Travelling Somewhere

Last updated
Travelling Somewhere
Brotherhood of Breath Travelling Somewhere.jpg
Live album by
Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath
Released2001
RecordedJanuary 19, 1973
VenueLila Eule, Bremen, Germany
Genre Free jazz
Length1:19:29
Label Cuneiform
Rune 152
Producer Peter Schulze
Brotherhood of Breath chronology
In Memoriam
(1994)		Travelling Somewhere
(2001)		 Bremen to Bridgwater
(2004)

Travelling Somewhere is a live album by South African pianist and composer Chris McGregor's big band Brotherhood of Breath. It was recorded on January 19, 1973, at Lila Eule, a jazz club in Bremen, Germany, and was released by Cuneiform Records in 2001. The recording took place eight days before the concert heard on Live at Willisau (Ogun, 1974). [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Tom Hull – on the Web A− [5]

In a review for AllMusic, François Couture called the album "a welcome addition to the group's very short discography," and noted that the "modern big band was in top shape... Each musician is a creative force by himself. Together they played an overwhelming maelstrom of free jazz." [1]

Andrey Henkin of All About Jazz wrote: "This album is a must-have for fans of the Brotherhood of Breath; for those who appreciate the progressive big band of Carla Bley or Keith Tippett's Centipede; and for anyone who wishes to explore non-American jazz... a great addition to the unfortunately little available by this historic ensemble." [6]

Writing for JazzTimes , Bill Shoemaker commented: "Travelling Somewhere is an important addition to the rich legacy of the South African exiles. Theirs is a story that should be known by heart by all those claiming a scholarly interest in jazz, as it exemplifies the pain and grace that give voice to the music. For those who don’t know their story, take this disc to the shed." [7]

The BBC's Bill Tilland remarked: "there's an exuberant energy and density to these 1973 performances... which at times reaches an almost ecstatic intensity. It's almost as if the Sun Ra Arkestra had been reconstituted in a parallel African reality... the band's performance here is not just an important historical document, but even thirty-some years after the fact, a representation of some of the most vital and life-affirming big band jazz ever played by anyone, anywhere." [8]

Track listing

  1. "MRA" (Dudu Pukwana) – 12:15
  2. "Restless" (Chris McGregor) – 9:48
  3. "Ismite is Might" (Chris McGregor) – 3:59
  4. "Kongi's Theme" (Wole Soyinka) – 6:44
  5. "Wood Fire" (Chris McGregor) – 13:42
  6. "The Bride" (Dudu Pukwana) – 6:26
  7. "Travelling Somewhere" (Chris McGregor) – 7:21
  8. "Think of Something" (Mike Osborne) – 9:55
  9. "Do It" (Chris McGregor) – 9:19

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dudu Pukwana</span> South African saxophonist and composer (1938–1990)

Mthutuzeli Dudu Pukwana was a South African saxophonist and composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis Moholo</span> South African jazz drummer

Louis Tebogo Moholo, is a South African jazz drummer. He has been a member of several notable bands, including The Blue Notes, the Brotherhood of Breath and Assagai.

Christopher McGregor was a South African jazz pianist, bandleader and composer born in Somerset West, South Africa.

Mongezi Feza was a South African jazz trumpeter and flautist.

Harold Simon Miller was a South African jazz double bassist, who lived for most of his adulthood in England.

The Brotherhood of Breath was an English-South African big band established in the late-1960s by South African pianist and composer Chris McGregor, an extension of McGregor's previous band, The Blue Notes.

The Blue Notes were a South African jazz sextet, whose definitive line-up featured Chris McGregor on piano, Mongezi Feza on trumpet, Dudu Pukwana on alto saxophone, Nikele Moyake on tenor saxophone, Johnny Dyani on bass, and Louis Moholo-Moholo on drums. After moving away from their home country in 1964, they established themselves on the European jazz circuit, where they continued to play and record through the 1970s. They are now considered one of the great free jazz bands of their era, whose music was given a unique flavour by their integration of African styles such as Kwela into the progressive jazz ideas of the time.

Nick Evans is a Welsh former jazz and progressive rock trombonist.

<i>Live at Willisau</i> 1974 live album by Chris McGregors Brotherhood of Breath

Live at Willisau is a live album by South African pianist and composer Chris McGregor's big band Brotherhood of Breath. It was recorded on January 27, 1973, in Willisau, Switzerland, and was released on LP by Ogun Records in 1974. In 1994, the album was reissued on CD with extra tracks. The recording took place eight days after the concert heard on Travelling Somewhere.

<i>Bremen to Bridgwater</i> 2004 live album by Chris McGregors Brotherhood of Breath

Bremen to Bridgwater is a double-CD live album by South African pianist and composer Chris McGregor's big band Brotherhood of Breath. It was recorded in 1971 and 1975 in Bremen, Germany, and Bridgwater, England, and was released on CD by Cuneiform Records in 2004.

<i>Eclipse at Dawn</i> 2008 live album by Chris McGregors Brotherhood of Breath

Eclipse at Dawn is a live album by South African pianist and composer Chris McGregor's big band Brotherhood of Breath. It was recorded on November 4, 1971, at the Berliner Jazztage in Berlin, and was released on CD by Cuneiform Records in 2008.

<i>Very Urgent</i> 1968 jazz album by Chris McGregor Group

Very Urgent is an album by the Chris McGregor Group, led by pianist McGregor, and featuring saxophonists Ronnie Beer and Dudu Pukwana, trumpeter Mongezi Feza, bassist Johnny Dyani, and drummer Louis Moholo. It was recorded at Sound Techniques in London, and was released on LP by Polydor Records in 1968. In 2008, the album was reissued on CD by Fledg'ling Records. With the exception of Beer, all of the musicians were members of The Blue Notes, and the album can be viewed as the group's debut studio recording.

<i>Up to Earth</i> 2008 studio album by The Chris McGregor Septet

Up to Earth is an album by the Chris McGregor Septet, led by pianist McGregor, and featuring saxophonists Evan Parker, Dudu Pukwana, and John Surman, trumpeter Mongezi Feza, bassists Barre Phillips and Danny Thompson, and drummer Louis Moholo. It was recorded at Sound Techniques in London during 1969, and was released by Fledg'ling Records in 2008.

<i>Dudu Phukwana and the "Spears"</i> 1969 studio album by Dudu Pukwana and the "Spears"

Dudu Phukwana and the "Spears" is the debut album by South African saxophonist Dudu Pukwana and his band, the "Spears." Produced by Joe Boyd, it was recorded in 1968 at Sound Techniques in London, and was initially released on vinyl in 1969 by Quality Records, a subsidiary of the Trutone label. In 2020, the album was remastered and reissued by Matsuli Music as a double-LP set with nine previously unissued tracks that were recorded in 1969, and that feature a number of guest artists such as Fairport Convention's Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol.

<i>Procession (Live at Toulouse)</i> 1978 live album by Chris McGregors Brotherhood of Breath

Procession (Live at Toulouse) is a live album by South African pianist and composer Chris McGregor's big band Brotherhood of Breath. It was recorded on May 10, 1977, at Halle aux Grains in Toulouse, France, and was released on LP by Ogun Records in 1978. In 2013, Ogun reissued the album on CD with three extra tracks.

<i>Blue Notes in Concert Volume 1</i> 1978 live album by The Blue Notes

Blue Notes in Concert Volume 1 is a live album by The Blue Notes, featuring saxophonist Dudu Pukwana, pianist Chris McGregor, bassist Johnny Dyani, and drummer Louis Moholo. It was recorded on April 16, 1977, at the 100 Club in London, and was released on vinyl in 1978 by Ogun Records. In 2022, Ogun reissued the album in expanded form on CD with the title Blue Notes in Concert, using tracks that originally appeared on the 2008 compilation The Ogun Collection.

<i>Legacy: Live in South Afrika 1964</i> 1995 live album by The Blue Notes

Legacy: Live in South Afrika 1964 is a live album by The Blue Notes, featuring saxophonists Nick Moyake and Dudu Pukwana, trumpeter Mongezi Feza, pianist Chris McGregor, double bassist Johnny Dyani, and drummer Louis Moholo. It was recorded during 1964 in Durban, South Africa, shortly before the group fled the country's apartheid regime and went into exile in Europe, and was released in 1995 by Ogun Records. The music was reissued in 2008 as part of the compilation The Ogun Collection, and was reissued again as a stand-alone release in 2022.

<i>Township Bop</i> 2002 studio album by The Blue Notes

Township Bop is an album by The Blue Notes. Documenting the group's first studio session, it was recorded during early 1964 for the South African Broadcasting Corporation in Cape Town, South Africa, shortly before the musicians fled the country's apartheid regime and went into exile in Europe. The album was not released until 2002, when it was issued on CD by Proper Records. All of the tracks feature saxophonists Dudu Pukwana and Nick Moyake, as well as pianist Chris McGregor, while a number of the tracks include musicians who would not go on to become core members of the band: trumpeter Dennis Mpali, bassists Mongezi Velelo and Sammy Maritz, and drummer Early Mabuza.

<i>The Ogun Collection</i> 2008 compilation album by The Blue Notes

The Ogun Collection is a five-CD box set compilation album by The Blue Notes, featuring saxophonists Nick Moyake and Dudu Pukwana, trumpeter Mongezi Feza, pianist Chris McGregor, double bassist Johnny Dyani, and drummer Louis Moholo. It brings together the contents of four albums previously released by Ogun Records: Legacy: Live in South Afrika 1964 ; Blue Notes for Mongezi ; Blue Notes in Concert ; and Blue Notes for Johnny. The latter three albums appear here in expanded form. The Ogun Collection, which also includes a booklet containing photos and essays, was released by Ogun in 2008. In 2022, the label reissued all four albums as stand-alone releases, using the expanded versions found on the compilation.

<i>Chris McGregors Brotherhood of Breath</i> 1971 studio album by Chris McGregors Brotherhood of Breath

Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath is the debut album by South African pianist and composer Chris McGregor's big band of the same name. Produced by Joe Boyd, it was recorded in 1970, and was issued on LP by the short-lived Neon imprint of RCA Records in 1971 as the label's second release. In 2007, it was reissued on CD by Fledg'ling Records.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Couture, François. "Chris McGregor: Travelling Somewhere". AllMusic. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Chris McGregor - Travelling Somewhere". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Brotherhood of Breath". Cuneiform Records. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Details for release: Chris McGregor's Brootherhood of Breath — Travelling Somewhere". Exposé Online. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  5. ↑ Hull, Tom (November 2004). "Recycled Goods: Column Index - 2004". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  6. ↑ Henkin, Andrey (October 1, 2001). "Brotherhood Of Breath: Travelling Somewhere". All About Jazz. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  7. ↑ Shoemaker, Bill (January 1, 2002). "Chris McGregor: Travelling Somewhere". JazzTimes. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  8. ↑ Tilland, Bill (2002). "Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath Travelling Somewhere Review". BBC. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.