One of the true signs of an artist is to have an individual sound. Without knowing anything about this cd/dvd, I popped it on and started listening. My first thought when I heard “One in the Rhythms of Hope” with a mix of jazz and rock with hip keyboards and violin was, “Hey, they’ve got a prog-rock feel like Genesis, Yes or PFM.” Then, once I heard the vocalist, there was no doubt; Jon Anderson was in this band! Sure enough, I looked at the liner notes and lo and behold, he’s teamed up with fusion violinist Jean-Luc Ponty for a thoroughly hip and exciting concert. Along with a band that includes Baron Browne/b, Jamie Glaser/g, Wally Minko/key and Rayford Griffin/dr-perc, A & P mix it up with some originals, some Yessongs and some reworking of the violinist’s work. Of the latter, “Infinite Mirage” is a well vamped up read of the classic “Mirage” and Ponty’s violin is still as sleek and warm as ever. The band hits a nice groove on “One in the Rhythms of Hope” and “A For Aria” with a rich mix of guitar, keyboards and violin creating a flexible mix of drive and melody.
Anderson himself is in great shape, still sounding like a hobbit on vintage Yes tunes such as “Time and A Word” “Wondrous Stories” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” The fragrant read of “And You And I” is much more airy and less pretentious than the original and even the hit “Roundabout” has a fresh feel to it. This genre has held up amazingly well through the decades. A tour is coming; keep an eye open for a gig in your town; with a show in LA Nov 20. It’s gonna be worth it!