Symphonies: The Collected Recordings (Box) (Uk)

5CD Remastered Clamshell Box Edition Gathering The Essential Albums By The French Progressive Rock Group Clearlight. Includes The Albums 'Clearlight Symphony', 'Forever Blowing Bubbles', 'Les Contes Du Singe Fou', 'Visions' And 'Impressionist Symphony'. Featuring Guest Contributions From Steve Hillage, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, David Cross And Didier Lockwood. Clearlight was formed in 1973 and was the vision of gifted pianist and composer Cyrille Verdeaux. The first work to appear under the Clearlight name was 'Clearlight Symphony', recorded in 1973 and 1974 and first issued by Virgin Records in early 1975. The album was notable for featuring Gong members Steve Hillage, Tim Blake and Didier Malherbe. The follow-up album, 'Forever Blowing Bubbles' was recorded in the summer of 1975 and featured a full band formed by Verdeaux and former King Crimson violinist David Cross guesting among others. 1977's 'Les Contes du Singe Fou' was recorded with a full band who now included former Magma violinist Didier Lockwood and was a fine fusion of jazz, psychedelic and new age influences. Clearlight's final album of the 1970s was the album 'Visions', released in 1978. Over the ensuing years Cyrille Verdeaux resurrected the Clearlight name occasionally, and in 2014 the album 'Impressionist Symphony' was released and featured contributions from Steve Hillage, Didier Malherbe and Tim Blake among others. This collection gathers together these essential albums in a clamshell box, all newly remastered and includes a booklet with new essay. 'Symphonies - The Collected Recordings' is a fine collection of music by one of the most interesting musicians to emerge from the French progressive rock movement of the 1970s and music which remains essential today.