Thursday, 10 April 2014

Jon Anderson progresses into solo artist

Niagara Gazette — Progressive rock pioneers Yes have undergone a staggering amount of lineup changes over the years, but none had the impact of the two times that vocalist Jon Anderson parted ways with the group, once replaced by Trevor Horn in 1980 and later in 2008 with a sound-alike while Anderson dealt with health issues.

Since Yes and Anderson seem to have parted ways for good, Anderson has been able to pursue a solo career full time. Over the last few years, Anderson has perfected his one-man show, which comes to Seneca Niagara Casino’s Bears Den this Friday. The show sold out quickly.

“When you are by yourself, you have to entertain the audience in different ways. In a band situation, members are all playing their instruments and I didn’t get to speak much because it was more about music. In a solo setting I can take the time to tell some stories and talk about the music,” Anderson noted during a recent phone interview.

Anderson accompanies himself with an interesting variety of instruments including a mountain dulcimer, a guitar, ukulele and a piano, but fans of Anderson know that his most powerful instrument is the ethereal voice behind the Yes classics “Roundabout” and “Wondrous Stories.”

While the show will feature many favorites and some new material from Anderson’s storied career, there were a few songs that did not work in the solo setting.

“‘Perpetual Change’ is one of my favorite Yes songs, and I tried it solo but you really need the music around it. There are a couple of songs with Vangelis that I would like to play, but they just don’t come out right. I choose songs that work well, and most of them are songs most people know. When a show works, you don’t want to change it around too much.”


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