Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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McGREGOR, Chris

(b 24 December 1936, Somerset West, Cape Province, South Africa; d 27 May 1990, France) Piano, composer. Influenced in childhood on a mission station by Xhosa music and Protestant hymns, he played in increasingly difficult conditions in interracial bands in South Africa until he went into exile with a sextet. He lived in Switzerland '64, moved to the UK '65 with the band Blue Notes, whose fusion of African music with freer elements had a revitalizing effect on London scene still felt today. He enlarged the band '70 and formed Brotherhood of Breath, touring Europe and UK. He moved to France mid-'70s, touring and recording until his death.

His emotive, percussive playing was under-documented on record, but highlights included Brotherhood '72 on RCA; Live At Willisau '74, Blue Notes For Mongezi '75 (tribute to trumpeter Mongezi Feza, who died in 1975 aged 30) and Blue Notes For Johnny (with Dudu Pukwana and drummer Louis Moholo [b 10 March 1940, Cape Town] for bassist Johnny Dyani, who died in 1986 aged 39), all on Ogun; Yes Please '81 on IAO. The Cuniform label has been digging in European radio vaults for live recordings; Eclipse at Dawn was made at the Berlin Jazzstage in November 1971.

The talent that came out of South Africa has never been properly appreciated; Dyani and Feza had been influenced by Ornette Coleman's classic quartet, but retained their own childlike lyricism, the music bright and full of joy. With Turkish drummer Okay Temiz they made Rejoice on Cadillac '72 in Stockholm. Moholo made octet Spirits Rejoice '78 (including Canadian Kenny Wheeler and Brits Evan Parker and Keith Tippett as well as Dyani and others) and septet Viva La Black c.1989 (with Steve Williamson), both on Ogun. See also the entry for Pukwana.