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Exceptional CD Remasters
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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...
