ICP Orchestra

ICP Orchestra is the Dutch ensemble that grew out of the Instant Composers Pool, the musicians' cooperative founded in 1967 by pianist Misha Mengelberg, drummer Han Bennink and saxophonist Willem Breuker. The name comes from Mengelberg's idea of improvisation as instant composition. The orchestra moves between free improvisation and written material, and has long played its own versions of Duke Ellington, Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk. After Breuker left in 1974, Mengelberg and Bennink formed the ICP Tentet with Peter Brötzmann and, at times, Tristan Honsinger.