Threshold is an all-star band comprised of Seattle improvised music scene veterans. Organized by Don Berman, the group assembled for a free-ranging recording session in 2023, and their self-titled first album together is the result.

This project is the manifestation of a musical vision Berman has held for years. His late father, William Berman, was a master violist who performed extensively in symphonic and string quartet settings. Having listened to so much of his chamber music playing, Don decided he would would form a 21st century string quartet. In his words: “I took the liberty of choosing cello, two guitarists, percussion, and creative electronics, as opposed to the classical two violins, viola, and cello format. Heather, Simon, Dennis, and I decided this would be an exciting musical adventure.” The music was freely improvised in one long afternoon, engineered by Jamie Jones and later mastered by the superb Alan Jones. The album has 6 movements and is full of surprises and a wide range of moods and textures, “often challenging listeners to identify the sources of the unique sounds they are hearing.”