Canterbury Jazz Rock
tagStarted 1968Peak 1970-1976Last big hit 1979From Canterbury, United Kingdom
Located in 1 route
The English Canterbury wing of jazz rock: fuzz-toned organ, breathy reeds and intricate jazz harmony wrapped in psychedelic whimsy and deadpan, surreal lyrics. Improvisation derived from jazz meets odd meters and droll Englishness. Warm, melodic and cerebral at once, more playful and pastoral than the hard-charging American fusion bands.
History
Rooted in Canterbury, Kent, where the Wilde Flowers (1963-69) seeded Soft Machine and Caravan. Through the early 70s the scene's jazz-rock side flourished via Hatfield and the North and National Health, both built around keyboardist Dave Stewart and guitarist Phil Miller, plus Gong's cosmic strain. A close cousin of progressive jazz rock.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_scene
- https://www.progarchives.com/subgenre.asp?style=12
- https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-canterbury-scene-best-albums