Bill Bruford's Earthworks

'Bill Bruford's Earthworks' was a British jazz band led by drummer Bill Bruford. The band recorded several albums for Editions EG, Discipline Global Mobile and Summerfold Records.

Earthworks went through several line-ups, with Bruford (in the band's earlier years) sometimes comparing his responsibilities within it as being similar to those of Art Blakey with the Jazz Messengers, in that he was providing an environment for young British jazz players to gain attention and experience before going on to become well-known players and bandleaders in their own right. Alumni of the band included future British jazz stars Django Bates, Iain Ballamy, Patrick Clahar, Mark Hodgson, Steve Hamilton and Gwilym Simcock although the last line-up included previously-established jazz musicians in the form of Chick Corea sideman Tim Garland and veteran bass player Laurence Cottle.

The initial version of the band strongly stressed an acoustic electronic fusion, foregrounding Bruford's electronic Simmons drums, Bates' synthesizer work and (between late 1988 and 1993) the electric bass guitar of Tim Harries. From 1998 onwards, the band was predominantly acoustic, with Bruford also returning to an acoustic kit.

From Wikipedia