Ned Rothenberg

Though he emerged largely from the jazz crucible of New York’s downtown scene, Ned Rothenberg’s name is not as familiar as his colleagues John Zorn and Marc Ribot. But Rothenberg's body of work stretches out long and lean, like the slender reed instruments he commands. Alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, and shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute, all play a role in his repertoire, starting with his earliest recordings and collaborations going back to 1978. Rothenberg thrives as a soloist, a collaborator in communicative interplay with other master improvisers (notable examples include Evan Parker and Elliott Sharp), and as a classical composer.

New proof: This spring, he has two new records coming out on Tzadik, Zorn's label.  Ryo Nashi is a solo album exploring the ancient shakuhachi, echoing its history and taking it new places. Quintet for Clarinet and Strings bridges classical composition with his own polyphonics and microtonal playing techniques.

In the spectrum of free improvisation, players like Rothenberg, who bring to bear new languages on their instruments, luminesce like a beacon unaware of time. About 30 years ago, he was awash among a effervescent jazz scene finding new paths; today, his work is as fresh as any neophyte jazz gypsy, wandering down an uncertain road towards new music. —Chris Toenes