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Altar Pieces

by Bill Nelson

supported by
Murray Darling
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Murray Darling Perfomed as live backing, by Bill and Ian Nelson at two Cathedrals: Wakefield and Notre Dame de Paris, Leicester Sq, London, this was a sublime adventure in esoteric landscape. Both chosen as part of his homeland and dedication to Cocteau. A musical delight to remember then, and for decades since.
John Mentzer
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John Mentzer Just why do they use words like "ambient" to describe a Bill Nelson album. It makes it sound like its going to be boring. That's never the case with Bill! Its bottled, evocative imagination!

I am transfixed by this album as much as any Tangerine Dream, or Mike Oldfield. Its the main attraction, not just background music.

The fact that it centers around hermetic philosophy and the occult is a very cool bonus if you ask me! So glad I picked this one up!
chronos
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chronos Always found this beautifully elusive and linked in feel to the wonderful 'Trial by Intimacy' box set and 'Chance Encounters' album. Who can't feel enchanted after listening to 'Arbor Philosophica'?
Tim
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Tim Ambient music works so well in church spaces (see Robert Fripp's soundscapes). I can imagine this echoing around Wakefield Cathedral, I find this relaxing and uplifting. Favorite track: Signum Natura (symbolic nature).
Nick Bradey
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Nick Bradey Interesting to compare this with Fripp's soundscapes.
Mystic Realist
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Mystic Realist Thank you, Bill! This is an interesting album, and it's great to have it more widely available as an MP3 release. I have to say, I especially love the artwork. :)
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about

This is one of the rarest of Bill Nelson's ambient instrumental albums. These eight tracks were originally created for a live performance in Wakefield Cathedral as part of the city's 1990 Arts Festival. The performance was titled 'Opus Illuminatus' and featured live improvisations on guitar (by Bill) and saxophone (by his younger brother Ian), played over interactive 'backing tracks'. These tracks (without the live overdubbed guitar and saxophone), were released as an extremely limited 500 edition cassette only item in 1990...
They became highly collectable and were never made available as an official CD album until now.

This unique and very special download only re-issue features superb digital remastering by Bill's long time, Fairview Studio's, associate John Spence. It presents, for the first time ever, an opportunity to hear this music at an audio quality previously denied the original limited edition cassette release. It also features fabulous new artwork by David Graham.

Even without the live performance guitar and sax improvisations, these mysterious and mystical pieces stand up as valuable in their own right and will be enthusiastically welcomed by fans.

The download includes the PDF artwork.

Sonoluxe CD032

For further album information and fan reviews visit www.billnelson.com/altar-pieces

credits

released April 23, 2014

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about

Bill Nelson

Founder of Be-Bop Deluxe in 1973, guitarist Bill Nelson wrote all of the bands material. Signed to EMI, the band released five studio albums and scored a top ten UK hit with the single "Ships In The Night."
In 1979 Bill disbanded Be-Bop Deluxe and launched Red Noise.
As a solo artist he's worked with David Sylvian, Harold Budd and Cabaret Voltaire as well as producing The Skids and Gary Numan.
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