Steve Jolliffe

[progman1975]

Any recommendations to start with his solo discography?? I knew he was on TD - Cyclone

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[Progbear]

Journeys Out of the Body is supposed to be the one to get. I haven’t heard it, but it’s the one that’s been recommended to me.

[battema]

I have maybe 2/3 of his total releases (ignored some of the library music offerings). Not everything is a slam dunk depending on preferences but there's lots to love IMHO.

Minor bonus: if you buy directly from Steve (still arguably the easiest way to get many of these albums), he gets you a CD-R with handmade watercolor artwork.

Suggestions:

Omni (1997) - strong sequencer-driven tunes but still retaining his style

Deep Down Far (1999) - similar to Omni but a bit more symphonic

Magical (2015) - tribute album to Edgar Froese that is really very lovely, a mix of sequencer music and more atmospheric/symphonic keyboard work

Warrior (1992) - big, BIG caveat that this was made when electronic musicians were heavily into ROMplers and digital/non-analog sound. I think 80-90% of his writing was done with the Korg O1/W. That being said...the album shows his melodic/harmonic side rather well.

[dropforge]

I waited for you to take this one, Battman.

I also have Omni and dig it. That was one was a surprise. Escape is similar to Warrior.

[soundsweird]

I used to have Journeys Out of the Body; I saw a used or marked down copy of the LP in the New Age section back when it came out, and bought it when I saw that it had a Jade Warrior connection (I had no idea who Steve was at the time, since I lost interest in TD by the time he joined). I did like some of it, and still have a cassette I made in the late 80's before I sold the LP.

[rcarlberg]

I have an album called Escape (1991) which I'll GIVE you if you want it. Way too granola-yoga for my tastes. It's autographed by Steve to somebody named "Pete."

Guess he didn't like it either.

Incidentally the inside cover lists a shitload of Joliffe releases:

• The Bruton Suite (1979)
• Drakes Venture (1980)
• Earth (1981)
• Journeys Out Of The Body (1982)
• Japanese Butterfly (1983)
• Beyond The Dream (1984)
• Voices (1985)
• New Age Emotions (1986)
• The Minotaur (1987)
• The Japanese Way (1988)
• Doorways To The Soul (1988)
• The Art of Minimalism (1989)
• Ethereal (1990)
• Escape (1991)
• Warrior (1992)
• Alien (1994)
• Zanzi (1995)
• Temmenu (1996)
• Omni (1997)
• Deep Down Far (1998)
• Space (2003)
• Poland (2006)
• Hadron (2008)
• USA (2009)
• Heart & Soul (2009)
• Amuletum (2010)
• Purple Dream (2011)
• Time Machine (2012)
• Ab Imo Pectore (2013)
• Magical: In Memory of Edgar Froese (2014)
• Cyclone Spheres (2016)
• Ra (2019)

[rcarlberg]

Incidentally I keep getting Joliffe mixed up with Johannes Schmoelling, whose "Wuivend Riet" is really quite charming.

[soundsweird]

Ha! Bought THAT one in the New Age markdown section, too, for a buck. Sold it finally, but a pretty good find at the time.

[battema]

Folks like videos, so here are some videos

[battema]

Oh and FWIW...I remember "Escape" was the latest SJ album when I first heard about his solo stuff, but I didn't hear it until a few years later when I found it in someone's bargain bin @ NEARfest. I...can't say I enjoy it. Like "Warrior" it is very 90's digital ROMpler sounding but it doesn't work as well for me as "Warrior" does (and to be fair/honest, I rarely revisit those late 80's/early 90's Korg-heavy albums from most artists).