(Jazz Rock/Fusion) Nucleus - UK Tour '76 - 2006, WavPack (image+.cue) lossless

Mike Dixon, of the record label Major League Productions (MLP), by his own admission doesn't know much about jazz, but he does know what he likes. This recording—spanning over 100 minutes of a recorded-for-radio Nucleus concert at Britain's Loughborough University in February 1976, and acquired by MLP as a "saved from the skip" job—is a perfect example of Dixon's excellent acumen.

Amazingly, the recording's sound has not been impaired one iota despite the thirty year hiatus. Wisely, MLP decided not to cut any of the original playing time and the album is thus the first double CD to be produced by the company. It's a brave move for a small and relatively new record label which hitherto has specialised in prog-rock.

On hearing the CD for the first time, the Nucleus enthusiast's high expectations will be more than realised. This is the mid-period band at the top of their game. In 1974 leader/trumpeter Ian Carr surrounded himself with a new clutch of excellent musicians to record Under The Sun (1974), Snakehips Etcetera (1975), and finally Alleycat (1975), the last recording for the Vertigo label by the band.

UK Tour '76 is a recording of the tour which promoted the then newly released Alleycat. The first disc kicks off with a rousing version of the title track from Snakehips Etcetera, with solos from keyboardist Geoff Castle and Carr. Bass guitarist Roger Sutton's "Phaideaux Corner follows, with energetic soloing from saxophonist/flautist Bob Bertles, a short drum break from Roger Sellers—whose playing throughout is deft and vibrant—and some nifty Moog synth work from the ever-inventive Castle. The final track on disc one, "Alleycat, features particularly expressive trumpet from Carr and then a standout seven minute solo by guitarist Ken Shaw, who is playing on this double album better than he has ever been heard before.

Some lively saxophone from Bertles introduces the first track on the second disc, "Nosegay, followed by more electric piano from Castle, who sounds almost Hancock-esque at times. Next up is "You Can't Be Sure, with a duet from Carr and Shaw, whose guitar soloing segues into the aptly named "Pastoral Graffiti from Under The Sun, on which there is some excellent flute work from Bertles. The penultimate track of the album is one of the funkiest tracks to be heard outside of Headhunters territory. "Splat" is initially dominated by Sutton's raw, almost violent bass guitar riff, but is continually punctuated by subtle and intelligent ensemble playing by the band. Shaw is also heard again along with Castle playing alternate fours, whilst all the while Bertles and then Carr are heard soloing, individually and then together.

The final track, the Sutton-penned "Alive And Kicking, from Snakehips Etcetera, starts with a fretless bass solo from the composer, building up over its six minutes into something of a frenzy, after which Bertles takes the mood down several notches with some quiet soprano saxophone in which he even manages to quote the unlikely "It Ain't Necessarily So. There's more fluid guitar from Shaw, whose nimble finger work seems to warm up progressively during the concert. The track is brought to a close by some mellifluous trumpet from Carr and the concert itself is concluded by the equally mellifluous voice of the maestro himself, introducing the band members and wishing the audience goodnight.

This is a spectacularly good album of material from a hitherto sparsely documented period in this innovative band's life. The various announcements by Carr and the audience applause throughout the album help to preserve both the integrity of the recording and the genuine feel of a live concert. It is not an exaggeration to say that this may prove to be the best and most consistent live album yet heard by this band. ~All About Jazz

I should declare right here that although I am a very keen fan of Ian Carr and Nucleus I am not actually professionally involved with them in any way. I merely run an unofficial website dedicated to them which I started because to my amazement there wasn’t one in existence already! So when Mike Dixon, of the record label Major League Productions Ltd (MLP) first contacted me through the website at the beginning of May 2006 about the possibility of releasing a live album of Nucleus material from a concert at Loughborough University on 18th February 1976, I was very excited. He emailed me a couple of minutes of the tape he had acquired. Although it was a ‘saved from the skip’ job, the sound quality of these few seconds was anything but detritus. The tape was actually recorded for a radio broadcast and this is why it sounds so clear and, mercifully, is in glorious stereo. Amazingly, the recording’s sound had not been impaired one iota despite its thirty year hiatus. Indeed I was deeply impressed and begged him not to cut any of the concert which he had been contemplating. Thus it was that this is the first double CD to be produced by MLP.

When I heard the CD in full for the first time my already high expectations were more than realised. This is mid-period Nucleus at the top of their game. In 1974 Ian Carr surrounded himself with another clutch of excellent musicians to record Under the Sun, Snakehips Etcetera, and finally Alleycat which was the last recording for the Vertigo label by the band. UK Tour ’76 is a recording of the tour which promoted Nucleus’ then newly released Alleycat studio album. The first CD kicks off with a rousing version of the title track from Snakehips Etcetera with solos from Castle and Carr. Roger’s Sutton’s “Phaideaux Corner” follows with energetic soloing from Bob Bertles, a short drum break from Sellers – whose playing throughout is deft and vibrant - and some nifty Moog synth work from the ever-inventive Geoff Castle. The final track on disc 1, “Alleycat”, features notably expressive trumpet from Ian Carr and then a standout seven minute solo by guitarist Ken Shaw who is playing on this double album better than he has ever been heard before. .

Some lively sax from Bertles introduces the first track, “Nosegay” on the second disc followed by more electric piano from Castle sounding almost Hancock-esque at times. Next up is “You Can’t Be Sure” with a duet from Carr and Shaw whose guitar soloing segues into the aptly named “Pastoral Graffiti” from the album Under the Sun on which there is some excellent flute work from Bob Bertles. The penultimate track of the album is one of the funkiest tracks to be heard outside of Headhunters territory. Splat is initially dominated by Roger Sutton’s raw, almost violent bass guitar riff, but is continually punctuated by subtle and intelligent ensemble playing by the band. Ken Shaw is also heard again along with Geoff Castle playing alternate fours, whilst all the while Bertles and then Carr are heard soloing, individually and then together. The final track, the Sutton-penned “Alive and Kicking” from the Snakehips Etcetera album, starts with a fretless bass solo from the composer, building up over its six minutes into something of a frenzy after which Bob Bertles takes the mood down several notches with some quiet soprano sax in which even manages to quote the unlikely “It ain’t necessarily so”. More fluid guitar from Shaw whose nimble finger work seemed to progressively warm up during the length of the concert. The track is brought to a close by some mellifluous trumpet from Ian Carr and the concert itself is concluded by the mellifluous voice of the maestro himself introducing the band members and wishing the audience goodnight.

This is a spectacularly good album of material from a hitherto sparsely documented period in this innovative band’s life. The various announcements by Ian Carr and audience applause throughout the album help to preserve both the integrity of the recording and the genuine feel of it as a live concert. It is not an exaggeration to say that this may prove to be the best and most consistent live album yet heard by this band. ~Roger Farbey

- Ian Carr / trumpet, flugelhorn, synthesizers
- Bob Bertles / saxes
- Geoff Castle / keyboards
- Roger Sellers / drums
- Ken Shaw / guitar
- Roger Sutton / bass guitar