2014: Henry Kaiser

Guitarist Henry Kaiser is a prolific member of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene, as well as being a globally recognized leader of the “second generation” of free improvisers who came of age in the ’70s. His initial recordings documented solo projects and spontaneous groupings with other energetic improvisers like Fred Frith, the ROVA Saxophone Quartet, pianist Greg Goodman, and vocalist Diamanda Galas. Kaiser’s restless creativity unearthed many new and unconventional electric guitar techniques.

The ’90s also saw Kaiser increase his profile through his successful collaborations with David Lindley and local musicians from both Madagascar and Norway. He was also involved with a number of recordings made in Burma, also for the Shanachie label. The late ’90s saw another stylistic shift, when Kaiser joined forces with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith for a tribute to the early-’70s sound of the electric Miles Davis bands. The project lasted for several years with a rotating lineup and produced several releases, including 1998’s Yo Miles! on Shanachie and a pair of mid-2000s releases on Cuneiform, Sky Garden and Upriver.

In late 2001/early 2002 Henry Kaiser joined a group of scientists for two and a half months in Antarctica, where he became the first musician to record on that continent.

A master of combining these innovations with a strong sense of logic and concise development, often aided by sophisticated sound-processing devices, Kaiser also collaborated on Richard Thompson’s original score to the 2005 Werner Herzog film Grizzly Man. Kaiser is also a noted underwater photographer and his photography has served as an inspiration for Herzog’s own film work, including Encounters at the End of the World (2007) where he co-composed and performed the music of its original score with David Lindley.

Artist (photo by Photographer)