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Henry Kuntz

Henry Kuntz has been intimately involved in free jazz and free improvisation for more than 30 years. From 1973 to 1979, he was editor and publisher of the internationally - acclaimed newsletter - review BELLS. He first recorded on tenor saxophone in 1977 on Henry Kaiser’s Ice Death. He has played musette and various flutes since 1981, miniature violins since 1983, gamelan and xylophones since 1988, and rhaita since1999. On Humming Bird Records, he has released 2 LPs, 16 cassettes, and 8 CDs of solo, group, and multi-tracked free improvisations.

HUMMING BIRDs Earth Series Cassettes presents indigenous music recorded by Henry in Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, and Bali & Java (Indonesia). These musics, along with Native American and other world musics, Henry has made additional music and dance explorations to Ecuador, Nepal, Thailand, Morocco, and Sumatra (Indonesia)... have very much affected his overall musical concept.

In 1986 - drawing on aspects of music, dance, performance, and ritual - he formed the “avant-shamanic trance jazz” group Opeye. He has performed with Moe Staino’s MOE!kestra and has collaborated on various projects with edgy drone master Robert Horton.

Jazz writer John Litweiler, in his book The Freedom Principle, singles out Henry as one of a number of independent multi-instrumentalists who are extending free-form musical concepts begun by musicians of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Music (AACM) in Chicago in the 1960s and by the many free-wheeling English and European improvisors who burst on the scene in the 1970s.

His music has been favorably reviewed in various print and online publications, including Jazz Journal International, Cadence, The Improvisor, All About Jazz, One Final Note, Musings, New Creative Music, and Penguin Guide to Jazz.

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Recording

Henry Kuntz: "Double Vision" (Humming Bird, 13) -- Free Download!

Henry Kuntz: "Double Vision" (Humming Bird, 13) -- Free Download!

Source: Henry Kuntz

Double Vision is the third Humming Bird release that actively attempts to extend the formal parameters of free jazz improvisation. The first recordings were Envision New Music and Envision Ensemble Live At Berkeley Arts Festival. The surface of this music will not feel unfamiliar, but the thinking behind it is different; the assumptions underlying it different. Taking off from the idea of “festival form”, the music embodies a kind of meta-archetype. It is less a confluence of interests, musical or ...

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Recording

Henry Kuntz: Classic OPEYE: 2 Discs: Free Downloads!

Henry Kuntz: Classic OPEYE: 2 Discs: Free Downloads!

Source: Henry Kuntz

Silk! is a companion release to Moss 'Comes Silk (Humming Bird CD 1). It was recorded by engineer Myles Boisen the same two days in September 1995 as the earlier release. It is the only time all of the instruments OPEYE was using in performance were individually miked and recorded in a studio setting. The music is a perfect complement to that on Moss 'Comes Silk. The flavors of Silk! are more subtle, more understated, but the multi-independent musical form ...

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Recording

Henry Kuntz "Sonic Flares" Free CD Download

Henry Kuntz "Sonic Flares" Free CD Download

Source: Henry Kuntz

A FREE MP3 Download of my New Release... SONIC FLARES is available on my website SAX & STORIES 1. SONIC FLARES (19:11) Solo Tenor Saxophone Live at Beanbenders, Berkeley, CA October 4, 1998 2. 6 TRACK ANGELS (20:12) Balinese Gamelan (Gender, 10 keys) and Gamelan Selunding (Two 4-key instruments), Javanese Gamelan Pelog (Saron, 7 keys) and Slendro (Saron, 9 keys), Chinese Musette, Drums & Percussion Multi-Track ...

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Recording

Henry Kuntz: "Wayang Saxophony Shadow Saxophone" New CD

Henry Kuntz: "Wayang Saxophony Shadow Saxophone" New CD

Source: All About Jazz

Wayang Saxophony Shadow Saxophone - Humming Bird Records (HB CD 6)

Henry Kuntz: Tenor Saxophone

In an alluring set of solo and multi-track improvisations inspired by mixed-media presentations of saxophone and puppet theatre, Henry Kuntz re-examines the sound, technique, and musical dimensions of the tenor.

“The diaphanous tenor of Wayang Saxophony Shadow Saxophone took flight like a light butterfly free of its silver cocoon. It happened as I prepared for two solo performances that featured the coming out of my ...

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