Flotation Device bids farewell to Sonny Rollins (1930–2026) and Gunter Hampel (1937–2026), two tremendous improvisors whose discographies include collaborations with Max Roach, Jeanne Lee, Don Cherry, Anthony Braxton and even Hans Werner Henze—all heard in a selected survey of their most exploratory work. We also preview upcoming Northwest performances by the Wayne Horvitz Ensemble and Jason Kao Hwang’s Human Rites Trio, while our 50 years ago in the avant-garde feature revisits what might be Louis Andriessen’s finest composition. Patricia Kopatchinskaja offers premiere recordings of works by Márton Illés, while Sean Shibe does the same for Adès and Birtwistle. Joseph Branciforte and Jozef Dumoulin reclaim the Fender Rhodes as an experimental instrument, while our first dive into new retrospectives by Anders Hillborg, Denis Dufour and René Wohlhauser rounds out the proceedings. Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Mike Schell from 91.3 KBCS.
