Two contemporary musicians that use free improvisation are Anthony Braxton and Cecil Taylor.
Several worldwide great artists have visited Kongsberg during this festival; international stars including Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, Nigel Kennedy, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves, McCoy Tyner, Radka Toneff, Bobby McFerrin, John Butcher, Anthony Braxton, Diana Krall and Pat Metheny have played in Kongsberg several times.
Sankaran has also worked in the fields of jazz, electronic music, and free improvisation with the composers David Rosenboom, Richard Teitelbaum, Charlie Haden, Pauline Oliveros, Paul Plimley, the Jazz Orchestra of York University, Anthony Braxton, Dave Brubeck, Glen Velez, Nexus, and World Drums.
Anthony Hopkins | Anthony van Dyck | Marc Anthony | Anthony Eden | Anthony Quinn | Anthony Braxton | Susan B. Anthony | Anthony Burgess | Anthony Trollope | Anthony | Toni Braxton | Anthony Kennedy | Anthony of Padua | Anthony Wayne | Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations | Anthony Powell | Anthony Caro | Braxton Bragg | Anthony Bourdain | Anthony Blunt | Anthony Newley | Anthony Head | St. Anthony | Carmelo Anthony | Anthony LaPaglia | Anthony Kenny | Piers Anthony | Mark Anthony | Anthony Minghella | Anthony the Great |
He collaborated with leading American soloists, such as Anthony Braxton, Steve Lacy, Don Cherry, Roswell Rudd, Eddie Gomez, Max Roach, Nacci Alberto, but also with the Argentinian Gato Barbieri and Frenchman Jean-Luc Ponty.
Subsequently, he still collaborated with Roscoe Mitchell on their 1998 record Jelenés (Revelation) and again with Braxton and Vladimir Tarasov this time for the live recording Triotone.
During the 1970s and 80s the band worked with guest musicians and composers such as Carla Bley, Anthony Braxton, Don Cherry, Gil Evans, Thad Jones, George Russell and Aage Tanggaard.
His former students lead their own groups and have played with bands led by a wide range of jazz legends, such as Roy Haynes, Kenny Garrett, Elvin Jones, Pat Metheny, Cecil Taylor, Wynton Marsalis, Richard Bona, Joshua Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Charlie Haden, Terence Blanchard, Charlie Hunter, Anthony Braxton, Jimmy Smith, Eliane Elias, and Lonnie Plaxico.
He has recorded or performed with musicians including Wadada Leo Smith, Steve Coleman, Joey Baron, Muhal Richard Abrams, Pete Robbins, Vijay Iyer, Dave Douglas, Butch Morris, Sylvie Courvoisier, Steve Lehman, and Anthony Braxton, among many others.