Yorkshire Evening Post
1970 January 13th.
I Sit in on Their “Sorcerers”

There are five of us in the upstairs room of a Leeds pub. Two are from Jan Dukes de Grey, whose album “Sorcerers” comes out on Friday. One is their agent and “sole representation” Danny Pollock, and the other is their road manager, who rejoices in the name of Pedro. I am there to hear tapes of the album and hear Jan Dukes de Grey talk about it. Vocalist Derek Noy (22), writes all the trio’s material. He plays 12-string guitar, bass guitar, double bass, cello, organ, trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn, flute, sax, piano, percussion, glockenspiel, zeldaphone and violin, which are a few of the bewildering array of instruments used by the group. 82 Songs.

Derek, who has written 82 songs in the last 18 months is at pains to point out that the album represents most of the group’s earlier material. “It took three days to cut and a day to produce,” he says. “The material is really what Mick and I were doing just before Dennis joined two months ago.” Dennis Conlon (22), is the third and final Jan Dukes de Grey. He is in London when we do the interview, but I am assured he plays the full range in drums and other percussion instruments, including a little “clothes horse” complete with hanging flat drum, cymbal, tabla, chimes and Indian bells. He has drummed with Root and Jenny Jackson and Buster Somer’s Express. Oriental.

The other Jan Duke de Grey present, quiet Mick Bairstow (19) sets the tape running with “Wonder Child”. “Very gentle and oriental,” says Derek “We tried to get as close to Chinese music as possible on this. The whole idea of the album was to get a record where people can sit at home and relax. Next we would like to play in the clubs - something heavier.” Soft flute floats out on “Dominique”, the album’s second track.

“We’re really into Tibetan music: all bells and chimes. I’d like to go there,” says Derek. Every song has a message but listen hard. Next comes “Trust Me Now” a story a group’s life. Then Pedro come [sic] into his own on the bass drum in “Forms Must Always Be Filled”, described as “an anti-song”. The group like Roy Harper, Bob Dylan, Blood Sweat and Tears, Yes, Roland Kirk. But their own sound is their own. “Butterfly” is very simple very appealing. I say I like it. “I don’t” announces Derek, “It’s too soft, a bit too pop-ish.” Danny says he likes it. “I like it” says Pedro, helpfully. “I’m outnumbered,” says Derek. The Chanter. It’s easy to see why “Sorcerers” was picked as the title track. The song is one of Jan Duke’s most popular. On “City After 3am” Mick, who incidentally, plays flute, saxes, clarinet, guitar, hunting horn and percussion, graces the track with the chanter, a type of small bagpipe. [sic] He emerges from a fur coat to speak out for the first time. “Brilliant chanter work there,” he says