Darryl Way’s Wolf Roars Back: Cadenza – The Complete Recordings 3CD Boxed Set

Darryl Way’s Wolf – Cadenza – The Complete Recordings (Cherry Red Records, 2025)

Cadenza – The Complete Recordings is a must-have, remastered 3CD clamshell anthology that collects the complete studio output of Darryl Way’s Wolf. This was a superb, although short-lived, British progressive rock band that featured the violin as lead instrument.

The set gathers the albums Canis Lupus (1973), Saturation Point (1973), and Night Music (1974), alongside ten bonus tracks drawn from non-album singles and a BBC Radio “In Concert” performance recorded in June 1973. The new remasters come from the original Deram master tapes, and an illustrated booklet with an essay is included.

Wolf formed in late 1972 after violinist and keyboardist Darryl Way departed progressive rock act Curved Air. The lineup featured guitarist John Etheridge, bassist Dek Messecar, and drummer Ian Mosle. The band initially played instrumental material that highlighted Way’s dazzling electric violin, viola, and keyboard work. The music was a masterful and elegantly crafted mix of rock, western classical music, and jazz.

The group signed to Decca’s Deram imprint in 1973. The debut album Canis Lupus arrived with former King Crimson member Ian McDonald as producer and guest musician. The second album, Saturation Point pushed the band’s rock-meets-classical and jazz direction. A major shift came as vocalist John Hodgkinson, previously with jazz-rock outfit If, joined Wolf, leading to Night Music in 1974, considered by some as the band’s finest achievement.

Touring across the college circuit helped build the band’s reputation. However, Wolf disbanded later in 1974 when Way rejoined a reformed version of Curved Air. Post-Wolf paths included Messecar’s move to Caravan in 1976, Etheridge’s tenure with Soft Machine, and Mosley’s later role in Marillion following extensive session work.

Cadenza – The Complete Recordings captures the complete discography of an essential, now classic, pioneering progressive rock band. Highly recommended.

CD One:

Canis Lupus, released as Deram SDL 14 in June 1973

1. The Void (Darryl Way)
2. Isolation Waltz (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar)
3. Go Down (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar)
4. Wolf (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar)
5. Cadenza (Darryl Way / Ian Mosley)
6. Chanson Sans Paroles (Darryl Way / John Etheridge)
7. McDonald’s Lament (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar / John Etheridge / Ian Mosley)

Bonus tracks:

• Wolf (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar)
• Cadenza (Darryl Way / Ian Mosley)
• McDonald’s Lament (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar / John Etheridge / Ian Mosley)
• Isolation Waltz (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar)
• The Ache

BBC Radio One “In Concert”

Broadcast 5^th May 1973

1. Spring Fever (Peter Hadlow)
2. Wolf (single version) (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar)

Single – Released as Deram DM 378 in March 1973

Musicians: Darryl Way on violin, viola, keyboards; Dek Messecar on bass, vocals; John Etheridge on guitar; Ian Mosley on drums; Ian McDonald on tambourines and piano on Chanson Sans Paroles.

Produced by Ian McDonald.

Recording engineer: Mike Dunne. Recorded at Advision Studios, London

Remix engineers: Andy Henriksen & Ray Hendriksen (Command Studios, London)

CD Two:

Saturation Point, released as Deram SML 1104 in November 1973

1. The Ache (Darryl Way)
2. Two Sisters (Darryl Way)
3. Slow Rag (John Etheridge)
4. Market Overture (Darryl Way)
5. Game of X (John Etheridge)
6. Saturation Point (Darryl Way)
7. Toy Symphony (Darryl Way)

Bonus tracks:

• A Bunch of Fives (John Etheridge)
• Five in the Morning (Darryl Way)

Musicians: Darryl Way on violin, viola, keyboards; Dek Messecar on bass, vocals; John Etheridge on guitar; Ian Mosley on drums.

Produced by Sean Davies.

Engineered by Derek Varnals. Tape Operators: Alan Leeming & David Baker. Recorded at Decca Studios, Tollington Park, London.

CD Three:

Night Music, released as Deram SML 1116 in November 1974

1. The Envoy (Darryl Way / Dek Messecar)
2. Black September (Darryl Way / John Hodkinson)
3. Flat 2-55 (John Etheridge)
4. Anteros (Darryl Way)
5. We’re Watching You (Darryl Way)
6. Steal the World (Darryl Way / John Hodkinson)
7. Comrade of the Nine (Darryl Way)

Musicians: Darryl Way on violin, keyboards; Dek Messecar on bass, vocals; John Etheridge on guitar; Ian Mosley on drums; and John Hodkinson on vocals.

Produced by Sean Davies

Engineered by Derek Varnals. Recorded at Decca Studios, Tollington Park, London.

 “Cadenza – The Recordings 1973 – 1974” conceived, compiled & coordinated by Mark Powell. Additional coordination by Vicky Powell for Esoteric Recordings.

All tracks remastered from the original master tapes by Ben Wiseman at Broadlake Studios, Hertfordshire.

Package design by Meriel Waissman.

Buy Cadenza – The Complete Recordings.