'A Symphony of Amaranths’ is the most romantic and harmonically dense piece of music that the late Neil Ardley ever composed.

Scored for a large jazz orchestra, this highly-collectable 1971-recorded album also contains two vocal settings by Ardley, being the earliest example of his vocal music.

The first is a setting of Edward Lear's famous nonsense poem 'The Dong with a Luminous Nose', wonderfully and uniquely told by Ivor Cutler backed by an unusual chamber orchestra containing keyboards, vibraphone, harp, violin and cello that provides an atmospheric setting for the poem.

The second setting is of three poems by W.B. Yeats, James Joyce and Lewis Carroll, beautifully sung by Norma Winstone with the large jazz orchestra.

In its first ever CD release, re-mastered from the studio tapes, the album concludes with a bonus track in Ardley’s jokey setting of the National Anthem that segues effortlessly into a light tango.

Ardley’s music, the performances of a veritable jazz who’s who - including Frank Riccotti, Dave Gelly (who writes the notes for this reissue), Jon Hiseman, Barbara Thompson, Norma Winston, Stan Tracey, Jeff Clyne, Henry Lowther, Harold Beckett and Dick Heckstall-Smith, and the production values of Denis Preston, render 'A Symphony of Amaranths’ one of the most important British jazz albums ever made.
 

NEIL ARDLEY

A Symphony Of Amaranths

1. A Symphony of Amaranths: Carillon; Nocturne; Entracte; Impromptu
2. The Dong with a Luminous Nose
3. Three Poems: After Long Silence; She Weeps Over Rahoon; Will You Walk A Little Faster?

Bonus:
4. National Anthem & Tango

• Cult British artist

• Re-mastered from the studio tapes

• First time ever issued on CD

• Limited edition - 1000 run

• 12-page booklet with notes by Observer jazz critic Dave Gelly
   

'a brilliant and ambitious affair.' Gramophone

'Nothing from Britain this year will outshine the glories of Neil Ardley’s major composition.' Sunday Times

Also available:

£9.00 plus postage