Keef Hartley came to prominence as a member of the British R&B group The Artwoods before joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967. He contributed to the album "Crusade" before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. He recorded a series of classic albums for Decca's Deram label.

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to complete their reissuing of Keef's Deram catalogue with the first ever CD release of his final album for Deram the excellent "Lancashire Hustler". Featuring guest appearances from Robert Palmer & Elkie Brooks and their band Vinegar Joe, this welcome reissue includes liner notes by the man himself and a booklet with previously unseen photos.

Keef Hartley - Drums
Jess Roden - Vocal
Junior Kerr - Vocal, Guitar
Jean Rouselle - Keyboards
Mick Weaver - Organ, Moog
Philip Chen - Bass
Elkie Brooks - Vocal Backing
Robert Palmer - Vocal Backing

Keef Hartley came to prominence as a member of the British R&B group The Artwoods before joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers in 1967. He contributed to the album 'Crusade' before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. He recorded a series of classic albums for Decca's Deram label. Esoteric Recordings are pleased to complete their reissuing of Keef's Deram catalogue with this newly remastered release of his 1972 album 'Seventy Second Brave'. Featuring the last incarnation of his band, Keef would record his final album for Deram the following year under his own name. This reissue includes liner notes by the man himself and a booklet with previously unseen photos.

Junior Kerr - Guitar, Vocals
Pete Wingfield - Piano, Vocals
Gary Thain - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Chris Mercer - Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone
Nick Newell - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Keef Hartley - Drums
Mick Weaver - Organ

This reissue of Overdog features the bonus single edits of Roundabout, one of their best loved and most powerful works. Along with a reissue of The Time is Near, this release sees the beginning of a reissue campaign by Esoteric Recordings of the classic Keef Hartley Band albums.

Keef Hartley - Drums, Percussion
Miller Anderson - Vocals, Guitar
Gary Thain - Bass Guitar
Mick Weaver - Keyboards
Dave Caswell - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Lyle Jenkins - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Johnny Almond - Flute
Jon Hiseman - Drums, Percussion
Peter Dines - Keyboards
Ingrid Thomas - Backing Vocals
Joan Knighton - Backing Vocals
Valerie Charrington - Backing Vocals

Considered by many to be one of the finest exponents of powerful Jazz Rock, Keef's earliest engagement was as replacement for Ringo Starr in Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He was also Mick Fleetwood'sreplacement in John Mayalls Blues-Breakers and featured on many recordings by the band. In 1968 he formed his own group recruiting the highly regarded Miller Anderson on guitar and vocals. Although they performed at Woodstock the band was not filmed. Latterly Hartley became involved with group Vinegar Joe and with singer / songwriter Michael Chapman.

Keef Hartley - Drums, Percussion
Miller Anderson - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Henry Lowther - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Violin, Piano, Brass arrangements on tracks 1,7
Jim Jewell - Tenor Saxophone on tracks 1,7
Gary Thain - Bass Guitar
Dave Caswell - Flugelhorn, Euphonium, Trumpet, Electric Piano, Brass arrangements on tracks 2,3,4,5,6
Lyle Jenkins - Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Baritone Saxophone on tracks 2,3,4,5,6
Stewart Wicks - Piano, Organ on tracks 2,3
Del Roll - Percussion on track 7
Robin Black - Engineer, Morgan Studios
Peter Flanagan - Assistant Engineer, Morgan Studios
Colin Caldwell - Engineer, Trident Studios

Keef Hartley came to prominence as a member of the british R&B group the artwoods before joining John Mayall'sBluesbreakers in 1967. He contributed to the album crusade before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. He recorded his first album, Halfbreed (also re- released this month) for Decca'sDeram label in March 1969. Regarded as a classic of the fusion of rock, jazz and blues, Hartley went one better later in the year by changing the lineup of his band to include gifted guitarist, vocalist and writer Miller Anderson.

This new band recorded the wonderful battle of north west six for decca later that year, around the same time they performed at the legendary Woodstock Festival. Unavailable for many years, Esoteric Recordings are pleased to reissue the album with liner notes by Keef Hartley.

Keef Hartley – Drums, Percussion
Miller Anderson – Vocals, Guitars (various)
Henry Lowther – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Violin, Brass arrangements
Jim Jewell – Tenor Saxophone
Gary Thain – Bass Guitar
Spit James – Guitar
Mick Weaver – Organ, Piano, Percussion
Mike Davis – Trumpet
Harry Beckett – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Lynn Dobson – Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Chris Mercer – Tenor Saxophone
Barbara Thompson – Baritone Saxophone, Flute
Ray Warleigh – Flute
Mick Taylor – Guitar

Keef Hartley came to prominence as a member of the British R&B group The Artwoods before joining John Mayall'sBluesbreakers in 1967.

He contributed to the album Crusade before leaving in 1968 to form the first line-up of his own band. With Gary Thain (bass), Peter Dines (keyboards), Spit James (guitar) and horn section that was a whos who of British jazz (Henry Lowther, Chris Mercer, Lyn Dobson and Harry Beckett), Hartley recorded his first album for Decca'sDeram label in March 1969. Now regarded as a classic of the genre, Halfbreed is a fine example of the fusion of rock, jazz and blues.

Miller Anderson - Vocals, Guitar
Peter Dines - Organ, Harpsichord
Spit James - Guitar
Gary Thain - Bass Guitar
Keef Hartley - Drums
Henry Lowther - Trumpet, Violin, Brass arrangements
Harry Beckett - Trumpet
Lynn Dobson - Tenor Sax, Flute
Chris Mercer - Tenor Sax
John Mayall - voice