David Holland & Derek Bailey, Improvisations for Cello and Guitar (side A)

1971's Improvisations for Cello and Guitar was one of Derek Bailey's earliest albums to have proper distribution in the US, and it's a great example of his sparse and pointillistic playing. The strange part about this album is that it comes at the height of David Holland's avant explorations. Holland is known for his playing bass with more straightforward jazz ensembles. He played in Miles Davis's modal quintet, before reaching this level of abstraction, and he's gradually moved back toward the mainstream since. He's a technically great player, of course, and is able to keep up with Bailey's textural freedom here. This live recording is one of the most quietly-mastered LPs I've heard.