Trumpeter, composer, and arranger Jon Hassell is the originator and unrivaled master of the musical aesthetic he dubbed "Fourth World Music" -- in his own words, "a unified primitive/futuristic sound combining features of world ethnic styles with advanced electronic techniques." His seamless, edgeless, warm, and fluid meld of electronics, manipulated horn and sonic backdrops, as well as his relentless curiosity about global musical traditions, has made him an icon among adventurous music fans. His albums, such as Earthquake Island, Fourth World: Possible Musics, Vol. 1, Dream Theory in Malaya, Fourth World, Vol. 2, City: Works of Fiction, Power Spot, and Maarifa Street: Magic Realism, Vol. 2, have coincided with the development of progressive ambient and world fusion musics, but have simultaneously always stood on their own.