A year ago, while touring Alberta together, the idea of putting together a festival of improvised music seemed simple enough to Calgary jazz musician Simon Fisk and Vancouver guitarist Gord Grdina. “We just got talking about like-minded improvisers,” says Fisk, “and how it would be cool to put together a travelling festival where you had six or eight guys, and you just did a multi-city tour and you did different configurations of the musicians and artists and projects.”

The festival is now entering its second year in Calgary, featuring eight bands and running over four days, from October 22 to 25. In many ways, this year’s festival has come together like a six degrees of separation experiment. Its performer roster reads like a who’s who of the most gifted musical improvisers on the continent, from percussionist Jerry Granelli (best known for his contributions to A Charlie Brown Christmas) to Grdina, a protégé of double-bassist Gary Peacock. Many of the musicians know each other, and most have worked with Fisk or one of his colleagues. Granelli, for example, is based in Halifax, where Fisk used to live. He and his son, bassist J. Anthony Granelli, have known the Fisk family for years. In fact, working with the junior Granelli, who lives in New York City, inspired Fisk to dream of just this kind of project.

“I ended up doing a bunch of sessions, just playing with guys around New York, and J. Granelli was one of the guys that I did a session with,” Fisk recalls. “I was playing upright bass, and he was playing piccolo [and] electric bass, and we just had a three-hour jam session in his apartment. I remember thinking, ‘Aw shit, one day. One day I’ll be at the level where I can put things together and play with these guys.’ So, it was always in the back of my mind.”

The lineup that Fisk has assembled will be configured and reconfigured throughout the four-day festival. All of the musicians are accomplished improvisers, and they also have one crucial thing in common — they’re good listeners, focused on hearing and reacting to the music as it’s created. As Fisk explains, “Listening is first, playing is secondary. Especially improvisers and really technically gifted players tend to play first and then listen. And they’ll get a lot of applause, because they’re fantastic players and great technically, but for me, I need someone that listens first.”