in 2015 by violinist and Wandelweiser composer Johnny Chang with bassist Mike Majkowski, a fragile and beautifully revealing work in 5 parts that moves slowly through subtle harmonic changes.

Canadian composer Linda Catlin Smith's extended composition for violin and percussion in 15 parts, performed by percussionist Simon Limbrick and violinist Mira Benjamin, a unique orchestration that reveals a journey of steady pace, tension and beauty.

Instant compositions on from Nicola L. Hein on guitar and Mia Zabelka on violin, both versed in soundscape and sonic sculptures, using extended techniques to create dense but dynamic sonic landscapes with significant room for silence.

Solo viola and double bass compositions from Voivodina Hungarian composer, violinist, viola player, and double bass player Szilárd Mezei.

A wild and exciting duo between cellist Okkyung Lee and legendary turntable improviser Christian Marclay performing live at London's Cafe Oto for a single long track that runs through an astonishing dynamic of invention and atmospheres in a gripping and spellbinding set.

Two works from two distinctive composers from different periods--Jurg Frey and Luigi Nono--both for two violins, Frey using the two violins in parallel to emphasize their distinction; Nono using powerful gestures of divergence and contrast in a dream-like duo.

Emilie Girard-Charest is a Montreal cellist, composer and improviser, here presenting 5 works, one of her own and 4 from Fredrik Gran, Sergio Castrillon, Maxime Corbeil-Perron and Joane Hetu, using extreme techniques and electroacoustic accompaniment in both joyful and terrifying ways.

Montreal's Quatuor Bozzini string quartet worked with composer Christopher Butterfield, who wrote two of these pieces ("Trip" and "Fall") specifically for QB, alongside three other works from 20 years of composing that use unusual instructions and scores for the performers.

A powerfully dense work, and a quiet and quirky piece for piano from pianist Demmier, whose song titles are quotations from the poem "One Island" by Robert Lax.

Heard in our catalog on albums from Improvising Beings and Another Timbre, here we have a stunning solo album of improvised violin from Viennese violinist Irene Kepl, showing a great range of style and technique while keeping the music playful and interesting, invoking a quote from Trisha Brown: "Dancing on the edge is the only place to be."

Synth improviser Jean-Marc Foussat and double bassist Fred Marty join their names and playing together for an absolutely impressive album of exploratory improv, Foussat taking their music into hallucinatory territories while Marty provides both a solid anchor and flights of textural nuance; supberb.

A live performance at Judson Church in Manhattan as part of the 20th Vision Festival from the NY/France free improvising trio of Joelle Leandre on double bass, Mat Maneri on viola, and Gerald Cleaver on drums and percussion, two tracks of steadily building, incredibly compatible dialog.

Ensemble InterContemporain is viola player Garth Knox's string and percussion performance group, here called upon by John Zorn to present new interpretations of his "Book of Angels" Masada compositions, in nine magnificent recordings of great depth and intimacy.