NEW REMASTERED 2 CD ANTHOLOGY BY THE LEGENDARY PROGRESSIVE / TRADITIONAL ROCK BAND GRYPHON

GRYPHON PLAY A REUNION CONCERT IN LONDON ON 14th SEPTEMBER ALL TRACKS REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL TRANSATLANTIC RECORDS MASTER TAPES

WITH AN ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET FEATURING ESSAY & EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH THE BAND

REVIEWS & FEATURES IN NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS, “UNCUT”, “MOJO”, “SHINDIG!”, “RECORD COLLECTOR” & “PROG” MAGAZINES

COVERAGE ON RELEVANT WEBSITES & FANZINES

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of “Raindances”, a 2 CD anthology featuring every track from the four albums released by Gryphon on the Transatlantic label between 1973 and 1975.

One of the most original groups to emerge in the Progressive era, Gryphon came together at the instigation of Royal College of Music students Richard Harvey and Brian Gulland, initially as a vehicle to fuse traditional English music with Medieval and Renaissance music influences. Utilising various traditional instruments such as Crumhorns, Recorders, Bassoons and Mandolins, Gryphon expanded with the addition of Graeme Taylor on guitar and Dave Oberle on drums and percussion.
Singing to Transatlantic Records, Gryphon released their eponymous debut album in June 1973, adorned in a striking cover designed by Dan Pearce. The uniqueness of their musical style led to a commission to write a score for a stage production of The Tempest in 1974, parts of which formed the band’s next album, “Midnight Mushrumps”, released in April 1974. By this time bass guitarist Philip Nestor had joined the fold, and the band began to explore more progressive influences (with the album’s title track being an 18 minute opus).

The progressive rock influences became even more apparent on Gryphon’s acclaimed third album, “Red Queen to Gryphon Three”, released in December 1974. The album was one of the most successful of Gryphon’s career and the diversity of their music saw Gryphon earn the distinction of being the first artists to appear on all four BBC radio networks in one week. During this time Gryphon also toured as the support act to the legendary band YES, gaining new followers as a result. “Raindance” was Gryphon’s final album for Transatlantic Records. Issued in 1975, the record saw Philip Nestor replaced by Malcolm Bennett and was another successful record.

“Raindances” gathers together all the material from Gryphon’s four albums recorded for Transatlantic Records and has been newly re-mastered from the original master tapes. This anthology features an illustrated booklet with an essay by Malcolm Dome and includes exclusive interviews with Richard Harvey, Brian Gulland, Graeme Taylor and Dave Oberle.

DISC ONE
1. KEMPS JIG
2. SIR GAVIN GRIMBOLD
3. TOUCH AND GO
4. THREE JOLLY BUTCHERS
5. PASTIME WITH GOOD COMPANY
6. THE UNQUIET GRAVE
7. ESTAMPIE
8. CROSSING THE STILES
9. THE ASTROLOGER
10.TEA WRECKS
11.JUNIPER SUITE
12.THE DEVIL AND THE FARMER’S WIFE
TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM “GRYPHON” – RELEASED AS TRANSATLANTIC TRA 262 IN 1973

13.MIDNIGHT MUSHRUMPS
14.THE PLOUGHBOYS DREAM
15.THE LAST FLASH OF GABERDINE TAILOR
16.GULLAND ROCK
17. ETHELION
TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM “MIDNIGHT MUSHRUMPS” RELEASED AS TRANSATLANTIC TRA 282 IN 1974

DISC TWO
1. OPENING MOVE
2. SECOND SPASM
3. LAMENT
4. CHECKMATE
TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM “RED QUEEN TO GRYPHON THREE” – RELEASED AS TRANSATLANTIC TRA 287 IN 1974

5. DOWN THE DOG
6. RAINDANCE
7. MOTHER NATURE’S SON
8. LE CAMBRIOLEUR EST DANS LE MOUCHOIR
9. ORMOLU
10.FONTINENTAL VERSION
11. WALLBANGER
12.DON’T SAY GO
13.(EIN KLEIN) HEIDENLEBEN
TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM “RAINDANCE” – RELEASED AS TRANSATLANTIC TRA 302 IN 1975