Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath

Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath was a big band formed in London in 1969 by the South African pianist and composer Chris McGregor (1936-1990), growing out of his exiled group the Blue Notes. It joined South African musicians with players from the London free jazz scene, mixing South African jazz, big band writing and free improvisation. Its debut album Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath appeared in 1971. The band took shape after McGregor wrote music for a film of Wole Soyinka's Kongi's Harvest and received an Arts Council of Great Britain grant to assemble a large ensemble.