Matthew Sperry was introduced to Improvised Music in 1990 while studying avant-garde, world and classical music at Florida State University.  It was there that he met and studied with Wadada Leo Smith and started a lifelong collaboration with shakuhachi player Phil Gelb.  He worked with some of Seattle's more notorious music groups, including The Long String Instrument Band, Seattle Experimental Opera and Gamelan Pacifica.  He performed with an international cast of improvisers, including Gunter Christmann, Jack Wright, Georg Graewe, François Houle, and Stuart Dempster.  Sadly, Matthew Sperry passed away in July 2003.