Ian Carr – Belladonna

A swirling, shadowy masterpiece of British jazz fusion - reissued with the reverence it deserves.

Originally released in 1972 on the legendary Vertigo “swirl” label, Belladonna stands as a high-water mark in the genre-blurring career of Ian Carr - British trumpeter, bandleader, and visionary behind Nucleus. With its eerie atmospherics, serpentine grooves, and post-Miles Davis electric palette, this album is a stone-cold classic for those who like their fusion moody, cinematic, and deeply heady.

This official half-speed remaster was cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, bringing new depth and detail to one of the UK’s finest jazz-rock hybrids. Carr assembled a murderers’ row of British jazz talent: Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Dave MacRae on Fender Rhodes, Roy Babbington on bass, and Brian Smith on saxes and flutes. The result is a hypnotic brew of late-night noir jazz, spacious prog-fusion, and cinematic soul.

Tracks like "Summer Rain" blend smoky Rhodes lines with melancholy melodies in ways that feel decades ahead of their time - think Dilla or Madlib crate-digging gold. And the slow build of "Mayday," with its Shaft-esque suspense, proves that Carr understood tension and release like few others in his field.

Equal parts spiritual, cerebral, and sinister, Belladonna was overlooked in its day but has grown into a cult classic for deep listeners and sample-seekers alike. This pressing - half-speed mastered on heavyweight vinyl - is the definitive way to experience its full hypnotic force.

Note: All orders ship from France. VAT not charged (TVA non applicable, article 293 B du CGI). Worldwide shipping available. Images shown are mock-ups — actual vinyl may differ slightly.