Fuzzy Duck 1971 Esoteric Recordings

A much sought-after classic of U.K. underground progressive rock and psychedelia, this was originally issued in a scarce edition of 500 back in 1971. The album reached legendary status by affiliation, as it features Mick Harnsworth of Five Day Week Straw People and Andromeda, and Roy Sharland, a keyboardist who later worked with the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Spice. This album is classic keyboard-driven British progressive rock in the vein of Soft Machine and Caravan. This CD edition has eight tracks, including "A Word from Big D", an entertaining performance from Roy Sharland offering his humorous 'ducking' vocals. Among four bonus items are the A and B-sides of two singles that featured top guitarist Garth Watt-Roy. Four rare bonus tracks!

Bill Nelson - Northern Dream (1971) {2011 Esoteric Recordings Remaster}
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© 1971, 2011 Esoteric / Cocteau Discs / Cherry Red | COCD 1001
Rock / Art Rock / Experimental / Guitar

The enigmatic Bill Nelson was born December 18, 1948. Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the launch of a new imprint, Cocteau Discs, the home of Bill Nelson’s catalogue between 1971 and 2001. The series of ongoing releases begins with the re-release of Bill’s classic album Northern Dream, recorded on rudimentary equipment at Holyground studios in Wakefield in 1971. One of the first truly independently produced albums to be released in Britain, the album featured wonderful compositions such as Everyone’s Hero, End of the Seasons, Love’s a Way and Smiles . Championed by John Peel, the album paved the way for Bill’s future career with his bands Be Bop Deluxe and Red Noise and for his highly regarded solo career.

Open Spaces (1971). Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of Open Spaces by CMU, the band's debut album from 1971, this unique masterpiece is a much sought after collectors item originally released on the Transatlantic label. CMU (Contemporary Music Unit) were a unique fusion of Progressive rock, Jazz and Folk influences. In keeping with the mood of the times, Open Spaces touches a style that evokes the work of contemporaries Affinity or even Arthur Brown. In Larraine Odell, CMU had one of the few female vocalists of the Progressive era, a fine vocalist supported by a fine band…

Spirogyra - St. Radigunds (1971). Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of a newly remastered edition of the classic album "St. Radigunds” by Spirogyra. Initially formed by duo Martin Cockerham and Mark Francis in Bolton in 1968, the band expanded when Cockerham was a student in Canterbury at the end of 1969. The expanded line-up featured Martin Cockerham (guitar, vocals), Barbara Gaskin (lead vocals), Steve Borrill (bass) and Julian Cusack (violin, keyboards) and secured a contract with B&C Records in 1970. The band’s debut album, "St. Radigunds” was issued in 1971 and featured guest drummer Dave Mattacks and Tony Cox on VCS 3 Synthesiser. "St. Radigunds” is rightly hailed as a classic of the era and this Esoteric Recordings newly remastered edition celebrates this legendary album, featuring a booklet with new essay…

Theo Travis' Double Talk - Transgression (2015) {Esoteric Recordings EANTCD 1052}
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© 2015 Esoteric Recordings | EANTCD 1052
Jazz / Post Bop / Experimental / Fusion / Saxophone

The chiming notes of a very Mahavishnu Orchestra sounding guitar open the tension-rich "Fire Mountain" hotly pursued by Theo Travis' intense tenor sax soloing and coruscating axe work from Mike Outram. A change of pace is heard in the title track, beginning slowly but gradually building-up in pace and volume, Outram's fuzzy guitar twinned with Travis' sax comprise the melodic driving force, all underpinned by organ from Pete Whittaker and crackling drums from seasoned percussionist Nic France. The pressure continues to build courtesy of a keen ensemble riff reaching a climax until it dies back into the opening reflective sax-led balledic theme.

With a strong Canterbury influence implanted into their sound, Egg's first album has the band looking to establish their niche as a progressive group, with Dave Stewart's sharp, effective keyboard work outlining much of the album's overall feel. Mixing jazz and progressive rock drifts, the tracks on Egg contain rhythms and meters that are never at a standstill, with ongoing instrumental action encompassing nearly every track…

Bill Nelson - Trial By Intimacy (The Book Of Splendours) (2012) {4CD Box Set Esoteric Recordings COCD 4007 rec 1984}
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© 1984, 2012 Esoteric Recordings / Bill Nelson / Cocteau Discs / Cherry Red | COCD 4007
Rock / Alternative / Art Rock / Ambient

Esoteric Recordings announce a new release on their recently launched Cocteau Discs imprint, a limited edition reissue of BILL NELSON’s classic 4 disc ambient boxed set "TRIAL BY INTIMACY (The Book of Splendours)”. The set was originally released on Bill’s Cocteau Records label in October 1984 and comprised recordings made by Bill at his Echo Observatory home studio. Comprising some eighty pieces of music, the set was a fine example of Bill Nelson’s grasp of Ambient music and has subsequently been hailed as a ground-breaking work. Long deleted, the set is made available once more with this newly re-mastered Cocteau Discs edition. The new release fully restores the original elements of the "TRIAL BY INTIMACY” box and is an exact facsimile, reproducing a 32 page book and eight art postcards that featured in the original set.

Man - All's Well That Ends Well (1976) {Remastered & Expanded 3CD Edition Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 32431 rel 2014}
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© 1976, 2014 Esoteric Recordings / Cherry Red Records | ECLEC 32431
Rock / Prog-Rock / Psychedelic / Pub Rock / Hard Rock

In 2014 Esoteric Records released a completely remastered issue of All's Well That Ends Well. It is the original album release remastered from the original 24-track tapes and select recordings of the shows from the 10 and 11 December 1976 of the three night stint at the Roundhouse. The recordings are a mix of the in-house recordings done by the Roundhouse sound team and the Manor Mobile recordings who also did the gig. This was the last line up until the band reformed in 1984, and captures most of the consistent members who played in Man, other than Micky Jones who never left it.

Touch's only album briefly enjoyed legendary status during its recording and again shortly after its release, but all too rapidly entered the realm of the well-kept secret. It may or may not be the very first progressive rock album, but what is indisputable is that few bands engineered a more satisfying collision of rock, jazz, psychedelia, and classical music during the genre's heyday…