Canterbury scene

The Canterbury scene (or Canterbury sound) is a musical scene that originated in the city of Canterbury, Kent, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Associated with progressive rock, the term describes a loosely defined, improvisational style that blended elements of jazz, rock, and psychedelia. The Canterbury scene was born from the ashes of The Wilde Flowers, a psych-pop outfit active in the mid to late 60s. After the band broke up in 1969, its members soon went on to play together in numerous bands (e.g. Soft Machine, Caravan, Gong, Hatfield and the North, Egg, and National Health), with ever-changing and overlapping personnel, creating some similarities in their musical output . Many prominent British avant-garde or fusion musicians began their career in Canterbury bands, including Hugh Hopper, Steve Hillage, Dave Stewart, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, Richard Sinclair, Tony Coe, Daevid Allen, and Mike Ratledge.