Within about a month’s span, both UK labels We Are Busy Bodies and Be With Records are reissuing (or have reissued) two hard-to-find mid-seventies albums from Nucleus, which was an incredible British progressive jazz-fusion group led by legendary trumpeter Ian Carr that existed in different forms from 1969 all the way through to 1989.  Both labels will be putting out the bands 1974 Under The Sun recording, as well as the group’s brilliant 1975 release, Alleycat.

Capturing a similar feel as Carr’s solo classic 1972 effort, Belladonna, both recordings blend together the groups’ core foundational sound, blending together jazz-funk, prog-rock, and psychedelic cosmic grooves that could go side-by-side next to Miles Davis’ Jack Johnson sessions or Soft Machine’s 1970 album Third. Both are classics that stand on their own, with Under The Sun having a slightly more downtempo moody feel, while on Alleycat, the group incorporates more funk vibes, especially on the record’s opening masterpiece “Phaideaux Corner”. 

Each limited-edition reissue version has been remastered from the original Vertigo master tapes by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel Recording.

Regardless of which of the two different label reissue editions you choose to pick-up, these are two essential heavy-hitting recordings to have come out of the British 70s jazz-fusion/prog-rock scene.

Nucleus — ‘Under The Sun’
(Originally released: 1974 / Vertigo)
(Reissued: 2022 / We Are Busy Bodies & Be With Records)

1. In Procession
2. The Addison Trip
3. Pastoral Graffiti
4. New Life
5. A Taste Of Sarsaparilla
6. Theme 1 Sarsaparilla
7. Theme 2 Feast Alfresco
8. Theme 3 Rites Of Man

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Nucleus — ‘Alleycat’
(Originally released: 1975 / Vertigo)
(Reissued: 2022 / We Are Busy Bodies & Be With Records)

1. Phaideaux Corner
2. Alleycat
3. Splat
4. You Can’t Be Sure
5. Nosegay

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• Cosmic
• Jazz Funk
• Jazz Fusion
• Reissue