Other significant involvements have included Flame Tree, Identity Crisis, Iron Kim Style, Savant, Stackpole, Tempered Steel, and Zhongyu.
Rea has collaborated with Hector Zazou, Bill Rieflin and Trey Gunn of King Crimson, Hawkwind cofounder Nik Turner, Chinese rock musician Cui Jian, drummer Han Bennink, Tuvan throat singers Albert Kuvezin and Saylik Ommun, and Mexican experimental duo Cabezas de Cera.
Influenced by the German electronic music of the 1970s such as Tangerine Dream, Harmonia, Popol Vuh, and Klaus Schulze (who would later produce the group's 1978 album French Skyline), Earthstar consisted of members of Wuest, Zuir, and other musicians in Utica.
[1][2][3] In the early 1980s Rea collaborated with composer K. Leimer in his experimental band Savant, which was described by Philip Sherburne in Pitchfork as "some of the most striking and original American electronic music of that period.
Returning to Seattle in the late 1980s, he performed with avant-rock bands (notably Color Anxiety and Fred) and became involved in free improvisation with Wally Shoup, Bill Horist, and Stuart Dempster.
Between 1989 and 1996 Rea spent several years in China and Taiwan, playing over 100 concerts at cultural centers, universities, conservatories, expatriate bars, religious celebrations, on radio, television, and in sports arenas with the Chinese pop star Zhang Xing.
The band has included trumpeter Lesli Dalaba, bassist Fred Chalenor, drummers Bill Rieflin and Greg Gilmore, and Chapman stick player George Soler.
He has worked with Ffej and Frank Junk in the trio Tempered Steel, with Hawkwind founder Nik Turner and drummer Jack Gold-Molina in Flame Tree, and in his Tanabata Ensemble.
[4][7] Rea's ongoing involvements as of 2024 include Moraine, Vaalbara, Reaven Trio, Tempered Steel, Threshold Quartet, Ben McAllister's Guitar Cult, and solo acoustic performances.
With Alex's Hand With Eric Apoe With Axolotl With Roland Barker, Amy Denio, and Bill Rieflin With Marc Barreca With Chekov With Peter Comley Sedna Ensemble With the Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra With Earthstar With Roberto Fedriga With Flame Tree With Craig Flory and Doug Haire With Jeff Greinke With Doug Haire With Identity Crisis With Iron Kim Style With Land With Moraine With Ed Petry With Red Fable With Savant With Wally Shoup With Stackpole With Tempered Steel With Threshold With Ting Bu Dong With Rik Wright With Hector Zazou With Zhongyu