Refugee was a progressive rock

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 group formed by former The Nice

The Nice

The Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...

 members, bassist Lee Jackson

Lee Jackson (bassist)

Lee Jackson is a British bass player and singer, best known for his work in The Nice.-Biography:...

 and drummer Brian Davison

Brian Davison (drummer)

Brian Davison , nicknamed "Blinky", was a British drummer, best known for his work in The Nice. He was born in Leicester and died in Horns Cross, Devon....

, with keyboardist Patrick Moraz

Patrick Moraz

Patrick Philippe Moraz is a progressive rock keyboard player. He is best known as the keyboardist for the progressive rock band Yes, from 1974 to 1976, and the Moody Blues from 1978 to 1991...

.

After The Nice, Jackson had formed Jackson Heights

Jackson Heights (band)

Jackson Heights were an English rock band, led by bassist and vocalist Lee Jackson, that ran from 1970 to 1973. Other players included Brian Chatton , Dave Watts playing keyboards and King Crimson's drummers Michael Giles and Ian Wallace.Their debut album King Progress included a reworking of...

, with Davison later becoming involved in the project too. Jackson then invited Moraz to form a new trio, Refugee, with him and Davison.

Refugee released one album on Charisma Records

Charisma Records

Charisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...

. The music was composed by Moraz with lyrics from Jackson. An archival live album recorded that year is due in 2007. Without a deal for a second album and with tensions in the band, Moraz accepted an offer to join Yes

Yes (band)

Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

 in 1974 and, after a final few shows, Refugee split up.

Davison went on to work with Gong

Gong (band)

Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...

. Both Davison and Jackson would later retire from music, until the Keith Emerson

Keith Emerson

Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...

/The Nice reunion shows in the 2000s.