What do you get if you take The Nice and replace Keith Emerson for Patrick Moraz? The answer is simple Refugee, an excellent Symphonic Prog band. The previous story is well known, Keith Emerson, the heart and soul of The Nice left the band to form the first Prog supergroup ELP, so in that instant The Nice ceased to exist. They managed to survive until 1973 with to inferior releases "Elegy" and "Autumn from Spring" which mainly consist of older material and reworks of older tracks including a ghost keyboardist who was already playing in another band. But Lee Jackson and Brian Davidson wanted to revive the band, so they searched for another keyboardist who could replace Keith and they found him. The Swiss born virtuoso Patrick Moraz left Mainhorse so they recruited him and the result was incredibly solid…

Riff Raff (1973). British progressive rock band's folk and jazz oriented debut album little bit similar to Igginbottom's Wrench. Featuring Tommy Eyre on keyboard who has been actively involved with numerous bands including The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Juicy Lucy and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
Original Man (1974). The second album released by Britain's Riff Raff was a further study in the textures of jazz-rock as they had been articulated not only on the band's issued debut, but also with Tommy Eyre and Pete Kirkley's stint with Mark-Almond. Here are seven rather extended forays into keyboard-drenched rock that carried a jazz sensibility in its beak and dropped it thoroughly onto blues-based progressive rock.

Golem is widely regarded to be a lost psychedelic masterpiece among the sorts of people who are interested in such things, numbering David Tibet, Steven Stapleton, and Julian Cope among its more outspoken champions. This German band was produced by Klaus Schulze. Their sole album Golem, was released in 1974. The music is somehow folk, but also cosmic rock inspired, reminiscent of Ash Ra Temple and Cosmic jokers, thanks to Schultze's influence who mixed it using "Artificial Head Stereo Sound", the aim was "to get an illusion of perfect surrounding space. The idea was brilliant but unfortunately not the sound." The album has indeed been pressed again three times, as the band was not satisfied with the result.

The predecessor band of Scope was called Strange Power and was founded around 1969 in Zwolle/Holland. Rik Elings, Henk Zomer (drums) and bassist Erik Raayman had founded the fusion project and had already released a 7"-single that was added to the first Scope CD as a bonus. With the entry of guitarist Rens Nieuwland in 1972, Strange Power became Scope. Subsequently, the Dutch jazz rock foursome made a name for itself in both Holland and Germany. A talent scout from WEA/Atlantic became aware of the band and hired them for his label. In 1973 the band entered the Hamburg studio Maschen to record their debut album Scope under the direction of Jochen Petersen. The result was an exciting, varied fusion/jazz rock album, which contained a lot of improvisations and perfectly reflected the craftsmanship of the four musicians…

Using his touring band, which included keyboard player Mike Finnigan and guitarist Jim Krueger, Dave Mason turned in a strong pop/rock collection on his second, self-titled Columbia album. "Show Me Some Affection" was one of those songs that should have been a hit single, Mason recut a fuller version of "Every Woman," originally heard on It's Like You Never Left, and the album also included Mason's version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," in an arrangement patterned after the one by Jimi Hendrix, on which Mason had played six years earlier. Originally released by Columbia Records as Columbia 33096, Dave Mason was reissued on CD by One Way Records as One Way 26080 on October 31, 1995.

Nemo was a French collective formed in 1972. Their line-up included François Bréant, the keyboardist and lead vocalist, already acclaimed musician on French prog scene (often collaborating with various members of Magma); Marc Perru on guitars and vocal duties, Pascal Arroyo on bass and piano, Clement Bailly on drums, Emmanuel Lacordaire on percussion and guitar, Ronnie James on trumpet, Albert Marcoeur on saxophones and clarinets (another unique avant artist), Claude Samard on dobro, Arthur Young on trumpet and José Bartel on tumbas and gongs. The band released two albums, ''Nemo'' and ''Doin' Nuthin''' in '73 and '74 respectively. Their music will be appealing to one who like 70's funk and jazz rock, but with edgy experimentation meandering from avant overtones to classical harmonies. They disbanded in 1975.

First album by this rather late Krautrock band was undoubtedly their very best one. Actually the only point of criticism one could quote is the fact that it might have sounded already a bit dated in its year of release. Being much in the vein of early Tull, Iron Butterfly, Cream or The Doors the tracks presented here are a wonderful demonstration of this early Art Rock or Proto-Prog style. The title song is the one reminding the most to Tull with a soaring flute and heavy organ. It’s a very powerful and grooving one with a sort of psychedelic blues guitar play that’s bringing Cream back to mind. “Seasons Of Life” is even in a stronger psychedelic vein, kinda The Doors meet Cream or Iron Butterfly, very groovin’ stuff as well. This record doesn’t let your foot stand still only for one second. Though it might be not considered as that much progressive for the year of 1974 “Desert Places” was nevertheless a brilliant album in organ driven Art Rock typical for beginning seventies.

Though her recordings for Chick Corea's Return to Forever provide a better introduction to her vocal talents, Stories to Tell is an excellent outing by Flora Purim and friends. Assisted by a cast of jazz/fusion all-stars led by husband Airto Moreira, Purim shows off the wide range of her abilities: from wordless vocal soaring to songs with lyrics in English and Portuguese, from uptempo percussion-driven workouts to beautiful ballads. In addition to Airto, the assembled cast includes bassists Miroslav Vitous and Ron Carter, keyboard wunderkind George Duke, guitarists Earl Klugh and Oscar Castro-Neves, and trombonist Raul de Souza. Also, Carlos Santana turns in one of his patented sizzling guitar solos on "Silver Sword." With material from Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vitous, Milton Nascimento, McCoy Tyner, and Purim herself, this is an album worth savoring.

After the demise of the original Ten Years After in 1974, Alvin Lee was suffering from itchy fingers. The guitar legend wanted a break from his old band but soon needed to get back into action. Alvin decided to stage a special concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre backed by an all-star cast of musicians. They included Mel Collins (sax), Ian Wallace (drums), Tim Hinkley (keyboards), Alan Spenner (bass) and Neil Hubbard (guitar). The show was recorded and ‘In Flight’, reissued on this remastered double CD set, captures that event and it is packed with high energy performances. Alvin Lee recalls that historic night in an exclusive interview for liner notes. Among the 20 original LP tracks tracks is ‘Going Through The Door’ (“My attempt at writing a George Harrison-Dylan-esque type meaningful song!” says Alvin). Another highlight is a fine treatment of the old Elvis Presley hit ‘Mystery Train’…

Formed in 1968 in Gloucestershire by Johnny Coppin (Guitar, Vocals) and Dave Bell (Guitar, Vocals), by 1971 the band evolved into a quartet with the arrival of Al Fenn on Lead Guitar and Mandolin and Geoff March on Violin and Cello. The group originally signed to Vertigo Records in 1973 and recorded their debut album for the label that year. By 1974 the band’s line-up had changed with Al Fenn departing and Dik Cadbury joining the group on Lead and 12-string acoustic guitar and bass. Geoff March incorporated Keyboards into his repertoire and the band signed to Mooncrest Records to record the album "Mammoth Special", which showed a turn towards more introspective and progressive material that was to define their sound for the remaining years of their all too brief existence.

Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of the three classic albums by legendary British Jazz Rock group Isotope. The band was formed in 1973 by guitarist Gary Boyle and also featured Jeff Clyne on bass, Brian Miller on keyboards and Nigel Morris on drums. Jeff Clyne had previously played with Ian Carr's Nucleus, whilst Gary Boyle had played with Stomu Yamashta's East Wind. Isotope's self titled debut album was released in 1974 and continued the tradition of Jazz Rock fusion that had been pioneered by acts such as Tony Williams Lifetime and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. This Esoteric Recordings reissues has been newly remastered and features a booklets with new essay.