James Fillis

Esoteric Recordings are proud to announce the release of a newly re-mastered and expanded edition of the classic gold selling 1978 album by Barclay James Harvest,"XII". Originally released in September 1978, the album was another big selling release for the band achieving Silver disc status in the UK and Gold in Germany. The album followed in the wake of “Gone to Earth” and saw BJH consolidate the success they had found in Germany and Europe.

Esoteric Recordings are proud to announce the release of a newly re-mastered and expanded edition of the classic gold selling 1976 album by Barclay James Harvest, “Octoberon”. Originally released at the end of October 1976, the album was a big selling release for the band achieving Silver disc status in the UK and Gold in Germany, their first breakthrough album in that territory.

It was in the Sixties when Etta James truly found her musical direction and made a lasting mark as a soulful pop and blues diva. Her debut album, At Last!, was released in late 1960 and was noted for its varied choice in music from jazz standards to blues numbers to doo-wop and rhythm & blues. This CD compiles James’ greatest hits. She expertly handles jazz standards like “A Sunday Kind of Love,” as well as Willie Dixon’s blues classic “I Just Want to Make Love to You.” This comprehensive edition gives ample proof of both her amazing singing talents and her extraordinary versatility.

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of a newly re-mastered, re-mixed and expanded 3 disc clamshell box edition of the classic album, “Barclay James Harvest and Other Short Stories”. Recorded and released in 1971, the album was the third by BJH and was recorded at Abbey Road studios and was co-produced by the band and ex-Pretty Things member Wally Allen. Widely regarded (along with “Once Again”) as one of the band’s early masterpieces, “…Other Short Stories” featured such classic tracks as ‘Medicine Man’, ‘Ursula (The Swansea Song)’, ‘The Poet’ and the epic ‘After the Day’. The album was critically acclaimed upon its release by Harvest Records and was also issued by Sire Records in the United States with some remixed versions of tracks. The album also featured the Barclay James Harvest symphony orchestra conducted by Martyn Ford and arrangements by Toni Cooke and Martyn Ford.

With some 800 songs in his repertoire, James Brown influenced countless contemporary artists from virtually every popular music genre –rock, funk, soul, jazz, R&B, hip hop and rap. His polyrhythmic funk vamps reshaped dance music, and Brown was by far the most sampled artist during the early days of hip hop. Though he would be dogged by legal troubles and controversy in later life, he was a principled artist, adamantly refusing to conform to anyone’s vision. This 3-D set presents five of his best albums, along with 8 bonus tracks from the same period.

Etta James was one of the greatest R&B singers of all time, with an incredible soulful voice and an amazing ability to interpret a song and old-fashioned yet timeless melodies. She sang with unmatched emotional hunger and a pain that can chill the listener. This quintessential release includes Etta James’ first two albums, which also happen to be two of her best: At Last ! (1960), and The Second Time Around (1961), both originally released by the Chess Records’ subsidiary Argo label. These two rhythm & blues-meets-pop-soul style masterpieces have been remastered and packaged together in this very special collector’s edition, which also includes 7 bonus tracks. Contained here is the cream of the crop from Etta’s early years. Without a doubt, this is the material upon which her kingdom was built.