Studio Henry Collection

The Studio Henry Collection consists of audio documentation of performances that took place at the avant-garde underground venue Studio Henry from 1979-1986, and can be included as an important, though relatively forgotten hub for New York’s downtown music scene. The Collection includes early recordings of such leaders in the field of experimental new music as John Zorn, Butch Morris, Wayne Horovitz, Ned Rothenberg, Robin Holcomb, Laraaji, Ikue Mori, Bob Ostertag, Derek Bailey, Fred Frith, Keiji Haino, and Zeena Parkins, among others. Significantly, the Studio Henry Collection documents a particular moment when these artists, who were previously tied to free improvisation, began to compose work and put ensembles together for these compositions, tying them to traditions stemming out from classical music. In this Collection audiences can hear the moment when musicians now heralded for their compositional technique and contributions to new music, like Zorn, became composers.