RogerF Posted November 25, 2008 Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 Neil Ardley's album 'Harmony of the Spheres' received its first official UK re-issue on CD yesterday. Featuring Ian Carr, Barbara Thompson, Tony Coe, Geoff Castle, Bill Kristian, Trevor Tomkins, and Richard Burgess (Landscape) with Norma Winstone and Pepi Lemer on wordless vocals. Another remarkable feature of the album was provided by some excellent electric guitar work from folk star John Martyn. 'Harmony of the Spheres' was Ardley's last recorded work for a major record label. The original cover artwork was designed by Storm Thorgerson. The album was recorded in London in 1978. Available on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2096. ps: Declared interest (but not commercial), I wrote the sleevenotes, all eight pages of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 25, 2008 Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 ps: Declared interest (but not commercial), I wrote the sleevenotes, all eight pages of them! Congrats - in that case I'll have to buy it ! I have the LP of this one but it never really grabbed me like the other Neil Ardleys. Will have to dig it out and 'reconsider'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerF Posted November 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 ps: Declared interest (but not commercial), I wrote the sleevenotes, all eight pages of them! Congrats - in that case I'll have to buy it ! I have the LP of this one but it never really grabbed me like the other Neil Ardleys. Will have to dig it out and 'reconsider'. Thanks SW! I must confess I bought it when it was reissued in Japan a few years back and was initially rather underwhelmed. Then I played it again recently several times and by about the third play it really started to grow on me. I then 'got' it because it has all these different elements that go to construct it. The mathematical element of the 'harmony' of the spheres and the way Ardley interpreted this using an actual ratio of the distance of orbiting times between planets (its complicated), the use of, what is effectively an augmented Nucleus, again as on 'Kaleidoscope of Rainbows' in a jazz rock context and the sheer musicianship of those involved - Martyn is a real revelation and I was wrong to initially dismiss his playing in a sort of 'I can do that' pique, when in fact what he plays is deceptively difficult. Finally, the compositions themselves are hypnotically memorable and Ardley's use of synths was very advanced - although not unique - for the time. I just hope someone reissues 'Le Dejeuner' and 'Symphony of Amaranths'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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