Page of Life Jon And Vangelis

Vocalist Jon Anderson and master synthesist/composer Vangelis draw upon their legendary individual histories and more than two decades of classic collaborations to create this very spiritual and musical synergy, which combines elements of rock, classical, symphonic, jazz, soul, electronic new age, and worldbeat. Best known, respectively, as the lead singer of Yes and the Oscar-winning composer of "Chariots of Fire," the duo has released several extraordinary tandem recordings over the years, beginning with the 1976 album Olias of Sunhillow. This is the sixth of the series, and was originally released in 1991…

The ‘Gift’ is a 76+ minutes ‘greatest hits’ starting in 1975 with ‘Heaven and Hell’, featuring Vangelis‘ first collaboration with Jon Anderson, the transcendent ballad “So Long Ago, So Clear”, and also adds an excerpt from the lengthy original “Heaven and Hell Part II”. Music from ‘Albedo 0.39’ (1976) was featured extensively in the TV series “Cosmos”, and the ‘Gift’ presents the theme from the series, plus the outstanding tracks “Pulstar” and “Alpha”. Having had a career in music spanning over 50 years and having composed and performed more than 50 albums, Vangelis is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of progressive music, electronic music and soundtracks.

During Jon Anderson’s 39-year Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career as the lead vocalist of YES, he was seen as one of the leading proponents of the Progressive Rock movement. During his tenure with YES, he recorded 19 studio albums and multiple live albums, many of which have been certified gold and platinum. Albums such as The “YES” album, “Fragile”, “Close to the Edge”, “Tales of Topographic Oceans”, and “90125” remain classic albums to this day. Songs such as “Roundabout”, “Yours is No Disgrace”, “And You and I”, “Going for the One”, “Awaken”, and “Owner of a Lonely Heart” were staples on Active Rock radio throughout the 70’s and 80’s.
While still a member of YES, Jon released multiple solo records and collaborations, the most noteworthy being his 4 albums with Greek composer Vangelis Upon leaving YES in 2008, Jon continued releasing multiple solo records…

Recorded live on the final night of the 1989 Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe tour, this two-CD set offers both oldies and improvements upon their new material. You'll probably find yourself listening only to the second CD, as the first CD largely consists of shaky solo medleys. Howe fares the best with delicate renditions of "Mood for a Day" and "The Clap." Anderson's guitar and vocal turn comes off like a coffeehouse gig - not bad, especially when he samples "Teakbois," but not riveting. Wakeman's "Merlin" and "Catherine Parr" solo trades speed for precision, and the crowd is unaccountably thrilled when he wrenches unimpressive blow-bottle sounds out of a keyboard. Bruford blows his solo yet again, just as in Yessongs; infatuated with electronic percussion, he produces a grating assortment of clanks and conks…

Digitally remixed, remastered and expanded 40th Anniversary edition of the Prog band's 1974 album. The CD features a completely new stereo album mix by Steven Wilson plus the two promo singles edits taken from the album. Original artwork expanded, restored and approved by Roger Dean. Presented as a double digipak format in a slipcase with new sleeve notes by writer Sid Smith.
Yes had fallen out of critical favor with Tales from Topographic Oceans, a two-record set of four songs that reviewers found indulgent. But they had not fallen out of the Top Ten, and so they had little incentive to curb their musical ambitiousness…

Going for the One is perhaps the most overlooked item in the Yes catalog. It marked Rick Wakeman's return to the band after a three-year absence, and also a return to shorter song forms after the experimentalism of Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans, and Relayer. In many ways, this disc could be seen as the follow-up to Fragile. Its five tracks still retain mystical, abstract lyrical images, and the music is grand and melodic, the vocal harmonies perfectly balanced by the stinging guitar work of Steve Howe, Wakeman's keyboards, and the solid rhythms of Alan White and Chris Squire. The title track features Howe on steel guitar (he's the only prog rocker who bothers with the instrument). "Turn of the Century" and the album's single, "Wonderous Stories," are lovely ballads the way only Yes can do them…

Many call Yes' brand of progressive rock "symphonic rock." The term means that the group produces arrangements in the vein of a symphony using typical rock instrumentation. With Magnification, Yes has taken that a step further, adding a symphony orchestra. The orchestra is not simply thrown over the top, though; the songs were written for this particular grouping. Yes has flirted with this type of thing before. Released in 1970, the Time and a Word album featured a string section, but the complete integration is what makes Magnification a superior work. The material on the CD is pretty standard modern Yes fare, but the addition of that symphony really does create a whole new texture. It also seems as if it inspired the band, and some members put in performances that are head and shoulders above their recent work. The album does have its weak moments and gets just a little over the top at times, but there are a lot more moments that shine than dull ones.

For fans waiting for a follow-up to the massive success of 90125, 9012Live: The Solos proved to be a disappointment. This brief album consists of solo turns by each bandmember, along with two 90125 tracks scarcely changed from the studio versions. "Solly's Beard" provides a pleasant, if somewhat incoherent showcase for Trevor Rabin's guitar work, and Jon Anderson takes an uneventful walk down memory lane with "Soon." The highlight of the album is the duet "Whitefish," and with Chris Squire and Alan White galloping through a spirited medley of "The Fish," "Sound Chaser," and "Tempus Fugit." While it's an okay tour souvenir, 9012Live: The Solos can hardly claim to be a proper album.