Soshin features avant-garde guitarists Derek Bailey, Fred Frith, and Antoine Berthiaume in various combinations; although it’s credited to all three artists, Berthiaume is the only one who appears on all tracks (and he plays alone on the expansive opening title track). His collaborations with Frith are highlights of quicksilver invention and sympathetic communication; the tracks featuring Bailey have more of the acerbic edge one would expect based on Bailey’s well-documented tendencies.

– Rick Anderson