I can't believe I forget him, Willem Breuker and his recording In Holland.

Another one of those that belong in even Britney Spears' and her fans collection.


Some more, including a few extra triple secret groups.


Vienna Art Orchestra - The Minimalism of Erik Satie
London Jazz Composers Orchestra
Barry Guy's New Orchestra - only one recording, but what a recording - Inscape/Tableaux
Spontaneous Music Ensemble
Itallian Instabile Orchestra - beside their own recordings, check out the recording as sidemen to Cecil Taylor - The Owner of the River Bank
Globe Unity Orchestra
Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra
M.I.M.E.O. (Music in Movement Electronic Orchestra)
AMM
ICP
London Improvisers Orchestra
Chris Burn's Ensemble
Moscow Composers Orchestra

Micro-East Collective - not sure if they are considered European.
New Orchestra Workshop - they are Canadian, but there recording with Barry Guy is a excellent one - Study-Witch Gong Game II/10. It's found under Guy's name.



Many of the musicians are members of several of these groups. You can stay very busy just with all the sidemen involved in all of these groups.



Did I mention that In Holland is DA BOMB!?

Cecil Taylor's - Alms/Tiergarten (Spree)

Cecil's best big group recording. It includes many of the big names in Europe and a few that were not that big at the time.

I find it interesting that so many of the European artists mentioned in this thread are leaders of, or members of, (or are) large ensembles. The term 'orchestra' appears quite often. It could be the culture of Europe or the smaller / tighter distances seperating large cities or it could be that economics allows largeness to happen. Whatever. It looks like a trend to me.

Seems like Mingus looms large here, too. But I guess it's near impossible to have a large, progressive band, no matter where you're from, that hasn't taken some lessons from da 'extra' big dawg

Three more, that I am embarrassed, that I forgot to mention.

Krzysztof Komeda,
Tomasz Stanko
Bobo Stenson

It's part of Europe's bylaws, that all groups with more then 6 musicins, must be called an Orchestra.


The reason they are able to afford putting such large groups together, is because unlike in the U.S., their govt.s give them money.

Finally, as I pointed out, most of these musicians have played with each other in smaller groups. So, it is normal that they would get together for bigger groups.