Oregon are an American ethno-jazz band from Eugene, Ore., formed in 1970. The original lineup—guitarist/pianist Ralph Towner, oboist/reedist Paul McCandless, bassist Glen Moore, and percussionist Collin Walcott—emerged from the Paul Winter Consort and developed a distinctive chamber-jazz style blending classical, Indian, and folk influences. They debuted with Music of Another Present Era (1972) and recorded […]
Manu Dibango (Dec., 12 1933 — March 24, 2020) was a Cameroonian saxophonist, malletist, and composer with a music career that spanned more than fifty years. In 1972 he cut the Afro-funk classic “Soul Makossa,” which became a much-covered, widely sampled global hit for the artist. Background Manu Dibango was born Emmanuel N’Djoké Dibango on […]
Shakti was an Indian ethno-jam band that collaborated with guitarist John McLaughlin on three albums in 1976/77 on Columbia/CBS. Members: John McLaughlin (acoustic guitar), Shankar (violin), Zakir Hussain (tabla), Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam, mridangam), Ramnad Raghavan (mridangam) Background Shakti emerged in the early 1970s as a fully acoustic fusion ensemble built on equal dialogue between South […]
Venegoni & Co. were an Italian jazz-rock band that released the 1977–79 albums Rumore Rosso and Sarabanda. Members: Luigi “Gigi” Venegoni (guitar, bass, percussion), Ludovico Einaudi (keyboards), Luca Francesconi (keyboards), Ciro Buttari (percussion, vocals, piano), Pietro Pirelli (percussion), Massimo Aimone (drums) Background Venegoni & Co. formed in Turin in 1977 when guitarist-composer Luigi “Gigi” Venegoni […]
Egba was a Swedish jazz-rock band that released three albums and a live disc between 1974 and 1978 on Sonet, followed by four further albums between 1979 and 1985 on MNW. Members: Ulf Adåker (trumpet), Ulf Andersson (saxophone), Jan Tolf (guitar, 1971-74), Claes Wang (drums, percussion, 1971-74), Harald Svensson (piano, 1971-74), Stefan Brolund (bass, 1971-74), […]
Archimedes Badkar was a Swedish ethno/jazz-rock big band that was active for eight years, starting in 1972. The band self-released a 20-minute 7″ in 1973, followed by four albums on MNW between 1975 and 1978. Members: Per Tjernberg [Per Cussion] (percussion, drums, keyboards), Jörgen Adolfsson (alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, violin, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandola, […]
Aktuala was an Italian ethno-folk band that released three albums on Bla Bla between 1973 and 1976. Led by multi-instrumentalist Walter Maioli, they pioneered an acoustic, trance-based fusion of African, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Mediterranean traditions using a wide array of non-Western instruments. Across shifting lineups, core contributors included percussionist Lino Vaccina, saxophonist Daniele Cavallanti, […]
Spjärnsvallet was a Swedish jazz-rock/folk band that released a 1975 self-titled album on MNW. Members: Bengt Berger (drums, percussion, rattle), Christer Bothén (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, B♭ clarinet, piano, gunbri, balani), Kjell Westling (saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, cello, piano), Nikke Ström (bass, rattle) Formation Spjärnsvallet formed in 1974 in Gothenburg, where percussionist Bengt Berger and […]
Sevda was a Swedish ethno-jazz/rock ensemble that released a studio album and a live set on Caprice in 1972, plus a second concert recording on Sonet in 1974. Members: Maffy Falay (trumpet, flugelhorn, piano, [Indian] flute), Bernt Rosengren (tenor saxophone, flute), Gunnar Bergsten (baritone saxophone, flute), Salih Baysal (violin), Ove Gustavsson (bass), Okay Temiz (drums, […]
Niagara was a German ethno-jazz/percussive jam band led by veteran drummer Klaus Weiss. They released the 1971/72 United Artists albums Niagara and S.U.B., followed by the 1973 Finger/Polydor title Afire. Members: Cotch Blackmon [Cotch Black] (percussion), Keith Forsey (drums, percussion), Juan Romero (bells, maracas), Udo Lindenberg (drums, percussion), George Green (drums), Klaus Weiss (drums, timpani, […]
Tri Atma was a German ethno-jazz/rock band behind the 1979–81 RCA Victor albums Tri Atma, Mighty Lotus, and Instead of Drugs, followed by the 1982 Erdenklang release Sehnsucht & Einklang and the 1986–89 titles Ka Jakee Music and Belong to the Sun! Members: Asim Saha (tabla, dholak, nal, percussion, lead vocals), Jens Fischer (acoustic guitar, […]
Orexis was a German ethno-jazz/rock band that emerged with the 1977/78 Intercord titles Orexis and Inspiration, followed by the 1979/80 Spiegelei albums Reflection and Communication. On the Fusion label, they returned with the 1983/84 discs A Green Piece for Greenpeace and Carnaval. Members: Georg Lawall (classical guitar, 12-string guitar, sitar, balafon, percussion, vocals), Gert Kilian […]
Clivage was a French ethno/jazz-rock ensemble led by André Fertier across the 1977/78 albums Regina Astris and Mixtus Orbis on Gratte-Ciel, the latter co-billed to The Philharmonic Orchestra “Pro UNESCO.” In 1985, Fertier resurrected Clivage for the F.L.V.M. release Kassiopee. Members: André Fertier (guitar, keyboards), Armand Lemal (percussion), Patricio Villaruel (tabla), Jean-Pierre de Barba (saxophone), […]
Oddelek 8 was a Yugoslav ethno-jazz sextet behind the 1979 album Quartar on Helidon. Members: Berislav Puhlovsky, Bernhardt Gerths, Koce Andonov, Miroslav Erjavec, Miroslav Karlović, Slavko Avsenik Jr. Background Oddelek 8 formed in the late 1970s in Graz, Austria, when pianist Slavko Avsenik Jr. assembled a jazz sextet at the University of Music and Performing […]
Opposite Corner was a Swedish avant-garde jazz ensemble on the 1972 split-release Club Jazz 5 with the Palle Danielsson 6, followed by the 1976–82 Caprice titles Jazz i Sverige ’76 and Low-High and the 1984 Dragon album Back From Where We Came. They also constitute a half-side of the 1977 live document Det NyJAZZte från Göteborg. Members: […]
Piirpauke are a Finnish ethno-jazz/rock band that released two albums and a live disc on Love between 1975 and 1978, followed by a round of titles on Ponsi, Kerberos, and Rockadillo during the 1980s. Members: Sakari Kukko (wind instruments, keyboards, kantele, percussion, vocals), Antti Hytti (bass), Hasse Walli (guitar), Jukka Wasama (percussion), Juha Björninen (guitar), […]
Paul Winter (born Aug. 31, 1939) is an American soprano saxophonist from Altoona, Penn., who issued his first albums on Columbia during the early 1960s. In 1968, he formed his first lineup of the ethno-jazz/rock ensemble Winter Consort with future mainstays of the ECM label. The band issued three 1968–70 albums on A&M and a […]
