Hans Reichel

Known equally as a guitarist and instrument inventor -- roles that, in his case, tend to complement one another -- Germany's Hans Reichel carved out a quiet niche for himself in the world of European avant-garde improvisation. He stood out among his contemporaries not only due to his unusual guitar-like inventions -- which feature frets, pickups, or microphones in non-traditional places -- but also due to his actual playing style, which was often surprisingly melodic and folk-like (not to mention good-natured and unpretentious) for someone primarily associated with the avant-g...