Lineups on the albums are: Labyrinth – Ian Carr, Kenny Wheeler, Brian Smith, Tony Levin, Roy Babbington, Clive Thacker, Tony Coe, Gordon Beck, Norma Winstone, Dave MacRae and Trevor Tomkins; Roots – Ian Carr, Brian Smith, Dave MacRae, Jocelyn Pitchen, Roger Sutton, Clive Thacker, Aureo de Souza and Joy Yates. Trumpeter, composer, author, educator and broadcaster Ian Carr is a major force in British jazz and since 1970 has been one of Europe’s lending musicians. In 1969 he formed Nucleus, one of the earliest pioneers of electronic jazz-rock fusion, and their early albums had a wide seminal influence in Europe. Nucleus won first prize at the 1970 Montreaux International Jazz Festival and appeared that summer at the USA Newport Festival and the Village Gate, New York. In 1982, Ian received the Calabria (Southern Italy) award for outstanding contribution in the field of jazz, and in 1987 he was given Wire magazine’s special award for services to British Jazz. In recent years, Ian has become almost as well known as an author; his 1982, book on Miles Davis remains the standard biography: He is now an associate Professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he gives weekly lectures on jazz history. Full sleevenotes by noted author and broadcaster Alyn Shipton, who is also Ian’s biographer.

On Solar Plexus the all-star line-up (which reads like a who’s who of British jazz) includes Kenny Wheeler, Harry Beckett, Brian Smith, Tony Roberts, Karl Jenkins and Chris Spedding. Belladonna features Brian Smith, Dave MacRae, Alan Holdsworth and Roy Babbington among others, and was produced by John Hiseman.