Guitarist Henry Kaiser is a prolific, globally recognized leader of the second generation of free improvisers who developed in the '70s. His earliest musical inspiration came from the spiky sounds of English improvising guitarist Derek Bailey and the many guitarists in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band; later on, Kaiser absorbed the subtle string textures of American blues stylists and the traditional music of Asia (particularly India, Korea, and Vietnam). His initial recordings documented solo projects and spontaneous groupings with other energetic improvisers (Fred Frith, the Rova Saxophone Quartet, Greg Goodman, Diamanda Galas). Kaiser's restless creativity unearthed many unconventional electric-guitar techniques during these years, and he combined these innovations with a strong sense of logic, often aided by sophisticated sound-processing devices.