Ken Vandermark is a composer, improviser, tenor saxophonist, and clarinetist whose compositions and performances incorporate a wide breadth of stylistic influences. Across literally hundreds of recordings, his music draws from a range of traditions, from jazz, classical, and folk, to reggae, rock, funk, and African forms. He has been a fixture on the Chicago music scene since the early '90s and has earned critical praise for his playing, arranging, and compositions, which typically balance intricate orchestration with freewheeling improvisation. Beginning with Standards in 1995, on which he led four improvising trios, Vandermark has led groups ranging from duos to octets and even big bands.