Unpredictable: Conversations with Improvisers is a collection of videos that have grown out of deep research into the nature of Free Improvisation, its history in the UK and its international connections. The videos respond to the urgent need to investigate the genre and its rich legacy. Research and filming began in 2011 and it was directed and produced by artist, curator and educator Blanca Regina in collaboration with Steve Beresford and Pierre Bouvier Patron.

The series was commissioned by Sound and Music for the 50th anniversary of the British Music Collection.

The series focuses on twelve active performers, interviewing pioneers like Terry Day and Maggie Nicols and, from the second generation, Steve Beresford, David Toop and Peter Cusack.

Women have always been an important presence in Free Improvisation but this has not always been reflected in how the genre is seen. In this series we made a point of including more women than men, particularly women with developing careers in the field.

Many of these videos have been filmed in the context of ‘Unpredictable’ events, and others have followed the artists into key London venues like Cafe OTO and IKLECTIK. These are two of the most important venues in the UK for freely improvised music – a genre that sprang to life in the mid ‘60s, has always had a strong community in London, but is often not fully acknowledged.  

Release dates at the British Music Collection.

Released
25/10/17 Steve Beresford
25/11/17 Maggie Nicols
5/01/18 Peter Cusack
25/1/18 Terry Day
15/2/18 Blanca Regina
25/3/18 David Toop
25/4/18 Sharon Gal
25/5/18 Mandhira de Saram
25/6/18 Rie Nakajima
25/7/18 Satoko Fukuda
25/9/18 Sue Lynch
05/10/18 Andie Brown

Directed and produced by Blanca Regina
Advisor: Steve Beresford
Camera and editors: Pierre Bouvier Patron & Blanca Regina
Sound: Blanca Regina
Photographies by Tomi Osuna, Nadjib Le Fleurier, Jak Kilby and Pierre Bouvier Patron

Supported by