The Canterbury scene (or Canterbury sound) is a term used to loosely describe the group of progressive rock, avant-garde and jazz musicians, many of whom were based around the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Progressive rock (often shortened to " progressive " " prog " or " prog rock " is a form of Rock music that evolved Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard Canterbury ( ˈkæntəbɹ̩i is a City in eastern Kent in the South East region of England. KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. Many prominent British avant-garde or fusion musicians began their career in Canterbury bands, such as Hugh Hopper, Steve Hillage, Dave Stewart, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Daevid Allen, Mike Ratledge, Fred Frith, and Peter Blegvad. A fusion genre is a music genre which combines two or more genres Hugh C Hopper (born 29 April 1945, Canterbury, Kent, England) is a Progressive rock / ( fusion) Jazz Steve Hillage is a British musician best known as a guitarist David Lloyd Stewart (born Waterloo, London, 30 December 1950) is a Musician currently recording with Singer Barbara Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945 in Bristol) is an English Musician, and founding member of the influential Kevin Ayers (born 16 August 1944 in Herne Bay, Kent) is an English Songwriter and major influential force in the English Daevid Allen (born January 13, 1938 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian Poet, Guitarist, Singer, Michael R "Mike" Ratledge (born April 1 1943 is a British musician Fred Frith (born February 17, 1949) is an English Multi-instrumentalist, Composer and improvisor. Peter Blegvad (born 14 August 1951) is an American Musician, singer-songwriter and Cartoonist. [1][2] Over the years, with band membership changes and new bands evolving, the term has been used to describe a musical style or subgenre, rather than a regional group of musicians.
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Definition
The Canterbury scene is largely defined by a set of musicians and bands with intertwined memberships. These are not tied by very strong musical similarities, but a certain whimsicalness, touches of psychedelia, rather abstruse lyrics, and a use of improvisation derived from jazz are common elements in their work. Psychedelic music is a term that refers to a broad set of popular music styles genres and scenes that may include Psychedelic rock, psychedelic folk, Psychedelic Improvisation (also called extemporization) is the practice of acting singing talking and reacting of making and creating in the moment and in response to the stimulus of Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States [1] “The real essence of 'Canterbury Sound' is the tension between complicated harmonies, extended improvisations, and the sincere desire to write catchy pop songs. ” “In the very best Canterbury music. . . the musically silly and the musically serious are juxtaposed in an amusing and endearing way. ” [3]
There is variation within the scene, for example from pop/rock like early Soft Machine and much Caravan to avant-garde composed pieces as with early National Health to improvised jazz as with later Soft Machine or In Cahoots. Soft Machine was an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair National Health was a Progressive rock band associated with the Canterbury scene. Soft Machine was an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S In Cahoots is a Canterbury scene band led by guitarist Phil Miller, their main composer Didier Malherbe (of Gong) has defined the scene as having "certain chord changes, in particular the use of minor second chords, certain harmonic combinations, and a great clarity in the aesthetics, and a way of improvising that is very different from what is done in jazz. Didier Malherbe (born January 22, 1943 in Paris, France) is a saxophonist and flautist Gong is a progressive / Psychedelic rock band formed by Australian Musician Daevid Allen. "[4]
There is debate about the existence and definition of the scene. Dave Stewart has complained at the nomenclature as he and many other musicians identified with the Canterbury scene never had anything to do with Canterbury, the place. David Lloyd Stewart (born Waterloo, London, 30 December 1950) is a Musician currently recording with Singer Barbara The former Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper, who lives in Whitstable, near Canterbury, has said: "I think it's a rather artificial label, a journalistic thing. Hugh C Hopper (born 29 April 1945, Canterbury, Kent, England) is a Progressive rock / ( fusion) Jazz Whitstable ( is a seaside town in northeast Kent, southeast England . . I don't mind it, but people like Robert [Wyatt], he in fact hates that idea, because he was born somewhere else and just happened to go to school here. Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945 in Bristol) is an English Musician, and founding member of the influential In the time when the Wilde Flowers started we hardly ever worked in Canterbury. It wasn't until Robert and Daevid went to London to start Soft Machine that anything happened at all. Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945 in Bristol) is an English Musician, and founding member of the influential Daevid Allen (born January 13, 1938 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian Poet, Guitarist, Singer, They weren't really a Canterbury band [. . . ] if it helps people understand or listen to more music then it is fine. " [4]
History
The scene had one main root in the Wilde Flowers, a band formed in 1964 which, at various times, was home to most of the founding musicians of both the Soft Machine and Caravan, bands which in turn provided the musicians of several later bands. The Wilde Flowers was a popular music group based in the vicinity of Canterbury, England, during Late 1964- June 1967 The genesis of the Canterbury Sound may, in part, be traced back to 1960, when Australian beatnik Daevid Allen lodged at Robert Wyatt's parents' guest-house in Lydden, ten miles to the south of Canterbury. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Daevid Allen (born January 13, 1938 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian Poet, Guitarist, Singer, Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945 in Bristol) is an English Musician, and founding member of the influential Lydden is also the name of a hamlet in the Manston Kent civil parish Lydden is a Civil parish and small Village in the Dover district Allen brought with him an extensive collection of jazz records, a different lifestyle, and the jazz drummer George Niedorf who later taught Wyatt the drums. In 1963, Wyatt, Allen and Hugh Hopper formed the Daevid Allen Trio (in London) which metamorphosised into the Wilde Flowers when Allen left for France. Hugh C Hopper (born 29 April 1945, Canterbury, Kent, England) is a Progressive rock / ( fusion) Jazz London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Wyatt, Allen, Kevin Ayers (from the Wilde Flowers) and Mike Ratledge (who had played on occasion with the Daevid Allen Trio) formed Soft Machine in 1966. Kevin Ayers (born 16 August 1944 in Herne Bay, Kent) is an English Songwriter and major influential force in the English Michael R "Mike" Ratledge (born April 1 1943 is a British musician
Other key early bands were Delivery and Egg, whose members blended into the Canterbury scene in the early 1970s. Delivery was a British Blues / Progressive rock musical group formed in the late 1960s See also The Egg (funk band for the electronic band Egg were an English Progressive rock band formed in January 1969 For example, Phil Miller of Delivery went on to found Matching Mole and Hatfield and the North, the latter with Dave Stewart of Egg. Phil Miller (born 22 January 1949 in Barnet, Isle of Wight) is an English Progressive rock / Jazz Guitarist Matching Mole was a UK Progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene best known for the song "O Caroline" Hatfield and the North was an experimental Canterbury scene Rock band that lasted from October 1972 to June 1975 with some reunions thereafter David Lloyd Stewart (born Waterloo, London, 30 December 1950) is a Musician currently recording with Singer Barbara Both were later in National Health, while Steve Hillage, who dropped out of a degree course at the University of Kent at Canterbury, had worked with the members of Egg in a previous band, Uriel, was later in Gong with Allen. Steve Hillage is a British musician best known as a guitarist
The Canterbury scene is known for having a set of musicians who often rotated into different Canterbury bands. Richard Sinclair, for example, was at different points of his career, in the Wilde Flowers, Camel, Caravan, Hatfield and the North and, briefly, Gilgamesh; he also worked with National Health. Richard S Sinclair (born 6 June 1948 in Canterbury, England) is a Progressive rock bassist guitarist and vocalist who has been a member of several Camel are an English Progressive rock band formed in 1971 An important figure in the Canterbury scene, the group has been releasing studio and live Gilgamesh (1972-1975 1977-1978 was a Jazz fusion band in the 1970s led by keyboardist Alan Gowen, part of the Canterbury scene. His cousin Dave Sinclair was in Caravan, Camel, Matching Mole and, briefly, Hatfield and the North. David (Dave Sinclair (born November 24, 1947 in Herne Bay, Kent, England) is a Keyboardist (organ pianos synthesizer Robert Wyatt was a member of the Wilde Flowers, Soft Machine, Matching Mole, and also did work as a solo artist. Pip Pyle was in Delivery, Gong, Hatfield and the North, National Health, Soft Heap and In Cahoots. Phillip "Pip" Pyle ( 4 April 1950 - 28 August 2006) was an English -born drummer from Soft Heap was a Canterbury scene supergroup founded in January 1978 Hugh Hopper was in Soft Machine, Isotope, Stomu Yamash'Ta's band, Soft Heap, In Cahoots and, with Pyle and Allen, Brainville, Hughscore, as well as doing numerous of his own group and solo projects and working with non-Canterbury bands such as Bone. Hugh C Hopper (born 29 April 1945, Canterbury, Kent, England) is a Progressive rock / ( fusion) Jazz Isotope were a British Jazz-rock band based around Guitarist Gary Boyle. Stomu Yamashta (born Yamashita Tsutomu, 山下勉 15 March 1947, Kyoto, Japan) is a Japanese Percussionist Brainville is a Canterbury scene supergroup based around Hugh Hopper (bass and Daevid Allen (guitar – both
Other individuals peripheral to the scene but with connections include Mike Oldfield (who played in Kevin Ayers' band), Bill Bruford (briefly drummed in Gong and National Health and employed Dave Stewart in his late 1970s band, Bruford), Allan Holdsworth (who worked with Soft Machine, Gong in their jazz rock period, and the band, Bruford), and Andy Summers (who was briefly a member of Soft Machine, and also worked separately with Kevin Ayers). Michael Gordon Oldfield (born 15 May 1953 in Reading, Berkshire) is an English Multi-instrumentalist Musician William Scott Bruford (born May 17 1949 in Sevenoaks, Kent) better known as Bill Bruford, is an English Drummer Allan Holdsworth (born August 6, 1946 in Bradford, West Yorkshire) is a British Jazz / rock Guitarist Andy Summers (born Andrew James Somers 31 December 1942) is an English guitarist and composer best known for his work in The Police Similarities to the Canterbury sound are also present among Canadian progressive rock acts of the mid-70's, particularly Opus 5, Sloche and Harmonium. Sloche were a 1970s Fusion band from Quebec, Canada. Harmonium was one of the most influential Progressive rock bands from Quebec.
Components
Five bands were central to the Canterbury scene:[5] Other bands:
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References
- ^ a b Canterbury Scene at Allmusic
- ^ Canterbury Scene definition. Soft Machine was an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair Gong is a progressive / Psychedelic rock band formed by Australian Musician Daevid Allen. Hatfield and the North was an experimental Canterbury scene Rock band that lasted from October 1972 to June 1975 with some reunions thereafter National Health was a Progressive rock band associated with the Canterbury scene. Camel are an English Progressive rock band formed in 1971 An important figure in the Canterbury scene, the group has been releasing studio and live Going Going redirects here For the 2000 short film of this name see Going Going (short film. Comus is a British Progressive rock / folk band which Delivery was a British Blues / Progressive rock musical group formed in the late 1960s See also The Egg (funk band for the electronic band Egg were an English Progressive rock band formed in January 1969 Gilgamesh (1972-1975 1977-1978 was a Jazz fusion band in the 1970s led by keyboardist Alan Gowen, part of the Canterbury scene. Henry Cow were an English Avant-garde rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred In Cahoots is a Canterbury scene band led by guitarist Phil Miller, their main composer Isotope were a British Jazz-rock band based around Guitarist Gary Boyle. Khan was an English Progressive rock band of the Canterbury Scene during 1971-1972 Matching Mole was a UK Progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene best known for the song "O Caroline" Mashu was a Canterbury scene improvisational supergroup that lasted from 1995 to 1998 Mirage was a Progressive rock offshoot from Camel in the 1990s The Polite Force was a British Progressive rock / Jazz fusion musical group active from 1976 to 1978 in the Canterbury scene. Quiet Sun were an English Progressive rock / Jazz fusion band from the Canterbury Scene consisting of Phil Manzanera (guitars Soft Heap was a Canterbury scene supergroup founded in January 1978 Short Wave Live is the only album by Short Wave, a UK band related to the Canterbury Scene, consisting of Hugh Hopper (bass The Wilde Flowers was a popular music group based in the vicinity of Canterbury, England, during Late 1964- June 1967 Burning Shed is an Independent record label established in April 2001 by musicians Tim Bowness and Peter Chilvers, in association with Cuneiform Records is an Independent record label based in Silver Spring Maryland. Recommended Records ( RēR) is a British Independent record label and distribution network founded by Chris Cutler in March 1978 Virgin Records is a British Record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson 's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s Columbia Records is an American Record label founded in 1888 Columbia is the oldest surviving Brand name in pre-recorded sound being the first record company Harvest Records was a Record label created by EMI in 1969 to promote Progressive rock music and to compete with Philips' Vertigo and The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the sixties for its Record label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI (with Voiceprint Records is a Record label based in England, founded by Rob Ayling Daevid Allen (born January 13, 1938 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian Poet, Guitarist, Singer, Kevin Ayers (born 16 August 1944 in Herne Bay, Kent) is an English Songwriter and major influential force in the English Hugo Martin Montgomery Campbell, formerly known as Mont Campbell, now Dirk Campbell (born 30 December 1950 in Ismalia Egypt) is a Lindsay Cooper (born 3 March 1951) is an English Bassoon and Oboe player Composer and Political activist Michael John David 'Mike' Westbrook (born March 21, 1936 in High Wycombe) is a highly successful British Jazz Pianist, News from Babel were an English Avant-garde rock group founded in 1983 by Chris Cutler, Lindsay Cooper, Zeena Lowen Coxhill, generally known as Lol Coxhill (born September 19, 1932, in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England) is a free Chris Cutler (born January 4, 1947) is an English percussionist composer lyricist and music theorist Art Bears were an English Avant-garde rock group formed during the disassembly of Henry Cow in 1978 by three of its members Peter Blegvad (born 14 August 1951) is an American Musician, singer-songwriter and Cartoonist. Elton Dean ( October 28 1945 &ndash February 8 2006) was a Jazz musician who performed on alto Saxophone, Saxello Keith Tippett (originally Keith Graham Tippetts, born August 25, 1947 in Bristol) is a British Jazz Pianist Centipede were a Jazz / Progressive rock / Canterbury sound Big band with more than 50 members organized and led by the British Fred Frith (born February 17, 1949) is an English Multi-instrumentalist, Composer and improvisor. Alan Gowen (born 19 August 1947, North Hampstead North West London - 17 May 1981) was a fusion / Progressive rock John Greaves (born 23 January 1950) is a British bass guitarist and composer best known as a member of Henry Cow and his collaborative James Brian Gordon 'Jimmy' Hastings (born 12 May 1938, in Aberdeen, Scotland is a British professional musician associated with the Canterbury scene Mark Hewins (born 24 March 1955) is a British Jazz Guitarist known particularly for his connections to the Canterbury scene Steve Hillage is a British musician best known as a guitarist System 7 are a British ambient dance band Due to Apple Inc 's trademark on System 7 for Mac OS, they are known as Tim Hodgkinson (born 1 May 1949) is an English Experimental music Composer and performer principally on reeds and Allan Holdsworth (born August 6, 1946 in Bradford, West Yorkshire) is a British Jazz / rock Guitarist Hugh C Hopper (born 29 April 1945, Canterbury, Kent, England) is a Progressive rock / ( fusion) Jazz Dr Karl William Jenkins OBE DMus FRAM ARAM LRAM FWCMD FTCC (born February 17, 1944) is a Welsh musician and composer Adiemus (ædiˈeɪməs is the title of a series of albums by British composer Karl Jenkins. Geoff Leigh (born 5 October 1945) is an English Jazz and Progressive rock Musician, playing primarily Soprano Phil Miller (born 22 January 1949 in Barnet, Isle of Wight) is an English Progressive rock / Jazz Guitarist Pierre Moerlen's Gong is a Jazz fusion outfit which is very different from the first incarnation of Gong, the Psychedelic Space-rock act François Ovide (born in Rouen, October 1952 died in Rouen 29 May 2002) was a French Guitarist best known for his longstanding collaborations Phillip "Pip" Pyle ( 4 April 1950 - 28 August 2006) was an English -born drummer from Michael R "Mike" Ratledge (born April 1 1943 is a British musician For the Australian dual-code rugby footballer of the same name see Geoff Richardson (rugby Peter Geoffrey Richardson (born 15 July 1950 in This article refers to the British folk band For the American jazz fusion band see Spyro Gyra. David (Dave Sinclair (born November 24, 1947 in Herne Bay, Kent, England) is a Keyboardist (organ pianos synthesizer Richard S Sinclair (born 6 June 1948 in Canterbury, England) is a Progressive rock bassist guitarist and vocalist who has been a member of several Gilli Smyth (born June 1, 1933 a musician who performed with the bands Gong, Mother Gong and Planet Gong as well as several solo albums David Lloyd Stewart (born Waterloo, London, 30 December 1950) is a Musician currently recording with Singer Barbara Andrew John 'Andy' Ward (born 28 September 1952 in Epsom, England) was the drummer and a founding member of the Progressive rock band Marillion are a British rock group Formed in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England in 1979 their recorded studio output comprises Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge, 28 January 1945 in Bristol) is an English Musician, and founding member of the influential allmusic (previously All Music Guide) is a Metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. Available at http://www.progarchives.com/subgenre.asp?style=12
- ^ RareVinylNetwork. Article entitled “The Canterbury Scene. ” Available at: http://www.rarevinyl.net/canterbury.htm
- ^ a b What is Canterbury music? at Calyx, a website about the Canterbury scene. Available at: http://calyx.club.fr/index/whatis.html
- ^ Canterbury bands at Calyx: The Canterbury Website
- Canterbury Scene at Rare Vinyl Network
- Calyx: The Canterbury Website
- Collapso - Canterbury Music Family Tree
- Search results for "Canterbury Scene" at All Music Guide
See also
- Timeline of progressive rock
- Category:Canterbury sound
External links
- Calyx, "the authority on all things Canterbury"
- Progressive Rock Forum - Melo's Prog Bazaar
- The Canterbury Scene at The Progessive Rock Bibliography
- Facelift Magazine - the Canterbury scene and beyond
- - The Interesting Alternative Show - Steve Davis's radio show
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