Everybody who is slightly interested in modern jazz

knows the name of Mark Helias. The American double

bass player has worked with everyone from Ed Blackwell,

Don Cherry and Carlos Ward to Anthony Braxton,

Muhal Richard Abrams and Cecil Taylor.

With Tom Rainey (dr) and Tony Malady (ts), Helias

founded the trio OPEN LOOSE in 1996 to play his

compositions which allow open form improvisation.

As the three musicians get familiar with the pieces

they recompose them on the bandstand. "The most

interesting developments come when we start altering

the compositions in a creative way, maintaining the

spirit of the piece but taking it somewhere else, into an

unimagined place," says Helias. "Every time we come

together it's different, it's new and wonderful."