Campaign underway to rename Bristol's Colston Hall after the late Keith Tippett

A campaign has been set up to rename Bristol's Colston Hall in honour of the late Keith Tippett.

Composer and King Crimson and Soft Machine collaborator Tippett died earlier this month, aged 72. The colonial and slave trade past of Edward Colston, whom the Bristol venue had been named after, was highlighted when his statue in the city was toppled and thrown in the harbour during Black Lives Matter protests on June 7.

A new campaign by former Tippett student Luke Lockyer is gathering wide support for what seems to be a befitting and appropriate name change to Bristol's most respected and ethical musician of this lifetime.

"Keith was a purveyor of inventive arts and in particular equality and was instrumental in supporting South African musicians such as: Dudu Pukwana, Mongezi Feza, Harry Miller, Jonny Dyani, Louis Moholo-Moholo and Chris MacGregor during the apartheid. Keith and other jazz musicians of the late 60s had these musicians play on their recordings and take part in concerts," say campaigners.

"Bristol may not know another composer like Keith in this lifetime. Someone who spanned the musical genres, countries, cultures and demographics. Accepted in all walks of life, from dingy back room clubs to world class concert halls. He belonged everywhere. A Bristol boy through and through, it seems more than appropriate that Keith is remembered in this way. That his music and name resonate for years to come and that he be rightfully honoured for his musical achievements and contribution to musical education."

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Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.