Esoteric

“An expanded edition of the 1982 solo album by Jon Anderson, Animation. The album was recorded throughout 1981 during Jon's first hiatus from Yes, with whom he had become an internationally known vocalist and songwriter and followed on from his acclaimed albums Olias Of Sunhillow and Song Of Seven. Working with co-producer Neil Kernon and a host of talented musicians such as David Scancious, Clem Clempson, Simon Phillips, Stefano Cerri, Chris Rainbow, Jack Bruce and Dave Lawson, Anderson created an...

"All Together Now featured the band's biggest hit 'Hold Your Head Up' and saw Rod Argent (keyboards, vocals), Russ Ballard (guitar, piano, vocals), Jim Rodford (bass, guitar, vocals) and Robert Henrit (drums, percussion) enjoy global success. Includes one bonus track and features a booklet that fully restores all original album artwork with a new essay."

Never had heard this Keith Relf-fronted hard rock/progressive-styled album, which came out in the mid 70s until this reissue. It's a great record. Relf is in good voice and the guitarwork from ex-Steamhammer fretmanMartin Pugh is tasty and blazing...

"Born of a time when jazz musicians crossed in to the world of rock music, Atlantic Bridge was a quartet featuring Mike McNaught (piano, electric piano), Daryl Runswick (bass, bass guitar), Jim Philip (flute, soprano sax, tenor sax) & Mike Travis (drums). All four musicians were seasoned players on the London jazz circuit, but sought to expand their musical horizons.
Influenced by the experimentation of Miles Davis on his album Bitches Brew and by the work of British musicians such as Keith Tippett..

"Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the classic 1970 album by the legendary progressive rock group.

Along with Genesis and Van Der Graaf Generator, Audience were one of the key bands on the roster of the Famous Charisma Label in the...

This 1969 release was Kevin's first solo album after leaving the Soft Machine in Summer, 1968, and it's one of his very best. The spirit of the age of the summer of love is very much still in the air.
Players include Robert Wyatt, Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge, David Bedford, Rod Tait, etc. Comes in a very nice replica of the original gatefold sleeve. Highly recommended!

“Following the demise of the legendary Blossom Toes in December ’69, guitarist Brian Godding and bassist Brian Belshaw backed vocalist Julie Driscoll at two London concerts in early 1970, along with drummer Barry Jenkins. The second of these concerts took place at The Roundhouse on 27th February 1970. A highlight of the performance was a rendition of Godding’s rousing composition ‘New Day’, a song recorded by Blossom Toes but sadly not released. The concert was enthusiastically reviewed by the...

“Clamshell boxed set of archive live recordings by Baker Gurvitz Army made for BBC Radio & TV, independent radio & Radio Bremen, all from 1975.
Baker Gurvitz Army was formed in 1974 by former Gun and Three Man Army members Adrian Gurvitz (guitar, vocals), Paul Purvitz (bass, vocals) and virtuoso drummer Ginger Baker, formerly with Cream, Blind Faith and Airforce. The trio was soon augmented by the arrival of vocalist Mr. Snips (Steve Parsons) and keyboard player Peter Lemer (In Cahoots, Seventh...

"This classic album was first released in June 1983 by Charisma Records and four months prior to the release of the album "Genesis" and began life as a series of home demos and was completed at Genesis' The Farm studio.
"The Fugitive" featured contributions from Daryl Stuermer on guitars, Mo Foster on bass and drummers Steve Gadd, Tony Beard and Andy Duncan and for the first time Tony Banks sang lead vocals on all of the songs.
"The Fugitive" spawned the singles 'This is Love' and ...

Their fourth album from 1972 by this British group that came out of the English progressive movement of the 60's. Their music combines elements of The Moody Blues, to whom they are always compared, but also the more mellow parts of early King Crimson and Genesis. One of their greats from a great, under-heralded band.

“Released in November 1972, their fourth album was mainly recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport with the epic ‘Moonwater’ being recorded with a full orchestra at Abbey Road...

An expanded version of the 1970 art rock classic debut album by this British group that came out of the English progressive movement of the 60's. Their music combines elements of The Moody Blues, to whom they are always compared, but also the more mellow parts of early King Crimson and Genesis. This was their 1st album, released in 1970 and includes orchestra on a few pieces.

"Features nine bonus tracks including the classic 'Early Morning', 'Brother Thrush' and 'Taking Some Time On' singles and...

A super-duper deluxe edition of the 1970 art rock classic debut album by Barclay James Harvest.

"Features an additional 33 bonus tracks drawn from new 5. 1 surround sound and stereo mixes from the original multi-track master tapes, BBC radio sessions from 1968 and 1971, and non-album singles along with the 1968 short film Mr. Sunshine.
The set also includes a lavishly illustrated 68-page book with previously unseen photographs and an essay by BJH specialists Keith and Monika Domone...

Third album by this British group that came out of the English progressive movement of the 60's. Their music combines elements of The Moody Blues, to whom they are always compared, but also the more mellow parts of early King Crimson and Genesis. This was their 3rd album, released in 1971 and is yet another strong symphonic rock contender.

“This expanded edition of “…Other Short Stories” comprises 40 tracks and features the original UK stereo mix re-mastered from the original master tapes and...

2016 deluxe 3 disc set of this classic 1977 release by BJH, which includes (a) a new re-master of the original stereo mix, a new remix from the original multi-track tapes, revealing new details and sounds and (c) 5.1 and hi-res files.
Includes a illustrated booklet, many photos and six bonus tracks!

"The album followed in the wake of “Everyone is Everybody Else”, “Barclay James Harvest Live”, “Time Honoured Ghosts” & “Octoberon” for Polydor records and was a Top Thirty album in the UK and...

2003 remaster with 5 bonus tracks, this reissue was coordinated by Mark Powell and the booklet was designed by Phil Smee and includes lots of great photos and information! Originally released October, 1976. "BJH bring to mind so many influences yet rem...

Originally released October, 1975 with a bonus track, the entire album in hi-res and 5.1 and their 1975 promotional films.

"It was their first (and only) album recorded in the USA, at "His Masters Wheels" studio in San Francisco. This 1975 Album by British mellotron masters Barclay James Harvest is unique in a couple of respects. It also featured the song "Titles" which had lyrics comprised of the titles of Beatles songs. The album sleeve was designed by Bill Dare, and was based upon a Maxwell...

"Prior to Peter Bardens joining Andrew Latimer, Andy Ward and Doug Ferguson to form Camel, he had recorded a single in 1969 with his band Village (also featuring Bill Porter on drums and future Elvis Costello & The Attractions’ member Bruce Thomas on bass) for the short-lived Head Records label.
In 1970 Bardens signed to Transatlantic and recorded his debut solo album ‘The Answer’ featuring Bruce Thomas, guitarist Andy Gee and Reg Isadore on drums, plus an uncredited Peter Green guesting on guitar...

"Recorded in the Spring of 1974 at several studios in London, AXE VICTIM was released by EMI’s Harvest label in June 1974 to much critical praise and introduced Be Bop Deluxe to the record buying public. The album featured the band’s first line-up of BILL NELSON (vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, piano), IAN PARKIN (rhythm & acoustic guitars, organ), ROB BRYAN (bass guitar, vocals) and NICHOLAS CHATTERTON-DEW (drums).
AXE VICTIM was a fine debut and was championed by DJ John Peel (who had been.....

“This legendary live album was released in July 1977 and would prove to be the band’s most successful album, peaking at number 10 in the UK charts. The album was issued at a time of growing commercial success for the band and followed on the heels of two highly acclaimed studio albums in thirteen months, Sunburst Finish and Modern Music, both of which reached the top twenty of the UK album charts.
Live! In the Air Age would be the band’s only live record and was recorded on a series of dates in...

“Digitally remastered and expanded edition of Modern Music, the legendary 1976 album by Be Bop Deluxe. Recorded in June and July 1976 at Abbey Road Studio Three, Modern Music was the fourth album by Be Bop Deluxe and the second to feature the line-up of Bill Nelson (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Charles Tumahai (bass, vocals), Andy Clark (keyboards) and Simon Fox (drums). The album was co-produced by Bill Nelson and John Leckie. Much of the material appearing on the album was conceived by Bill Nelson...

“Recorded in the Autumn of 1975 at Abbey Road studios (with some sessions also taking place at AIR studios in London), SUNBURST FINISH was the third album by Be Bop Deluxe and the first to feature the line-up of BILL NELSON (vocals, guitars, keyboards), CHARLIE TUMAHAI (bass, vocals), ANDY CLARK (keyboards) and SIMON FOX (drums). It was also the first Be-Bop album to be co-produced by BILL NELSON and JOHN LECKIE. An album of immense musical inventiveness and creativity, SUNBURST FINISH was one of the...

"Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce a 2CD ANTHOLOGY by the classic Scottish Progressive Rock group BEGGARS OPERA. Drawing on material from the band’s first four albums, recorded for the legendary Vertigo label, "NIMBUS” features 27...

"The product of a recording session in New York City in 1970, “Where Fortune Smiles” is one of the milestone albums to be recorded at a time when the divisions between the worlds of jazz and rock were less defined and albums such as Bitches Brew by Miles Davis and the work of Tony Williams’ Lifetime pointed a new direction in music.
Originally released on Pye Records’ “Progressive” imprint Dawn Records, Where Fortune Smiles was recorded fresh on the heels of John McLaughlin and Dave Holland’s work...

"The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” is a progressive rock concept album by bassist Marco Bernard. It takes listeners on a musical journey through the mind of Peter Pan, the eternal boy who never grows up. The album explores themes of youth, hope, and the struggle to hold onto innocence in a world that demands maturity. Featuring virtuosic bass playing and intricate compositions, “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” is a powerful and emotive listen. In addition to drawing inspiration from the classic story of Peter..

There’s a lot of good stuff here and a lot of stuff you don’t know, but possibly most essential of all is the DVD, which is just amazing.

“Lighthouse’ is an anthology from the entire Tim Blake pantheon, a 3-CD set selection from work with Gong, Hawkwind and 5 solo albums, plus a DVD of a live solo performance from 1979, and extensive liner notes from Hawkwind-head Ian Abrahams, including extracts from interviews. You can take this release in a couple of ways: as an introduction to his work, for...

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of a newly re-mastered edition of the classic 1978 ambient masterpiece “Blake’s New Jerusalem” by Tim Blake. Tim first came to prominence as a member of Gong, where his synthesiser experimentation and mastery was demonstrated on albums such as Flying Teapot”, “Angel’s Egg” and “You”. He would also join Hawkwind from 1979 – 1980 and from November 2007.
After departing Gong in 1975 he teamed up with French lighting designer Patrice Warrener to...

This is a relatively recent (last decade) release by this grandaddy synthi-wizzard and is quite excellent in quality and style overall! Yes, it’s digital, but it still sounds like Tim! Recommended.

“This is the first ever CD release of “Noggi Tar”, Tim Blake’s 2012 album, previously only available as a download from his official website.
Tim first came to prominence as a member of Gong, where his synthesiser experimentation and mastery was demonstrated on albums such as Flying Teapot”...

“Released in July 1969, ‘If Only For A Moment’ was the second and final album by Blossom Toes, one of Britain’s most imaginative bands of the late 1960s. Originally known as The Ingoes, the band featured Brian Godding (guitar, vocals, keyboards), Jim Cregan (guitar, vocals), Brian Belshaw (bass, vocals) and Kevin Westlake (drums, percussion). Signing to Giorgio Gomelsky’s newly formed Marmalade Records label in 1967, the band recorded their debut album, ‘We Are Ever So Clean’ in 1967. The album revealed...

The Blossom Toes were the first professional band of guitarist Brian Godding (Centipede, Mike Westbrook, Magma, Mirage, Solid Gold Cadillac, Kevin Coyne, etc.) and while their two albums are a bit dated in terms of production, they are pretty fine albums for their time.

"Released at the height of ‘flower power’ in 1967, We Are Ever So Clean is widely considered to be the finest popsike album ever recorded. Produced by Giorgio Gomelsky (discoverer of the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds), it’s a...

"A newly re-mastered edition of the 1969 recordings by Bodast, the short-lived band formed in late 1968 featuring STEVE HOWE (Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass), DAVE CURTIS (Bass, Vocals), BOBBY CLARKE (Drums) & CLIVE SKINNER (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar).
Originally known as Canto, the trio of Howe, Curtis and Clarke adopted the name Bodast (and abbreviation of their first names) after a few months. Later joined by Clive Skinner, the band recorded a series of songs at Trident studios in London...

“This 1975 album featured notable covers of ‘We’ve Got to Get Out of This Place’ and ‘Out of Time’, along with nine original compositions.
This new edition has been newly remastered and expanded to include six previously unreleased bonus tracks, recorded by Arthur Brown and his band for the BBC radio In Concert series in April 1975.”

Some of this has been out before but not all of it and much of it (known AND previously unknown) is AMAZING!. • FEATURING AN UN-BROADCAST TV SESSION OF LIFETIME FOR BEAT CLUB IN 1970 & ALL THE SURVIVING BBC RADIO & TV SESSION RECORDINGS & APPEARANCES, INCLUDING TWO CONCERTS SCREENED BY THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST IN 1975 & 1981.
• ALL NEWLY REMASTERED & RESTORED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES. INCLUDES AN ILLUSTRATED BOOK WITH ESSAY.

The set features all the surviving BBC radio and television.

BRI were one of the most important early Danish progressive bands. This was their third release, from 1971. You can hear heavy rock, jazz, proto-progressive & psychedelia all combined here in an interesting, early way. The leader, keyboardist and...

The sometimes loved/sometimes reviled first solo album by Randy California released at a time when I believe that Spirit had fallen apart.

"Kaptain Kopter and the Twirlybirds is a tribute to Hendrix; on KK&T Randy California not only manages to layer the Hendrix style over covers, "Day Tripper" and "The Mother and Child Reunion" and originals "Downer" and "Devil", he does it effortlessly. Instead of simply imitating Jimi's sound, he plays it as if he knows exactly what he's doing, instead of...

This 1981 album is not the band's greatest hour, but it's considering the state of progressive rock in 1981, it is a solid, good album and for me it's the last good album they would make for at least 10 years. This excellent reissue includes 35'...

“This is the first solo album by the founder of the UK band Nirvana, Patrick Campbell Lyons.
Originally issued on the Sovereign label in 1973, “Me & My Friend” was the first solo album by the writer, vocalist & producer who had recorded five albums under the Nirvana moniker (including three with writing partner Alex Spyropoulos). “Me & My Friend” featured all the hallmarks of Campbell Lyons’ work for Nirvana, making for a charming album.
Original vinyl copies of “Me & My Friend” now attain vast...

• 6CD BOXED SET CELEBRATING THE WORK OF COLOSSEUM RECORDED BETWEEN 1968 AND 1971.
• A REMASTERED SET INCLUDING THE ALBUMS ‘THOSE ABOUT TO DIE SALUTE YOU’, ‘VALENTYNE SUITE’, ‘THE GRASS IS GREENER’, ‘DAUGHTER OF TIME’ AND ‘COLOSSEUM LIVE’ PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 12 BONUS TRACKS DRAWN FROM STUDIO SESSIONS AND LIVE RECORDINGS..
“Colosseum came together in 1968, the brainchild of virtuoso drummer Jon Hiseman and saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith (who had played together in the Graham Bond Organisation and..

1971 album by this early (I think it was their fith album) UK progressive band who fused blues, jazz and progressive and more, in a similar vein to Cream (one of their admitted incluences), but jazzier; they even do a piece by Mike Gibbs!
This features the 'classic' lineup of: Chris Farlowe-vocals, Dick Heckstall-Smith-saxes, Dave Greenslade-organ and vibes, Clem Clempson-guitar and Jon Hiseman-drums.

"Recorded at concerts in Manchester and Brighton in March 1971, the album showcased the....

Classic, DARK freak folk release from 1971 that didn't sound like anything else in the air at that time (and still doesn't). This also includes their very rare, non-lp EP of the same time.

"If you're lucky, very very occasionally, an album comes along which completely blows you away, and you know it will be with you for life. It goes on heavy heavy rotation, and your life BECOMES the album for a while, and you know you'll never be quite the same again. Many strange threads coincided which...

This release marks the very first time that this title has been reissued complete. Recorded between 1970-1971 and released as a double album on John Peel's Dandelion label, this album set the template for basically everything Lol did later; location-recorded solo works lead into group improvisations lead into strange songs from the 1920s resurrected for piano and voice, into a group of schoolchildren singing "I am the Walrus" into "A Series of Superbly Played Mellotron Codas", etc. etc. etc. Appearing...

Really crazed, over the top, UK theatrical, proto-progressive band who are remembered here in the USA for their one and only hit, "Fire" (heard here!), and who are remembered in the UK for their utterly outrageous live shows. The band was bound to...

"Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of Curved Air's classic 1970 album Air Conditioning.
Originally issued on the Warner Bros. label in November 1970, Air Conditioning showcased the highly innovative talents of Sonja Kristina (vocals), ex-Royal College of Music student Darryl Way (violin), former Royal Academy of Music student Francis Monkman (electric guitar, piano, mellotron, VCS3 synthesizer), Rob Martin (bass) and Florian Pilkington-Miksa (drums).
Taking their name from the...

An early (this is from 1971), English progressive rock band that was filled with great players like Francis Monkman-keyboards, Darryl Way-violin & Sonja Kristina-vocals. This is a pretty fine slice of female vocal-oriented, early British progressive rock. Along with Phantasmagoria, this is their best and stands up well.
In addition to the album, there is a huge wealth of bonus material on the CD: Five previously unreleased 1971 BBC recordings.
There is also a DVD of all live performances, in...

Here’s one I never even heard until some time after it was reissued on CD and which I had put off hearing, as I was afraid it would be awful. I was wrong.
It's an extremely good 1970-style, English, proto-progressive album of songs featuring Graham Bell-electric piano, acoustic guitar, lead vocals, Geoffrey Peach-reeds, backing vocals, Alan Cartwright-bass, John Hedley-gutar and Brian Davison-drums (yes, Brian of The Nice and Refugee). If you like that very late 60s/very early 70s progressive/song...

“The band first came together in Copenhagen in 1968 with an original line-up of CY NICKLIN (Vocals, Guitar), OLE PREHN (Guitar & Vocals), KARSTEN LYNG (Guitar), JESS STÆHR (Bass) and HENRIK FRIIS (Drums) and recorded one single (a cover version of The Strawbs’ ‘Tell Me’) before fracturing. Cy Nicklin departed and would resurface in the ranks of another fine Danish progressive band, Culpeper’s Orchard and by the time the band came to record their first album Jess Stæhr had also departed to join Burnin’...

“In 2016 the celebrated Hungarian group DJABE and acclaimed solo musician and former Genesis guitarist STEVE HACKETT spent a few days on the magnificent island of Sardinia. Near the Nostra Signore di Tergu cathedral they built a temporary recording studio in the priest’s house. The recordings went well, the artists were deeply inspired by the surroundings.
The 3-day long improvised session was put into shape by Tamás Barabás, who later in Budapest produced a whole album from the multitrack tapes to...

Earth and Fire were an early 70's Dutch progressive band. This 1971 album was their 2nd release, and is generally agreed by all to be their best. The band featured vocalist Jerney Kaagman, who has a clear, soaring voice similar in overall sound to Annie Haslam, although she doesn't sound like Annie. Also featured are keyboards (mostly Hammond organ, but also, piano, synths, melltron, etc.), guitars, bass and drums. Excellent female vocals and fine playing and instrumental breaks on this one. Start here!

A milestone in the birth of 'progressive/art' rock, East of Eden's debut album, 'Mercator Projected' has been cited by MOJO magazine as a ...masterpiece". Released on the legendary Deram label in 1969, the album established East of Eden as a major act,...

Great to see this very fine, early, UK art-rock classic reissued properly!

"East of Eden's second album, 'Snafu' was originally released in 1970 by Deram Records and saw the band take their particular fusion of jazz, psychedelia, world music...

The first album by this legendary Canterbury trio of Dave Stewart (organ and tone generators), Mont Campbell-bass and vocals) and Clive Brooks on drums. Heavily influenced by classical music, Keith Emerson and the Nice and Soft Machine, they specialized in hypercomplex multi-time signature music. Egg's first album, originally released in 1970, features some great pieces that hover somewhere between keyboard-dominated Canterbury progressive and psychedelic.
Remastered and researched by Mark Powell...