Between 1978 and 2012, founding Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips released eleven volumes of Private Parts & Pieces.  Each volume has collected various odds and ends from the composer/multi-instrumentalist which, for one reason or another, wouldn’t have fit comfortably on any of his proper solo albums.  Since 2015, Cherry Red Group’s Esoteric Recordings imprint has been reissuing and expanding these fascinating releases in box set form.  The third and final box (to date), Private Parts & Pieces IX-XI, collects the albums originally issued in 1996, 1999, and 2012 plus a bonus disc.

Private Parts & Pieces IX: Dragonfly Dreams (1996) took advantage of the long running time afforded by the CD format to bring together eighteen of Phillips’ compositions dating back to 1986, including a 17+-minute epic piece for acoustic 12-string guitar, “Chinese Walls.”  The eclectic nature of the project also encompassed such tracks as “Something Blue,” a pop song once mooted for singer Elkie Brooks but reinterpreted here on classical guitar, “In the Valleys” from the recording period of his album Invisible Men (which itself was recently reissued by Esoteric), and a number of vivid improvisations.

While the artist played various guitars on Dragonfly, he turned to solo piano for Volume X, Soiree (1999).  Volume VI (Ivory Moon) was also a solo piano set.  The 20 tracks on Dragonfly were newly-written and recorded save for “Creation,” which was penned three decades earlier, in 1968.  Phillips announced that there were no overdubs on the album which embraced a soft, comforting tone on such tracks as the moving tribute to the late Princess Diana, “Fallen Flower,” and the opening musical portrait of a “Sad Ballerina.”

The final album in this box set, 2012’s Volume XI: City of Dreams, resulted from Phillips’ prolific work as a composer for television and library music on keyboard and synthesizer.  Some compositions weren’t felt by Phillips to fit into the library music genre (music written for the specific purpose of licensing for use in television, film, radio, or other media), so he collated those stray pieces to curate this 31-track Private Parts volume.  Some new recording also took place, including a guitar overdub on “King of the Mountains.”   City of Dreams remains Phillips’ final solo album to date.

The three volumes here are rounded out by a bonus disc, Private Parts & Extra Pieces III.  These eighteen previously unreleased tracks were recorded between 1991 and 2012, and comprise a varied lot of alternately shimmering and stirring instrumental material played on piano, guitar, and keyboard.  Three tracks feature guitarist Quique Berro Garcia, and a couple of alternate mixes of Dragonfly Dreams songs are also included.

The packaging of this set follows the clamshell box style of the previous releases.  James Collins has remastered all tracks, and Phillips’ compilation co-producer Jonathan Dann has provided detailed liner notes.  Full credits and copious photos and illustrations are also featured in the 24-page booklet.  Each album is housed in a mini-LP replica sleeve.  Private Parts & Pieces IX-XI is available now from Cherry Red and Esoteric Recordings at the links below!

Anthony Phillips, Private Parts & Pieces IX-XI (Cherry Red/Esoteric ECLEC 42623, 2018) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Dragonfly Dreams (Blueprint BP229CD, 1996)

Part I

1. Openers
2. In the Valleys
3. Something Blue
4. Quango
5. Lostwithiel
6. Under the Ice
7. Sarah Blakely’s Evening
8. She’ll Be Waiting
9. Still Time

Part II

10. Hills of Languedoc
11. Luigi Palta’s Confession
12. The Tears of Pablo Paraguas
13. Melancholy Flower
14. Night Song
15. Chinese Walls
16. Old Faithful
17. Summer Ponds and Dragonflies
18. Lost and Found

CD 2: Soiree (Blueprint BP319CD, 1999)

1. Sad Ballerina
2. Final Light
3. Sultry Leaves
4. Fivers
5. Creation
6. Keepsake
7. Venetian Mystery
8. Scythia
9. Cantilena
10. The Oregon Trail
11. Passacaglia
12. Gazebo
13. Passepied
14. Fallen Flower
15. Noblesse Oblige
16. Hope of Ages
17. Obezag
18. Rain Suite
19. After You Left
20. Summer’s Journey

CD 3: City of Dreams (Voiceprint VP556CD)

1. City of Dreams I
2. Piledriver
3. King of the Mountains
4. Coral Island
5. Astral Bath
6. City of Dreams II
7. Air and Grace
8. Tuscan Wedding
9. Mystery Train I
10. Sunset Pools
11. Sea and Sardinia
12. Watching While You Sleep
13. Night Owl
14. The Deep
15. City of Dreams III
16. Mystery Train II
17. Star’s End
18. Doom Flower
19. Night Train to Novrogod
20. Sea of Tranquility
21. 39 Steps
22. Lake of Fire
23. Realms of Gold
24. City of Dreams IV
25. Days of Yore
26. Across the Steppes
27. Act of Faith
28. Grand Master
29. Mystery Train III
30. Anthem for Doomed Youth
31. The Homecoming

CD 4: Private Parts & Extra Pieces III (all tracks previously unreleased)

1. High Roller
2. Piano Drama Movement I
3. Sunset Drifter
4. Lostwithiel Link
5. Roads in Between
6. Shimmering Peaks
7. Castles and Courtships
8. Brand New Cadillac
9. Ocean of Stars
10. Pablo Dries Out
11. Lost Monolith
12. A Simple Man
13. Night Song (Alternate Mix)
14. Firefly
15. Constellation of Hope
16. Piano Drama Movement III
17. Heaven’s Gate
18. Lost and Found (Alternate Mix)