Renaissance’s 2001 studio album Tuscany is reissued in a superb new package with a great live concert recording.  

Release date: Available now

Label: Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records

Format: 3 CD Box Set

Renaissance’s 2001 album, Tuscany, saw a reunion of the band, including Annie Haslam vocals, Michael Dunford acoustic guitars and backing vocals, Terence Sullivan drums and percussion, joined by new player Mickey Simmonds on keyboards and backing vocals. The album also includes a guest appearance on some tracks by John Tout from the band’s classic line up, on piano and keyboards. Another guest performer is Roy Wood, who of course played with the Move, Electric Light Orchestra and Wizard. 

This new edition of Tuscany features both the studio album and a live set, In The Land Of The Rising Sun – Live in Japan 2001. It is a hugely enjoyable album from later period Renaissance, and has been perhaps a little overlooked, which this reissue puts right.

Tuscany

The studio album opens with Lady From Tuscany, which commences with a wash of orchestral sound, with Annie Haslam’s choir like wordless vocal slowly emerging out of the mists. The band then lock into a dynamic groove, led by Terence Sullivan’s impressive angular drumming, over which Annie Haslam tells the story of the relationship between the Lady From Tuscany and a musician, with a captivating storytelling vocal, that few other vocalists are able to match. 

Pearls Of Wisdom features the unmistakable piano playing of John Tout. There is a lovely lightness of touch and expressiveness to his playing, that perfectly accompanies the flowing romanticism of the lead vocal.  Dear Landseer is quite a surprising track, with its striking folk influence, both in Annie Haslam’s vocal and the instrumentation, particularly John Tout’s harpsichord playing. It is an appreciation of the work of painter and sculptor Edwin Landseer, which is told beautifully in Annie Haslam’s poetical lyrics.

In My Life is an exquisite ballad, featuring some nicely understated playing from the band. Mickey Simmonds’s piano and Michael Dunford’s acoustic guitar provide a dream like ambience, while Terence Sullivan’s drumming and guest musician Alex Caird’s bass playing have an inventive jazz styled approach. Add one of Annie Haslam’s most beautifully pitched vocals and you have a just about perfect song. The Race conversely is an up-tempo keyboards and orchestral driven slice of contemporary rock, that evidences Renaissance’s musical breadth.

This breadth of musical ambition comes even more into focus with Life In Brazil, with its spirituous combination of samba and rock and classical motifs. The percussion work by Terence Sullivan and Roy Wood is particularly exhilarating. One Thousand Roses concludes the album, in a progressive rock finale. Mickey Simmonds brings into play piano, organ and synthesiser, that fly over the musical time shifts, with Michael Dunford’s rhythm acoustic guitar providing drive and pace. Annie Haslam’s soaring vocals are at their very best on what is an impressive conclusion to the album. A special mention here should also go to the thoughtful song writing throughout the album, by Michael Dunford and Annie Haslam, and similarly the orchestral arrangements by Mickey Simmonds.

As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the new edition of Tuscany also features a live set, ‘In The Land Of The Rising Sun – Live in Japan 2001. Here the core musicians from the album, Annie Haslam, Michael Dunford, Terence Sullivan and Mickey Simmonds are joined by Rave Tesar (piano and additional keyboards) and David Keyes (bass guitar). Over two discs, it is clear from this live recording, that this iteration of the band had a fantastic expansive musical sound, capable of delivering great versions of both classic Renaissance songs and the new material from Tuscany.

The Concert

The opening track of the concert, the classic Carpet Of The Sun, is a marvellous example. It is rhythmically very tight, with the piano and keyboards creating a stunning soundscape for Annie Haslam’s confident and very natural sounding vocal. A highlight of the concert is the wonderfully performed version of Mother Russia, from the album Turn Of The Cards. The lyrics were of course written by Betty Thatcher, inspired by the novel One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, and Annie Haslam’s remarkable vocal performance gives full expression to the sweeping historical narrative at the core of the composition. The band almost impossibly create the sound of a full orchestra, which is just the setting this song needs to fly. It is a superb listen.

While this version of the band didn’t continue, in 2009 Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford formed a new line up that completed the band’s final studio album, Grandine il vento. Renaissance have continued to perform live, and earlier this year announced an ‘In Gratitude’ Farewell U.S. tour, taking place this autumn. We hope of course that a UK farewell show is perhaps considered.

Renaissance can be very proud of their legacy, where musical excellence and a creative combination of classical and rock music, has produced a unique musical sound, that continues to intrigue and delight. Esoteric Recordings and Cherry Red Records have done that legacy proud with an incredible reissue programme, of which this is the latest release. As we have come to expect, the remastered sound and presentation, that includes a clamshell box with original artwork and an illustrated booklet, is exemplary. Watch out for a release at the end of August of Renaissance: Can You Hear Me – Broadcasts 1974-1978, a 3 disc box set of radio and television performances by Renaissance between 1974 and 1978.

You can find more information about Renaissance here: Website / Facebook

You can find out more about Esoteric Recordings and Cherry Red Records releases here: Cherry Red Records / Cherry Red Records Facebook / Esoteric Recordings Facebook

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