David Rothenberg

David Rothenberg is an improvising composer and philosopher with numerous recordings, performances, and books to his credit. His 1995 record, On the Cliffs of the Heart, with percussionist Glen Velez and banjo player Graeme Boone, was released by New Tone Records. A few years earlier John Cage praised this trio’s "sense of virtuosity traveling all over the world." Jazziz named it one of the top ten releases of 1995. His 1997 record, Unamuno, blending improvised music with natural soundscapes, was featured on NPR, WDR German Radio Cologne, and Radio Mafia in Finland. In 1999 he released Bangalore Wild, a collaboration with the Karnataka College of Percussion in Bangalore, India, in collaboration with the WILD Foundation. In 2000 Before the War was released, a collaboration with natural sound artist Douglas Quin, from EarthEar Records in Santa Fe. It was cited as "a notable release" in Billboard, and The Guardian in Britain praised it as "genuine 21st century music." His most recent CD is Soo-Roo, featuring Estonian guitarist Robert Jürjendal and percussionist John Wieczorek.

Rothenberg has performed with Marilyn Crispell, Hamid Drake, Karl Berger, Barry Guy, and various cutting-edge music figures from South Africa to Norway including Ray Phiri and Jan Bang. Rothenberg is also co-editor of The Book of Music and Nature (2001), and he produced the accompaning compilation CD which includes the music of Pauline Oliveros, Brian Eno, Tuvan throatsingers and Australian butcherbirds. His book/CD memoir, Sudden Music: Improvisation, Art, Nature, came out in 2002.