Harmony in Diversity - Yes & Sanguine Hum related

**bondegezou** · 07-21-2018

Harmony in Diversity were an improvisational trio consisting of Peter Banks on guitar, Andrew Booker on drums (better known these days for work with Sanguine Hum, Tim Bowness and Henry Fool) and Nick Cottam on bass (Nick and Andrew having worked together before as Pulse Engine). There was a limited release of one album, Trying, during their existence around 2005-7, but nothing else.

Now, coming in September, as part of the Peter Banks Musical Estate series, is The Complete Recordings, a 6 CD set of everything the band did (including a remastered and expanded Trying). Not all details are out yet, but this includes one disc of improvisations by just Pete and Andrew, and some live discs, including with the final incarnation of the band when Jick Speight replaced Andrew on drums. 6 CDs is a lot, but the price has been kept low: it's on Cherry Red's site for just £17.99: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/...te-recordings/

More details at I get them: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wnalum.htm#banks

Henry

**Troopers For Sound** · 07-21-2018

I've heard a track which I thought was very good...and Peter's playing really surprised me. Not really knowing anything by him beyond Yes/Flash, this was a lot more in the line of David Torn or Adrian Belew. It reminded me particularly of Torn's Polytown stuff. Andy had done a great job producing and mixing the track. Not sure to what extent that one piece represents a 6 CD set though, but nice to see this stuff coming out.

Matt.

**profusion** · 07-21-2018

This is great news. I was waiting for more HiD recordings to come out. Pete was a very good improviser, and my sense is that he was happier doing this in later years than he was in a more composed song format.

This certainly wouldn't be for anyone looking for something that sounds like Yes or Flash, though.

**arturs** · 07-21-2018

I remember hearing samples from "Trying" around the time it first came out and I remember being positively impressed. Can't remember what they actually sounded like, though... I will keep an eye out for this.

Wasn't there even talk of the band touring at some point?

**bondegezou** · 07-21-2018

Originally Posted by arturs

Wasn't there even talk of the band touring at some point?

The band did tour, on a limited scale. There was a UK tour with the David Cross Band and Whimwise. There were later sporadic UK and European dates.

Henry

**Paulrus** · 07-23-2018

Originally Posted by Troopers For Sound

I've heard a track which I thought was very good...and Peter's playing really surprised me. Not really knowing anything by him beyond Yes/Flash, this was a lot more in the line of David Torn or Adrian Belew. It reminded me particularly of Torn's Polytown stuff.

The great tragedy of Peter's death is that -- relative to a lot of his peers -- he seemed to have a lot of untapped potential in the tank that was never given a chance to be explored.

RIP.

**bondegezou** · 07-23-2018

Originally Posted by Paulrus

The great tragedy of Peter's death is that -- relative to a lot of his peers -- he seemed to have a lot of untapped potential in the tank that was never given a chance to be explored.

The tragedy of Pete's life was how challenging tapping that potential was. He was, through to the end, very talented and hugely underrated, but he was struggling with his own demons, he was difficult to work with, more liable to cancel plans than make them happen, and so on. Harmony in Diversity did not always go smoothly. I was somewhat surprised that there was so much material available, but delighted that we will get to hear it.

Henry