Funky, soulful and effortlessly cool. Roots is Nucleus’ 1973 album, led by trumpeter Ian Carr: a groovier, vocal-tinged set that shows the band’s earthier side.

The short version

A funkier, more soulful album from Nucleus, the British jazz-rock group led by trumpeter Ian Carr. Released in 1973, Roots trades some of the band’s orchestral ambition for groove and warmth, built on deep basslines, crisp drumming and Latin-tinged rhythms. It also brings in vocals, courtesy of the New Zealand-born singer Joy Yates. The playing is superb throughout, from Brian Smith’s flutes and saxes to Dave MacRae’s keyboards and Jocelyn Pitchen’s guitar. Warm, funky and full of feel, it has become one of the most sampled and beloved records in the whole Nucleus catalogue.

A groovier Nucleus

By late 1973, Nucleus had once again transformed. Where Labyrinth had been grand and orchestral, Roots is leaner, funkier and more direct. Ian Carr kept saxophonist Brian Smith and keyboardist Dave MacRae from recent line-ups and brought in a punchy new rhythm section — bassist Roger Sutton, drummer Clive Thacker and percussionist Aureo de Souza — along with Mauritian guitarist Jocelyn Pitchen and singer Joy Yates. Several of the pieces began life as commissions: the title track came from a longer work written for the Lambeth New Music Society, while ‘Caliban’ was drawn from music Carr composed for a Shakespeare birthday celebration.

The sound

The sound is funky, soul-tinged British jazz-rock — warmer, groovier and more rhythmic than much of the band’s earlier work. Deep, loping basslines and Latin-flavoured percussion give the music a real physical pull, while Ian Carr’s trumpet, Brian Smith’s reeds and flutes and Dave MacRae’s electric piano add jazz sophistication on top. Joy Yates’ smooth, soulful vocals bring a mellow, song-like quality to a couple of tracks. It is fusion with its feet firmly on the dancefloor — sophisticated but irresistibly groovy. Reviewers often highlight its infectious rhythms and its lasting influence on later beat-based music.

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The songs

The title track ‘Roots’ is the album’s crown jewel — a slow, deep, irresistibly funky groove that has been sampled by countless hip-hop and beat producers, sounding decades ahead of its time. ‘Images’ is a gorgeous change of pace, a smooth, island-flavoured vocal piece featuring Joy Yates and some lovely flute from Brian Smith. And ‘Caliban,’ drawn from Carr’s Shakespeare commission, closes the first side with driving rhythms and bright, blended brass.

Reception and legacy

Roots has enjoyed a remarkable second life. Long admired by Nucleus fans, it found a whole new audience when its funky, breakbeat-driven title track became a favourite sampling source for hip-hop and electronic producers — a reminder of just how forward-looking the band’s grooves really were. Critics praise the album’s warmth, its rhythmic drive and its perfect balance of jazz sophistication and funk feel. It stands today as one of the most accessible and enjoyable entries in the Nucleus catalogue. For anyone who loves where jazz, rock and funk meet, it is a real treat.

The verdict

Roots is Nucleus at their funkiest and most immediate: funky, soul-tinged British jazz-rock, warm, groovy and endlessly playable. Come for the classic title track, the silky ‘Images’ and the driving ‘Caliban.’ It is less ambitious in scope than some Nucleus albums, but what it loses in grandeur it more than makes up for in feel and groove. For fans of funky fusion — and for anyone curious where so many great samples came from — it is essential and hugely enjoyable listening.

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