Land of Cockayne (album)

Land of Cockayne is the tenth studio album by the jazz rock band Soft Machine, released in 1981.  By this point, the band contained none of its original members.  The title refers to the medieval land of plenty. 

Overview
The album came about as the result of a project in which Karl Jenkins and John Marshall had been involved featuring top session musicians.  The ad hoc band, Rollercoaster, had recently recorded the Stevie Wonder tribute album Wonderin' and decided to record another album together.  Many of the musicians included on the Cockayne album would make up Soft Machine's final live line-up which played a six-night residency at Ronnie Scott's in 1984.  This is the only Soft Machine album to feature a string section. 

Track listing

All compositions by Karl Jenkins. 

Side one

"Over 'n' Above" – 7:24 
"Lotus Groves" – 4:57
"Isle of the Blessed" – 1:56 
"Panoramania" – 7:07
"Behind the Crystal Curtain" – 0:53

Side two

"Palace of Glass" – 3:22
"Hot-Biscuit Slim" – 7:27 
"(Black) Velvet Mountain" – 5:10 
"Sly Monkey" – 5:00
"A Lot of What You Fancy..." – 0:35

Personnel

 Soft Machine 
 Karl Jenkins – synclavier, C.S. 80, Mini Moog, piano, orchestration
 John Marshall – drums, percussion

 Guest musicians 
 Allan Holdsworth – lead guitar 
 Alan Parker – rhythm guitar 
 John Taylor – electric piano 
 Jack Bruce – bass 
 Ray Warleigh – alto saxophone, bass flute
 Dick Morrissey – tenor saxophone
 Stu Calver – vocals, backing vocals 
 John G. Perry – vocals, backing vocals 
 Tony Rivers – vocals, backing vocals

References

External links

Category:Soft Machine albums
Category:1981 albums
Category:EMI Records albums
Category:Albums produced by Mike Thorne