Centipede was a massive British jazz-rock orchestra formed in 1970 by pianist and composer Keith Tippett. Conceived as an ambitious large-ensemble project, the group fused jazz improvisation, progressive rock, avant-garde composition, and free jazz. With roughly 50 musicians involved, Centipede became one of the largest ensembles ever assembled in the progressive rock era.
The project was closely linked to the UK’s Canterbury scene and the experimental jazz community surrounding Tippett. Members and collaborators came from notable progressive and jazz groups including Soft Machine, King Crimson, Nucleus, and The Keith Tippett Group.
Centipede’s music combined orchestral writing with collective improvisation, dense horn arrangements, electric rock rhythm sections, and passages of free-form experimentation. The ensemble performed only briefly around 1970–1971, but its scale and concept made it one of the most ambitious crossover projects between jazz and progressive rock.
A key supporter of the project was Robert Fripp of King Crimson, who produced the band’s album and helped bring together musicians from the progressive rock world.
Music
1971 — Septober Energy: Released on RCA Records, this double album is the group’s only official release. The work consists of four large movements composed by Keith Tippett and performed by the full orchestra. Notable contributors on the album include, Robert Wyatt, Elton Dean, Ian McDonald, Julie Tippetts, and Nick Evans.