Louis Moholo
b. 10 March 1940, Cape Town, South Africa. Moholo is simply one of the great drummers, regardless of genre. In common with Blackwell and Billy Higgins, both alumni of Ornette Coleman's Quartet, he has developed a sharp, clean, agile style, and shares with Higgins a remarkable ability to play with considerable dynamic restraint without losing strength and momentum. He is equally capable of thunderous, breakneck playing, which commands attention as much through its constant inventiveness as through its inexorable power. He grew up in a musical environment (his father a pianist, his mother and sister, singers). At the age of 16 he co-founded the Cordettes big band. In 1962, he won the Best Drummer award at the Johannesburg Jazz Festival and, together with four more of the best players at the Festival, he was invited by Chris McGregor to form a band. Thus the legendary Blue Notes were created. As a mixed-race band it was impossible for them to work under apartheid and so, in 1964, while touring Europe, they decided to stay in Switzerland. After a year there they settled in London, where, ultimately evolving into the Chris McGregor Group, they made a huge impact. As well as playing in the six-piece McGregor Group and the Brotherhood Of Breath big band, Moholo put his stamp on many fine bands, including Elton Dean's Ninesense, the Mike Osborne Trio, and Keith Tippett's extra-big band, Ark. In 1966, he toured South America with Steve Lacy, Enrico Rava and Johnny Dyani. In the '70s and '80s he often worked in Europe, particularly in trios with Irène Schweizer and Rudiger Carl, and Peter Brötzmann and Harry Miller, and recorded a duo concert with Schweizer in 1986. Moholo has also worked in duos with Tippett and Andrew Cyrille, and organized the African Drum Ensemble. He currently leads Viva La Black as well as a trio with Gary Curzon and Paul Rogers (recalling the classic Osborne trio) and plays in a percussion duo with Thebe Lipere.