Loose Tubes were an English 21-piece jazz cooperative during the 1984–90 span. In 1988, Editions EG released Open Letter after two albums on Loose Tubes Limited. Lost Marble later issued recordings from the final residency, while the 2015 album Arriving paired further archive material with new BBC commissions. Members: Julian Argüelles (soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone), […]
Centipede was an English avant-garde jazz big-band led by pianist Keith Tippett for the 1971 RCA/Neon double-album Septober Energy, comprised of a title-sake improvisation split across four sides. It was produced by Robert Fripp shortly after Tippet’s involvement with the 1970 King Crimson albums In the Wake of Poseidon and Lizard. The 50+ ensemble featured […]
The Mysterious Flying Orchestra were an American jazz-funk big band arranged by conductor–composer Bob Thiele for 1977 self-titled album for RCA. Members: Bob Thiele (conductor, composition, percussion), Phil Bodner (tenor saxophone, English horn), Babe Clarke (baritone saxophone), Eddie Daniels (flute, tenor saxophone), Steve Marcus (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone), Charlie Mariano (soprano saxophone), Bob Mintzer (tenor […]
Tip of the Iceberg was an American jazz-funk big band that released a 1975 self-titled album on Project 3 Records. Members: Derek Smith (electric piano, clavinet), Albie Berk (drums), Russel George (bass), Tony Mottola (electric guitar, guitar), Don Albano (electric guitar, vocals), Sue Evans (percussion), Phil Kraus (percussion), George Young (tenor saxophone, flute, fife, alto […]
Rolf Kühn (Sept. 29, 1929 – August 18, 2022) was a German clarinetist, composer, and bandleader who appeared on more than 250 recordings during the 20th century, starting with the 1956 Vanguard release Streamline. Through the 1970s, he headed numerous jazz-funk/big band projects, including the 1974/75 MPS/BASF titles Connection ’74 and Total Space, both featuring […]
Noctett was a German jazz-rock big band that made the 1979–82 Cain albums Contrasts, Full Score, and Heroes Trilogy. Five members moonlit as Virgin’s Dream for the 1980 album Sophistry. Members: Peter Herborn (trombone), Thomas Dörr (alto saxophone), Remy Filipovitch (saxophone, flute), Bernd Krämer (trumpet), Raimund Hüttner (trumpet), Thomas Ophelders (trumpet), Thomas Hufschmidt (piano), Martin […]
Messengers were a German jazz-funk big band behind the 1975 Red Point album First Message, followed by a Yum Yum single and the 1977 Warner release Children of Tomorrow. Members: Antonia Maas (lead vocals), Joe Körner (trombone, [tenor horn] saxhorn, vocals), Peter Förster (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute), Bernhard Jobski (trumpet, flugelhorn, […]
The Willem Breuker Kollektief was a Dutch avant-jazz big band formed in Amsterdam in 1974 by reedist, composer, and bandleader Willem Breuker. The ensemble combined composed large-group passages, improvisation, theatrical staging, and music drawn from jazz, marches, popular song, and European concert traditions. Between 1976 and 2007, the Kollektief released more than thirty albums, mostly […]
Michael Gibbs (born September 25, 1937) is a Rhodesian jazz-rock and Third Stream trombonist, keyboardist, composer, conductor, and producer. He attained bandleader status in 1970 after a decade of transcontinental jazz credits. Through 1975, he headed four jazz-rock/big band albums and released a collaborative set with vibraphonist Gary Burton. Gibbs later entered production and soundtrack […]
The Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra was an American spiritual/free-jazz big band led by pianist/conductor Horace Tapscott. The Arkestra made the 1978 UGMAA albums Flight 17 and The Call, followed by the 1979 Nimbus West release Live at the I.U.C.C. Members: Adele Sebastian, Archie Johnson, David Bryant, Everett Brown Jr., Herbert Callies, Horace Tapscott, James Andrews, […]
Vienna Art Orchestra was an Austrian avant-jazz big band from Wien that released the 1980 album Tango From Obango on Art Records, followed by five albums apiece on Hat Hut and Moers Music. Members: Anna Lauvergnac (vocals), Tobias Weidinger (trumpet), Matthieu Michel (trumpet), Stephan Zimmermann (trumpet), Juraj Bartoš (trumpet), Adrian Mears (trombone), Robert Bachner (trombone), […]
The Prime Element was a Manhattan-based Latin-jazz/rock big band headed by Argentinian keyboardist/arranger Carlos Franzetti. The project yielded the 1976 Trova album Alborada. Members: Carlos Franzetti (Rhodes, guitar, Hammond, Moog, percussion, arranger), Omar Clay (percussion, marimba, arranger), Alex Layne (bass), Greg Maker (bass), Akua Dixon (cello, vocals), Ray Mantilla (congas), Mauricio Smith (flute, clarinet), Greg […]
The Daly-Wilson Big Band was an Australian hard-bop/jazz-funk ensemble led by drummer Warren Daly and trumpeter–trombonist Ed Wilson. The band debuted with the 1971 Columbia release Live at the Cellblock, followed by five albums through 1978 on Festival, Reprise, and Hammard. Members: Warren Daly (drums), Ed Wilson (trumpet, trombone, arranger), Dieter Vogt (bass), Ray Alridge […]
George Gruntz (June 24, 1932 — Jan. 10 2013) was a Swiss pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader active for six decades from the late 1940s. Between 1971 and 2006, his namesake Concert Big Band recorded under multiple configurations, releasing over fifteen live and studio albums on MSB, TCB, and other labels. Background George Paul Gruntz […]
Jef Gilson (July 25, 1926 — Feb 5, 2012) was a French pianist, composer, and arranger; active as a bandleader for a quarter century. He proliferated in the 1970s with albums on Palm and other labels in lead and collaborative configurations. Background Jef Gilson was born Jean-François Quiévreux on July 25, 1926, in Guebwiller, Haut-Rhin, […]
