JazzProgressive Rock
Esoteric Recordings (Cherry Red) · 30 October 2026
On 18 February 1976, Nucleus, trumpeter Ian Carr’s band, played Loughborough University. That show is now “Live At Loughborough University 1976”, a double CD released on 30 October by Esoteric Recordings, part of Cherry Red. According to the label, the tour was promoting “Alleycat”, the band’s 1975 album, and this edition, remastered from the original tapes, is endorsed by the Ian Carr Trust and comes with an illustrated booklet featuring liner notes by Sid Smith.
The line-up is Ian Carr (trumpet, flugelhorn and synthesiser), Bob Bertles (saxophones and flute), Ken Shaw (guitar), Geoff Castle (keyboards), Roger Sutton (bass) and Roger Sellers (drums). There are eight tracks running to just over an hour and forty minutes. Five pieces come from “Alleycat”: “Phaideaux Corner”, “Alleycat”, “Nosegay”, “You Can’t Be Sure” and “Splat”. “Snakehips Etcetera” and “Alive And Kicking” are from the album “Snakehips Etcetera”, also from 1975, and “Pastoral Graffiti” is from “Under the Sun” (1974). On stage, “Alleycat” and “Alive And Kicking” both stretch past nineteen minutes.
This isn’t the concert’s first release. In 2006 Major League Productions had already issued it, with the same running order and under licence from Ian Carr, on a double CD called “UK Tour ’76”. Esoteric’s version, which Cherry Red bills as a new official edition, was remastered by Ben Wiseman and produced by Mark Powell.
Text by Aina Torrents