"Torrid Zone: The Vertigo Recordings 1970-1975" by NUCLEUS and IAN CARR (29 March 2019 UK Esoteric Recordings 6CD Clamshell Box - Paschal Byrne Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Labyrinth..."

Scottish Trumpeter IAN CARR (raised in Newcastle) has deserved this kind of lavish clamshell-dom for some time now. But fans will quickly clock that nine album front covers onto six card sleeves does not artwork go. I say this because on opening this still brilliant Esoteric Recordings mini box set (which the spirit of textured gatefold LP sleeves within me has been looking forward to for some time) - I have to confess to being slightly crest-fallen. Five of the single CD card sleeves reflect the original and cool Roger Dean and Keith Davis artwork for sure (disc three has the October 1972 Ian Car solo album "Belladonna") – but my fave die-cut for their brilliant debut "Elastic Rock" had to be replaced with a period image instead. Boo hoo...

But not to fear my elasticated rocking alley cats – this Jazz Rock Prog-tastic monster hasn’t missed anything else that I can see - all of the original artwork inside and out is repro’d faithfully in the substantially chunky booklet, alongside a whole lot more from magazine and personal archives, most of it seeing the 2019 light of day for the first time in nearly five decades.

But for me, best news is the new Audio - fabulous Paschal Byrne Remasters taken from original Vertigo Records mastertapes, which for my money is one of 'the' reasons for fan purchase. Sweet as a zone that’s torrid (as they say in pre Brexit Brussels). There's a veritable magma flow of solar plexus blowhard horns and synths to wade through, so once more my swirl label devotees unto the die-cut breach...

UK released Friday, 29 March 2019 (5 April 2019 in the USA) - "Torrid Zone: The Vertigo Recordings 1970-1975" by NUCLEUS & IAN CARR on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 62663 (Barcode 5013929476301) is a 6CD Clamshell Box Set offering 9 albums in full (no other bonuses) and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (64:42 minutes):

1. 1916 [Side 1]

2. Elastic Rock

3. Striation

4. Taranki

5. Twisted Track

6. Crude Blues (Part One)

7. Crude Blues (Part Two)

8. 1916 - The Battle Of Boogaloo

9. Torrid Zone [Side 2]

10. Stonescape

11. Earth Mother

12. Speaking For Myself, Personally, In My Own Opinion, I Think...

13. Persephones Jive

Tracks 1 to 13 are their debut album "Elastic Rock" [as NUCLEUS] - released June 1970 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 008 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING. 

14. Song For The Bearded Lady [Side 1]

15. Sun Child

16. Lullaby For A Lonely Child

17. We'll Talk About It Later

Tracks 14 to 17 are Side 1 of their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" [as NUCLEUS] - released February 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 027 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

Disc 2 (67:27 minutes):

1. Oasis [Side 2]

2. Ballad Of Joe Pimp

3. Easter 1916

Tracks 1 to 3 are Side 2 of their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" [as NUCLEUS] - released February 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 027 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

4. Elements I & II [Side 1]

5. Changing Times

6. Bedrock Deadlock

7. Spirit Level

8. Torso [Side 2]

9. Snakehips Dream

Tracks 4 to 9 are their third studio album "Solar Plexus" [as IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] - released June 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 039 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone and Flute

KARL JENKINS - Baritone Saxophone, Oboe, Piano and Electric Pianos

CHRIS SPEDDING - Guitar

JEFF CLYNE - Bass Guitars

JOHN MARSHALL - Drums and Percussion 

Above line-up for the first two LPs, but for "Solar Plexus", these additional:

Kenny Wheeler and Harry Beckett on Trumpets (Tracks 4, 5, 8 and 9)

Tony Roberts – Tenor Saxophone, Bass and Clarinet

Ron Matthewson – Bass

Keith Winter – VCS3 Synthesiser

Disc 3 (65:56 minutes):

1. Belladonna [Side 1]

2. Summer Rain

3. Remadione [Side 2]

4. May Day

5. Suspension

6. Hector's House

Tracks 1 to 6 are the album "Belladonna" [by IAN CARR] – released October 1972 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 076 (no US issue) – Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Alto and Bamboo Flute

DAVE MacRAE – Fender Electric Piano

ALAN HOLDSWORTH – Guitar

ROY BABBINGTON – Bass Guitar

CHRIS THACKER - Drums

7. Origins [Side 1]

8. Bull Dance

9. Ariadne

10. Arena

Tracks 7 to 10 are Side 1 of the album "Labyrinth" [by IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] – released July 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 091 (no US issue) – Produced by IAN CARR and ROGER WAKE

Disc 4 (73:59 minutes):

1. Arena/Exultation [Side 2]

2. Naxos

Tracks 1 to 2 are Side 2 of the album "Labyrinth" [by IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] – released July 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 091 (no US issue) – Produced by IAN CARR and ROGER WAKE

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Flute

DAVE MacRAE – Fender Electric Piano

ALAN HOLDSWORTH – Guitar

ROY BABBINGTON – Bass Guitar

CHRIS THACKER – Drums

Plus Guests:

Kenny Wheeler – Trumpets and Flugelhorn

Norma Winstone – Vocals

Paddy Kingsland – VCS3 Synthesiser

Trevor Tomkins – Percussion

Tony Levin – Drums

3. Roots [Side 1]

4. Images

5. Caliban

6. Whapatiti [Side 2]

7. Capricorn

8. Odokamona

9. Southern Roots And Celebration

Tracks 3 to 19 are the album "Roots" [by IAN CARR’S NUCLEUS] – released November 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 100 (no US issue) – Produced by FRITZ FRYER

IAN CARR – Trumpet

BRIAN SMITH – Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Flute and Bamboo Flute

DAVID MacRAE – Electric and Acoustic Piano

JOCELYN PITCHEN – Guitars

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

CLIVE THACKER – Drums (Percussion on "Images")

AUREO de SOUZA – Percussion (Drums on "Images")

JOY YATES - Vocals

10. In Procession [Side 1]

11. The Addison Trip

12. Pastoral Graffiti

13. New Life

14. A Taste Of Sarsaparilla

Tracks 10 to 14 are Side 1 of the album "Under The Sun" [by NUCLEUS] – released October 1974 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 110 (no US issue) - Produced by FRITZ FRYER.

Disc 5 (67:24 minutes):

1. Theme 1 - Sarsaparilla

2. Theme 2 - Feast Alfresco

3. Theme 3 - Rites Of Man

Tracks 1 to 3 are Side 2 of the album "Under The Sun" [by NUCLEUS] – released October 1974 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 110 (no US issue) - Produced by FRITZ FRYER.

IAN CARR – Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BOB BERTIES – Alto and Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet and Flute

GORDON BECK – Electric Piano and Percussion (Solo on "Sarsaparilla")

GEOFF CASTLE – Electric Piano and VCS3 Synthesiser (Piano on "A Taste Of Sarsaparilla")

JOCELYN PITCHEN – Guitars (Solo on "New Life")

KEN SHAW – Guitars (Ring Modulated Piano on "In Procession")

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

BRYAN SPRING – Drums, Tympani and Percussion

Guests:

Keiran White (of Steamhammer) sings Vocals on "The Addison Trip"

4. Rat's Bag [Side 1]

5. Alive And Kicking

6. Rachel's Tune

7. Snakehips Etcetera [Side 2]

8. Pussyfoot

9. Heyday

Tracks 4 to 9 are the album "Snakehips Etcetera" [by NUCLEUS] – released April 1975 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 119 and Sire SASD-7508 in the USA (first album by Nucleus issued in America) - Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum.

Disc 6 (41:22 minutes):

1. Phaideaux Corner [Side 1]

2. Alleycat

3. Splat [Side 2]

4. You Can't Be Sure

5. Nosegay

Tracks 1 to 5 are the album "Alleycat" [by NUCLEUS] – released November 1975 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 124 (no US issue) - Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum.

Line-Up for both "Snakehips Etcetera" and "Alleycat"

IAN CARR – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Acoustic Piano, Moog, Percussion

BOB BERTIES – Alto, Baritone and Soprano Saxophones, Flute, Voice

KEN SHAW – Guitars and Percussion

GEOFF CASTLE – Keyboards, Moog, Percussion

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

ROGER SELLERS – Drums and Percussion

Guest:

Trevor Tomkins – Percussion on "Phaideaux Corner" and "Alleycat" on the "Alleycat" album

Compiled and co-ordinated by MARK POWELL with full involvement from those still around the band, the 48-page booklet is an impressive affair and very proudly flaunts the boxes of original Vertigo master tapes across its many picture-festooned pages (along with all of that dinky Roger Dean artwork). Noted writer SID SMITH (who did the liner notes for the impressive Panegyric 'Definitive Edition' CD and BLU RAY reissues of YES) digs in deep for a history across nine studio albums beginning with Carr’s career as part of the Don Rendell Quartet (1965 to 1969) on to Best Group awards at The Montreaux Jazz Festival and celebrated dates in the USA. There are promo pages from Phonogram (who distributed Vertigo), a concert poster for the Queen Elizabeth Hall where a program would set you back a frankly extortionate 10p (ten new pence to you mate) and so on. To the music...

I suspect the last time anyone had these albums on CD in their mits was the 2005 Repertoire reissues – here the Audio is not so in-your-face – warmer and fuller. Spedding trades his guitar licks with the horns of Ian Carr and Karl Jenkins on "Taranaki" – a Karl Jenkins mellow instrumental on Side 1 of "Elastic Rock" and two things are apparent – the band has been listening to Miles Davis and his 1969 Columbia/CBS Records output for a entire year and that the Remaster is fantastic. Sure the separation of instruments is a tad harsh but man are they reproduced well in this transfer. Again the Chris Spedding intro to "Earth Mother" over on Side 2 accompanied by some heavy Oboe soloing is clear and present – Jeff Clyne on Bass. Another moment of remaster clarity comes with the drums, guitar and brass unison opening of "Crude Blues (Part Two)" – a short but very cool opening to Side 2 of the album. Many fans rate "Elastic Rock" as a brilliant account-opener and they’d be right – apart from the one and half-minute drum nonsense of "Speaking For Myself..." – there is hardly a wasted moment.

Issued in February 1971, the proper full-on Jazz-Prog-Rock of "Song For The Bearded Lady" from their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" was chosen as the representative track for the "Time Machine" 3CD Box Set covering Vertigo Records in 2005 ("Torrid Zone" from the 1970 debut album is in there too). And frankly it’s easy to hear why – a neck-jerking seven and a half-minute instrumental workout with clever musical breaks and a hat-tip to King Crimson over on Island Records. Spedding gets to wah-wah his gee-tar on the Clyne/Marshall jabber "Sun Child" behind Carr and Jenkins letting it rip. Miles Davis pretty surfaces in the guise of "Lullaby For A Lonely Child", but the echoed vocals of "Easter 1916" Zappa-fy the album finisher too much for me (and not in a good way).

By the time we reach album three, Ian Carr has taken over composition of all tracks. Guests Kenny Wheeler on Flugelhorn and Tony Roberts on Tenor Sax act as the soloists on "Changing Times" – Nucleus getting Funky. Karl Jenkins does the Oboe solo on the sad Tudor soundscape of "Bedrock Deadlock" with Jeff Clyne drawing his bow across large Double Bass strings before the six and half-minute track takes a sudden and unexpected Funky direction change with a treated guitar from Spedding (very clever and sounding spiffing on this transfer). Confirming its rep as a quality Nucleus outing, the album ends on an epic 15-minute slink – "Snakehips’ Dream" – a tribute to a lady dancer Carr once knew called "Snakehips" Johnson. It’s the first time for me that the keyboards/guitar battles get pride of place – and it so works (best track they ever did methinks).

The inevitable Ian Carr solo album arrived in October 1972 in the shape of "Belladonna" – again its six lengthy instrumentals steeped in the smooze of IC’s acknowledged hero – Miles Davis. The transfer on the lovely and nay even sexy "Summer Rain" is so sweet – with newcomer Dave MacRae bringing his keyboard chops to the party. Jon Hiseman’s production certainly amps up the Alan Holdsworth Guitar and Brian Smith Brass blasts on "Hector's Party" – a song that sounds exactly like its hep title.

A muscular loincloth-clad gladiator brute-type manhandles a Minotaur on the front cover of "Labyrinth" – Nucleus commissioned by the Park Lane Group (with Arts Council funding) to create music based on the antiquities myth (Athens vs. Crete etc). They augmented the band with so many musicians that they literally get a credits ‘Plus’ on the front sleeve – amongst the names being Norma Winstone on Vocals with ace sessionman Tony Levin on Drums (years later he would become the defacto kit-man for Peter Gabriel’s touring band). It opens with the suitably ominous danger inherent in the stabby "Origins" only to go all Bullet bass lines chase sequence on the sexy "Bull Dance". Shimmering Greenslade-type electric piano notes open seven minutes of the excellent "Ariadne" with Norma Waterstone’s high-flying vocals singing of seekers and their detractors - while over on Side 2 the two lengthy workouts "Exultation" and "Naxos" bring the ancient tale into serious Prog-Fusion mode.

Highlights from albums five to nine include the first-time-on-CD appearance of the much-sampled "Roots" LP from November 1973 – resplendent here on CD 4 with its fab Keith Davis designed sleeve. Super cool slow-Drums and Brass-jabbing Grooves give the title track the feel of a Seventies Cop TV show where some Superslick Detective falls in love with a babe from the driver’s seat of his cigarettes ‘n’ coffee filthy car (fantastic remaster too). The cool continues with "Images" where Joy Yates Jazz-moans her words as the British lads smooze the backbeat. "Caliban" sees Nucleus once again embrace their inner Billy Cobham by way of Donald Byrd – funky and sounding like a dead ringer for the sequel "Baby Driver 2: Behind The Wheel Again". Keiran White of Steamhammer moans scat vocals on the hipster Jazz-Funk of "The Addison Trip" while Roger Sutton lets rip on a Bass solo.

The "Under The Sun" album is probably the most Jazz of the lot while I’ve always been partial to the Jon Hiseman produced "Snakehips Etcetera" LP with its garish glossy laminate sleeve (fave tracks "Alive And Kicking" and "Pussyfoot"). And on it goes...

For sure listening to nine albums worth of Jazz Rock, Prog Fusion and even Jeff Beck like funkiness may prove too much for the uninitiated – but I’ve loved this vaults trawl. And how good is it to see the missing digital hole of "Roots" finally be filled and in such Audio style too.

As Sid Smith quite rightly points out in his typically excellent liner notes, bands like Chick Corea’s Return To Forever and John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra probably sold more album on Columbia/CBS in a month than poor Ian Carr did across six years in Blighty - even when Prog Rock and Fusion were literally flavour of the year in 1973 and 1974 – regularly nabbing the No. 1 spot on the LP charts for ELP, Yes, Jethro Tull and Top 5 for Genesis.

But spare a moment for the nine-LP Spice Girls of Jazz-Rock – NUCLEUS. They may have only charted their debut album for one miserly week in 1970 (at No. 46) - but their consistent (yet commercially ignored) brilliance is reflected in this jam-packed box. Man, I could even forgive Ian Carr’s seriously garish Tartan trousers on Page 41 of the booklet as he giggles at the advances of a scantily clad lady in hots pants threatening to do things to his improvisational ass with a Bottle of Stout that may have worried those nice people over at the BBC. Them were the days baby. Recommended and well-done to all involved...