Brotherhood of Breath

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The Brotherhood of Breath was a big-band created by Chris McGregor at the end of the 1960s, essentially an extension of McGregor's previous band The Blue Notes. This group included many members of the South African expatriate community resident in London, including McGregor himself, Louis Moholo, Harry Miller, Mongezi Feza, Dudu Pukwana, (occasionally) Johnny Dyani and many of the free jazz musicians who were based in London at the same time: Lol Coxhill, Evan Parker, Paul Rutherford, Harry Beckett, Marc Charig, Alan Skidmore, Mike Osborne, Elton Dean, Nick Evans, and John Surman. The personnel was interchangeable, depending on who was available. The music resembles a mixture of Charles Mingus and Sun Ra, but retains a unique feel due to the South African influences and the intelligent arrangements.

The original Brotherhood Of Breath ended in the late 70's, with the untimely deaths of Mongezi Feza and Harry Miller (whose label, Ogun Records, released some of the Brotherhood's albums.) McGregor formed a second version of the group in France in the early 80's. In 1987, a third edition was formed with African and British musicians such as Annie Whitehead. In this incarnation the music was more tightly arranged and controlled, with less 'free' improvisation.

[edit] Discography

• "Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath" (RCA Neon 1971)
• "Brotherhood" (RCA 1972)
• "From Bremen To Bridgewater" (1971/1975; Cuneiform Rune 182/183 - 2004)
• "Travelling Somewhere" (1973; Cuneiform Rune 152 - 2001)
• "Live at Willisau" (OGUN 100 1974)
• "Procession" (Ogun 524 1978)
• "Yes Please" (In and Out 1981)
• "Country Cooking" (GW3106AR 1988)
• "En Concert a Banlieues Bleues (with Archie Shepp - Rue Est CD 017 - 1989)

[edit] References

• Maxine McGregor: Chris McGregor and the Brotherhood of Breath: my life with a South African jazz pioneer. Bamberger Books, Flint, MI 1995; ISBN 0-917453-32-8