Nucleus (band)
Encyclopedia
Nucleus were a pioneering jazz-rock band from Britain
who continued in different forms from 1969 to 1989. In their first year they won first prize at the Montreux Jazz Festival
, released the album Elastic Rock
, and performed both at the Newport Jazz Festival
and the Village Gate jazz club.
They were led by Ian Carr
, who had been in the Rendell-Carr Quintet
during the mid and late 1960s, and was a respected figure in British jazz for more than forty years. Their jazz-based music evolved from an early sound incorporating elements of progressive
and psychedelic rock toward combination with a funk
ier sound in the mid and late 1970s.
, keyboardist/oboist Karl Jenkins
, saxophonist/flautist Brian Smith
, guitarist Chris Spedding
, bassist Jeff Clyne
and drummer John Marshall
.
By their third album, the band had expanded to include trumpeters Kenny Wheeler
and Harry Beckett
, saxophonist Tony Roberts
, bassist Ron Mathewson
, percussionist Chris Karan
and Keith Winter on VCS3 synthesizer. Dave MacRae
joined soon after for several albums.
Over the years the band has had many members:
's Cargo venue. This was followed on 30 March 2007 by a Nucleus Revisited concert at London's Pizza Express Jazz Club as part of a series of concerts to mark Jazzwise
magazine's tenth anniversary. Nucleus Revisited featured, amongst others, Nucleus stalwarts, Geoff Castle, Mark Wood and Tim Whitehead and on trumpet, as at the 2005 Cargo concert, Chris Batchelor. Although Ian Carr did not play due to ill health, he was present at the concert and received a standing ovation. Nucleus Revisited also appeared at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
in London on 4 August 2009 as part of their two week long Brit Jazz Fest. It was on a double billing with Michael Garrick's Quartet.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
who continued in different forms from 1969 to 1989. In their first year they won first prize at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
, released the album Elastic Rock
Elastic Rock
Elastic Rock is Nucleus' first album. Recorded in January 1970, it was a pioneering work in emerging genre of jazz-rock fusion. Bandleader Ian Carr, later a jazz journalist and published expert on Miles Davis, was probably inspired by Davis' "going electric" in 1969, but the seminal Bitches Brew...
, and performed both at the Newport Jazz Festival
Newport Jazz Festival
The Newport Jazz Festival is a music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. It was established in 1954 by socialite Elaine Lorillard, who, together with husband Louis Lorillard, financed the festival for many years. The couple hired jazz impresario George Wein to organize the...
and the Village Gate jazz club.
They were led by Ian Carr
Ian Carr
Ian Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
, who had been in the Rendell-Carr Quintet
Don Rendell
Donald Percy 'Don' Rendell is an English jazz musician and arranger, specialising on tenor saxophone, but also playing soprano saxophone, flute, and clarinet....
during the mid and late 1960s, and was a respected figure in British jazz for more than forty years. Their jazz-based music evolved from an early sound incorporating elements of progressive
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and psychedelic rock toward combination with a funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
ier sound in the mid and late 1970s.
Line-ups
Nucleus' first line-up was frontman and trumpeter Ian CarrIan Carr
Ian Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
, keyboardist/oboist Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins
-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
, saxophonist/flautist Brian Smith
Brian Smith (musician)
Brian Smith is a jazz saxophonist and flautist from New Zealand.Smith studied piano in his youth but was primarily an autodidact on reeds. He played locally in pop and jazz groups before moving to England in 1964, where he played with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated...
, guitarist Chris Spedding
Chris Spedding
Chris Spedding is an English rock and roll and jazz guitarist, best known for his session work. Allmusic states - "Spedding is one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, and has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll, as well as...
, bassist Jeff Clyne
Jeff Clyne
Jeffrey Ovid 'Jeff' Clyne was a British jazz bassist .-Biography:...
and drummer John Marshall
John Stanley Marshall
John Stanley Marshall, better known as John Marshall, born 28 August 1941 in Isleworth, Middlesex, is an English drummer. He was a founding member of the jazz rock band Nucleus and has worked with various other jazz and rock bands and musicians, among them J.J...
.
By their third album, the band had expanded to include trumpeters Kenny Wheeler
Kenny Wheeler
Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC is a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. since the 1950s....
and Harry Beckett
Harry Beckett
Harold Winston "Harry" Beckett was a British trumpeter and flugelhorn player.-Biography:A resident in the UK since 1954, Harry Beckett had an international reputation. In 1961, he played with Charles Mingus in the film All Night Long. In the 1960s he worked and recorded within the band of bass...
, saxophonist Tony Roberts
Tony Roberts
Tony Roberts may refer to:*Tony Roberts , American actor*Tony Roberts , British author of the Casca series *Tony Roberts , Welsh football player...
, bassist Ron Mathewson
Ron Mathewson
Ron Mathewson is a Scottish jazz double bassist and bass guitarist born in Lerwick, Shetland Isles, Scotland. Mathewson is best known for his years spent working with Ronnie Scott, but has also done recordings with Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Ben Webster, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Eldridge, Oscar...
, percussionist Chris Karan
Chris Karan
Chris Karan is a jazz percussionist, primarily a drummer, of Greek descent from Melbourne. He played in Mike Nock's trio in Sydney in the early 1960s...
and Keith Winter on VCS3 synthesizer. Dave MacRae
Dave MacRae
David Scott MacRae is a keyboardist from New Zealand, noted for his contributions in jazz and the Canterbury scene....
joined soon after for several albums.
Over the years the band has had many members:
- Trumpet & flugelhorn: Ian CarrIan CarrIan Carr was a Scottish jazz musician, composer, writer, and educator.-Early years:Carr was born in Dumfries, Scotland, the elder brother of Mike Carr...
, Kenny WheelerKenny WheelerKenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC is a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. since the 1950s....
, Harry BeckettHarry BeckettHarold Winston "Harry" Beckett was a British trumpeter and flugelhorn player.-Biography:A resident in the UK since 1954, Harry Beckett had an international reputation. In 1961, he played with Charles Mingus in the film All Night Long. In the 1960s he worked and recorded within the band of bass...
, Chris BatchelorChris BatchelorChris Batchelor is a jazz trumpeter and composer. He gained his first professional experience with Dudu Pukwana's Zila aged 17, at the suggestion of Harry Beckett. He subsequently became a founder member,composer and soloist with Loose Tubes, contributing many pieces to the repertoire of the band... - Tenor sax, soprano sax, flute: Brian SmithBrian Smith (musician)Brian Smith is a jazz saxophonist and flautist from New Zealand.Smith studied piano in his youth but was primarily an autodidact on reeds. He played locally in pop and jazz groups before moving to England in 1964, where he played with Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated...
, Bob BertlesBob Bertles-Career:A self taught musician, Bertles began his performing career in 1956. In the late 1950s and early 60s Bertles was a member of the developing modern jazz scene that grew out of venues like the Mocambo in Newtown and the El Rocco Jazz Cellar in Sydney's Kings Cross.Active in clubs, on TV, as a...
, Phil Todd, Tim WhiteheadTim WhiteheadTim Whitehead is an American ice hockey coach. Whitehead is currently the head coach of the University of Maine. He has led the Black Bears to two championship game appearances. Previously, he was the head coach at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.... - Clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax: Tony RobertsTony RobertsTony Roberts may refer to:*Tony Roberts , American actor*Tony Roberts , British author of the Casca series *Tony Roberts , Welsh football player...
, Tony CoeTony CoeAnthony George Coe is a composer and jazz musician who plays clarinet, bass clarinet, and tenor saxophone.Coe began his performing career playing with Humphrey Lyttelton's band from 1957 to 1962... - Baritone sax, oboe, piano, electric piano: Karl JenkinsKarl Jenkins-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
- Piano and electric piano: Dave MacRaeDave MacRaeDavid Scott MacRae is a keyboardist from New Zealand, noted for his contributions in jazz and the Canterbury scene....
, Gordon BeckGordon BeckGordon James Beck was an English jazz pianist.Beck was born in Brixton, London, and attended Pinner County Grammar School . He studied piano in his youth, but decided to go into a career as an engineering technical draughtsman...
, Geoff Castle - Guitar: Chris SpeddingChris SpeddingChris Spedding is an English rock and roll and jazz guitarist, best known for his session work. Allmusic states - "Spedding is one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, and has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll, as well as...
, Allan HoldsworthAllan HoldsworthAllan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
, Jocelyn Pitchen, Ray RussellRay RussellRay Russell was an American writer of short stories, novels, and screenplays. In 1991 he received the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement....
, Ken ShawKen ShawKen Shaw, O.Ont is a Canadian news anchor for CTV Toronto. He is the co-anchor for CTV News at 6:00 p.m since April 2001, alongside Christine Bentley....
, Mark WoodMark WoodMark Wood may refer to:*Mark Wood , electric violinist and former string master of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra*Stanley Mark Wood , Bishop of Matabeleland and Bishop of Ludlow... - Bass guitar: Jeff ClyneJeff ClyneJeffrey Ovid 'Jeff' Clyne was a British jazz bassist .-Biography:...
, Ron MathewsonRon MathewsonRon Mathewson is a Scottish jazz double bassist and bass guitarist born in Lerwick, Shetland Isles, Scotland. Mathewson is best known for his years spent working with Ronnie Scott, but has also done recordings with Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Ben Webster, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Eldridge, Oscar...
, Roy BabbingtonRoy BabbingtonRoy Babbington is a rock and jazz bassist. He became well known for being a member of the Canterbury scene progressive rock/jazz fusion band Soft Machine.-Biography:...
, Roger Sutton, Billy Kristian, Mo FosterMo FosterMo Foster is a British session musician, playing primarily jazz, jazz-fusion and rock bass guitar. He is also a music producer and songwriter/composer. In over 40 years as a musician Foster has played on and produced countless albums, singles, and film soundtracks...
, Rob Burns, Dill Katz, Rob Statham - Drums: John MarshallJohn Stanley MarshallJohn Stanley Marshall, better known as John Marshall, born 28 August 1941 in Isleworth, Middlesex, is an English drummer. He was a founding member of the jazz rock band Nucleus and has worked with various other jazz and rock bands and musicians, among them J.J...
, Clive Thacker, Tony LevinTony Levin (drummer)Tony Levin was an English jazz drummer.Levin played at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in the 1960s with artists including Joe Harriott, Al Cohn, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Zoot Sims, and Toots Thielemanns....
, Bryan Spring, Roger Sellers - Percussion: Chris KaranChris KaranChris Karan is a jazz percussionist, primarily a drummer, of Greek descent from Melbourne. He played in Mike Nock's trio in Sydney in the early 1960s...
, Trevor TomkinsTrevor TomkinsTrevor Ramsey Tomkins is an English jazz drummer best known for his work in a number of British bands in the 1970s, including Gilgamesh.His recorded several albums with pianist Michael Garrick in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, Aureo de Souza, Richard BurgessRichard BurgessRichard S Burgess was a notorious murderer known for the "Maungatapu murders" which occurred on the Maungatapu track, south-east of Nelson, New Zealand....
, Chris FletcherChris FletcherChris Fletcher is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the ninth round of the 1970 NFL Draft. He played college football at Temple.... - Synthesizer: Keith Winter, Paddy KingslandPaddy KingslandPaddy Kingsland is a composer of electronic music best known for his incidental music for science fiction series on BBC radio and television whilst working at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Educated at Eggars Grammar School, Alton, in Hampshire, he joined the BBC as a tape editor before moving on to...
, Geoff Castle, Neil ArdleyNeil ArdleyNeil Richard Ardley was a prominent English jazz pianist and composer, who also made a name as the author of more than 100 popular books on science and technology, and on music.-Brief biography:... - Vocals: Norma WinstoneNorma WinstoneNorma Ann Winstone MBE is a British jazz singer and lyricist. In a career spanning over forty years she is best known for her wordless improvisations....
, Joy Yates (Mrs. Dave MacRaeDave MacRaeDavid Scott MacRae is a keyboardist from New Zealand, noted for his contributions in jazz and the Canterbury scene....
), Kieran WhiteKieran WhiteKieran Raymond White was a British vocalist and guitarist. He sang and played in the blues-rock band Steamhammer, formed in 1968. Their debut album Steamhammer was released in 1969, on which he co-wrote many of the songs and also played harmonica. He left the band in 1971... - Organ: John TaylorJohn Taylor (jazz)John Taylor is a British jazz pianist; he has occasionally performed on the organ and the synthesiser. He is one of Europe's most celebrated jazz pianists and composers.-Performing career:...
Recent years
In August 2005, a special one-off reincarnation of Nucleus, with old and new members, performed at LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Cargo venue. This was followed on 30 March 2007 by a Nucleus Revisited concert at London's Pizza Express Jazz Club as part of a series of concerts to mark Jazzwise
Jazzwise
Jazzwise Publications Limited is a UK-based specialist jazz music publisher and education company. It was founded in 1984 as a mail-order company promoting jazz and improvisation through catalogues and short courses and workshops for musicians...
magazine's tenth anniversary. Nucleus Revisited featured, amongst others, Nucleus stalwarts, Geoff Castle, Mark Wood and Tim Whitehead and on trumpet, as at the 2005 Cargo concert, Chris Batchelor. Although Ian Carr did not play due to ill health, he was present at the concert and received a standing ovation. Nucleus Revisited also appeared at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club is a jazz club which has operated in London since 1959.The club opened on 30 October 1959 in a basement at 39 Gerrard Street in London's Soho district. It was managed by musicians Ronnie Scott and Pete King. In 1965 it moved to a larger venue nearby at 47 Frith Street...
in London on 4 August 2009 as part of their two week long Brit Jazz Fest. It was on a double billing with Michael Garrick's Quartet.
Discography
- Elastic RockElastic RockElastic Rock is Nucleus' first album. Recorded in January 1970, it was a pioneering work in emerging genre of jazz-rock fusion. Bandleader Ian Carr, later a jazz journalist and published expert on Miles Davis, was probably inspired by Davis' "going electric" in 1969, but the seminal Bitches Brew...
1970 - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#46 - We'll Talk About It Later 1970
- Solar Plexus 1971
- Belladonna 1972
- Labyrinth 1973
- Roots 1973
- Under The Sun 1974
- Alleycat 1975
- Snakehips Etcetera 1975
- Direct Hits (compilation) 1976
- In Flagranti Delicto 1977
- Out of the Long Dark 1979
- Awakening 1980
- Live at the Theaterhaus 1985
- Old Heartland 1989
- The Pretty Redhead (recorded 1971 and 1982) 2003
- Live In Bremen (recorded 1971) 2003
- Hemispheres (recorded live 1970 & 1971) 2006
- UK Tour ‘76 (recorded live at Loughborough UniversityLoughborough UniversityLoughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
in 1976) 2006 - Live In Europe 1970-71 (recorded 1970 & 1971) 2009