Derek Bailey

Derek Bailey was a British guitarist known for his role in the development of free improvisation and for promoting the idea of non-idiomatic improvisation. His playing favored atonality, unconventional timbres and extended techniques, using abrupt gestures, unexpected textures and an avoidance of conventional harmony or steady pulse. He co-founded the Incus record label and worked extensively in solo and small-group improvisatory settings, influencing many experimental and improvising musicians.