Ochs has composed some 2 dozen compositions for saxophone quartet as well as many other pieces for sax quartet plus large ensembles; he has also composed for mixed ensembles (see groups mentioned in previous paragraph). His 2001 composition for saxophone quartet, a thirty-minute piece entitled Certain Space, was commissioned by Chamber Music America / Doris Duke Foundation, and he was twice previously commissioned by Commissioning Music USA / Meet the Composer Fund. In 1995 he was commissioned by city of Antwerp, Belgium to compose a piece for 2 pianos, 2 basses, Rova Sax Quartet and the members of Room; entitled The Secret Magritte, it featured Marilyn Crispell and Chris Brown on pianos and Lisle Ellis and Barry Guy on basses and was released on the Black Saint label a year later. In 1993 he was commissioned by Saalfelden Jazz Festival to write music for 8 saxophonists, also later released on Black Saint as “Figure 8.” He composed the music for the film Letters Not About Love which won best documentary film award at the 1998 South by Southwest Film Festival. His monograph on "Strategies for Structured Improvisation" was published in 1999 as part of the book Arcana, the initial collection of composers' writings edited by John Zorn (Granary Press, New York). He has also composed for theater and one video play.
In 1998, he toured and recorded with guitarist Fred Frith and koto-player Miya Masaoka in a trio called Maybe Monday. A CD was released by this trio on Buzz (Netherlands) in 2000. A second CD with guest Joan Jeanrenaud was released in 2002 on Winter & Winter (Germany) in time for an 8 city European tour. A third CD with multiple guests came out on Intakt in 2007.
In 1997, Ochs first recorded with the John Lindberg Ensemble (Ochs, Lindberg, Andrew Cyrille, Leo Smith); a tour and second recording took place in 2000; a third recording and tour followed in 2002.
In 1995, he was a guest soloist with the George Lewis Creative Orchestra at Mills College in Oakland, California. Also in 1995, he performed and recorded with India Cooke's group, Red Handed.
From 1994 – 2000 he toured in the collective band What We Live with bassist Lisle Ellis and drummer Donald Robinson, producing 5 CDs, two of which included guests Dave Douglas and Wadada Leo Smith on trumpets.
In 1991, he suggested a collaboration between Room and The Glenn Spearman Trio, a sextet that eventually became an ongoing band, and recorded 4 CDs as Glenn Spearman Double Trio.
In 1990, he and keyboardist Wayne Horvitz formed The International Creative Music Orchestra for the Pan American Goodwill Games in Seattle with further performances at the Vancouver DuMaurier International Jazz Festival.
From 1987 – 1994 the group Room with William Winant, Chris Brown and Scot Gresham-Lancaster torued and recorded. This was a pioneering band combining elements of impropvisation, composition and live electronics, based at Mills College in Oakland, California.
