In Praise Of Esoteric Recordings....

Esoteric Recordings are a fine record label which has focused on reissuing old classics largely from the early 1970's, as well as helping some of these older bands in their current activities. Put together by Mark Powell who should be a name familiar to finely remastered versions of similar bands on other labels, it caters for the less obvious choices and, as such, is making many lost gems available to a new audience as well as reminding us old fogies of the great music around in those days.

I was especially pleased that they took on the United Artists back catalogue of Man and an excellent job they did of it as well. I'd like to hope that they will be able to get the rights to the later EMI recordings as well as access to the master tapes. Indeed, The Welsh Connection is an album that would benefit considerably from a remix as opposed to a digital buffing up of the tapes. (Unrelated to the Esoteric series, Mark and his team have also been involved in the issue of the complete Greasy Truckers concert. These have been fully remixed although, certainly as far as Man, are concerned is an unusual occurrence where it hasn't really hit the mark (sic) as the guitars - and principally that of Micky Jones - seems buried within the rest of the music)

The quality control is very good to the extent that I'm buying albums that I'm not familiar with but am more than happy to take a risk on in the full (and, as yet, untainted) expectation that it will be more than worth my while.

Perhaps their piece de resistance is the Jack Bruce boxset, Can You Follow. Bruce's career is mapped out over six discs and makes a strong case for his being regarded as one of the major talents to have graced our shores over the decades. That he is from Glasgow is just the icing no the cake!! Foregoing any over-emphasis on his days in Cream, the range and quality of material from his career is simply staggering. A highly recommended set.



Esoteric are now linked with Cherry Red and this seems to have given them a more stable existence. Clearly, nothing that they are selling is likely to be troubling the top of the album charts but they are performing a valuable service to music connoisseurs. A labour of love it may largely be, but one that is greatly appreciated by me.