Record Reviews

BARBARA THOMPSON`S PARAPHERNALIA ~ NIGHTWATCH VERABRA 2125 (Barcode: 4011687212521) ~ UK ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1984 Released: 1996 This is a reissue / remaster of a live in the studio album by British saxophonist / flautist / bandleader Barbara ThompsonFind albums by this artist and her ensemble ParaphernaliaFind albums by this artist, which included her husband, drummer Jon HisemanFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave BallFind albums by this artist, violinist Rod DorothyFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Bill WorrallFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, all of which are original compositions by Thompson. The album was recorded direct-to-disc in 1984 and originally released as “Pure FantasyFind albums with this title” in 1986. This reissue was remastered by Hiseman and retitled to “NightwatchFind albums with this title”, which was one of Barbara’s favorite compositions. The music was somewhat inspired by Sri Lankan folk music and other World Music influences, and the album was her first excursion in the Jazz-World Fusion. But, as always, the music is first and foremost her own and proves again what a great composer she was, in addition to being an exceptional instrumentalist. I have been a great fan of Barbara’s and Jon’s music endeavors for many years and knew them personally, having also the pleasure to contribute the foreword to Jon’s biography and liner notes to Barbara’s album. Their premature deaths saddened me gravely. Overall, this is a beautiful album, which seems only to get better with time, and remains a wonderful gem in the extensive recording legacy of Barbara and John, being of course an essential part of any serious British Jazz record collection.

Updated: 29/07/2026Posted: 29/07/2026

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend