Rudiger Carl added a dimension to the ever-evolving world of improvisational jazz by flouting one of its few quasi-constants and placing the oft-maligned accordion at the center of attention. Carl appeared on the European free jazz scene in the late-1960s, first garnering acclaim in the avant-garde circles of his homeland, eventually joining the star-studded Globe Unity Orchestra. Some of his most melodic work came at the helm of the COWWS Quintet, an experimental fusion band heavily influenced by folk. Carl continued to expand his horizons with several bands through the '90s & '00s.