Globe Unity Orchestra is a big band -style ensemble that has significantly shaped the European free jazz tradition and is dedicated to new improvisation and contemporary music. It was founded in 1966 by pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach. Formed following a commission for the Berlin Jazz Festival, their debut performance at the Berlin Philharmonic on November 3, 1966, featured an ensemble including Willem Breuker, Peter Brötzmann, Gerd Dudek, Gunter Hampel, Sven-Åke Johansson, Jaki Liebezeit, Buschi Niebergall, Manfred Schoof, and Schlippenbach. The orchestra's early years saw collaborations with notable musicians such as Anthony Braxton, Steve Lacy, and Evan Parker. Their discography includes albums like Live in Wuppertal (1973), Bavarian Calypso / Good Bye (1975), and Globe Unity - 50 Years, recorded in 2016. The group experienced reduced activity in later decades but continued to perform and record, celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2006 with a concert featuring both veteran and younger musicians.
