Renaissance

Renaissance's trajectory parallels that of the Moody Blues and the Drifters in unfolding across two distinct phases. Launched in 1969 by Yardbirds alumni Keith Relf and Jimmy McCarty, the first incarnation pursued progressive folk-rock and issued two albums, although only the debut self-titled LP received U.S. release on Elektra; the band enjoyed limited success on the English campus circuit without achieving wider recognition.

Multiple lineup shifts followed, as Relf and his sister Jane departed—the latter later leading the Illusion group, which strongly echoed Renaissance—while McCarty's participation effectively ended after 1971. A reconfigured unit coalesced around bassist Jon Camp, keyboardist John Tout, drummer Terry Sullivan, and vocalist Annie Haslam, whose operatic background supplied a three-octave range.

The 1972 album Prologue, the first under this configuration, adopted a markedly more expansive approach featuring extended instrumental passages and Haslam's soaring vocals. Breakthrough arrived with the 1973 release Ashes Are Burning, which added guitarist Michael Dunford to the permanent lineup and showcased searing electric guitar from guest Andy Powell.

Turn of the Cards, issued by Sire Records, reflected a more ornate compositional approach, its lyrics shifting between topical and mystical themes. The group's growing ambitions outstripped its audience, still concentrated along America's East Coast, particularly New York and Philadelphia. Scheherazade (1975) centered on a twenty-minute suite for rock ensemble and orchestra that captivated existing fans without recruiting new listeners.

A live album taped at a New York concert revisited earlier material, including the Scheherazade suite, while adding little fresh ground and presenting the band in a somewhat lethargic state. Novella and A Song for All Seasons likewise failed to expand the following, and as the 1970s concluded the rise of punk and new wave left Renaissance sounding increasingly anachronistic and limited to cult status.

Their 1980s albums appeared with scant national or international notice, leading to a split in the early 1980s prompted by reported personality conflicts. In 1995 Haslam and Dunford each mounted separate attempts to revive the Renaissance name, while Jane Relf and the surviving original members reportedly prepared their own version of the group, a development likely to engage courts and trademark attorneys.