by Steve LeggettReed player Peter A. Schmid was born in 1959 and currently makes his home in Uster, Switzerland. His fascination with the bass end of deep reed instruments has led him to participate in dozen of projects that blur the margins of jazz, free improvisation, and classical music, usually with duos, although he is also an active member of the quartet SCHMILZ, which features bass clarinet, and the wind quintet September Wind. A fascinating album, Birdology, which Schmid recorded with fellow reed player Vinny Golia, was released on Leo Records in 2004. The duo attempted to approximate the call and response of bird song on Birdology with an assortment of clarinets, saxophones, and flutes, resulting in a wonderful sort of chamber improv.