1. Two Duets (Hertz Hall KPFA Broadcast 11/26/1969) 3:26
2. Cantata in a Forgotten Language (Hertz Hall KPFA Broadcast 11/26/1969) 15:59
3. Solo for Electric Guitar (Hertz Hall KPFA Broadcast 11/26/1969) 15:03
4. Free Improvisation - Trio (Hertz Hall KPFA Broadcast 6/2/1971) 28:45
Jim Aron: trumpet
Jim Moran: flute, tenor saxophone
Allan Pollack: clarinet, saxophones, recorder
Evalyn Stanley: narrator
Robert Strizich: guitar
Active from 1968 to 1971, the Berkeley Improvisation Ensemble gave numerous concerts, not only in Berkeley and the wider San Francisco Bay Area, but also in many other venues around California, including multiple campuses of the University of California. Notable performances included the DeYoung Museum, the Berkeley Art Center, the UC Berkeley Art Museum, KGO-TV (ABC) and KPFA Radio. The ensemble also collaborated with, and provided improvised music for, several Magic Theatre productions, including The Cherub (Michael McClure), Ubu Roi (Alfred Jarry), and Striptease of Jealousy (Fernando Arrabal).
The ensemble was dedicated to the exploration of an extremely wide spectrum of approaches to group improvisation. These approaches ranged anywhere from pieces whose overall form and shape were planned, but with local details improvised, to totally unplanned, completely spontaneous free improvisations. Whatever the approach, the overriding aesthetic aim was always to make music that was coherent, compelling and emotionally stimulating, while retaining the freedom and excitement that is inherent in the use of improvisation.
The individual members of the ensemble had extensive backgrounds in jazz, early music, orchestral and chamber music as well as composition, conducting, and musical comedy.
It should be noted that these are archival recordings derived from 50-year-old, reel-to-reel tapes. While reasonable attempts were made to digitally clean and repair these tracks, they are not always of the highest fidelity.