Jon Anderson has a voice as pure and fresh as a blue sky on
a cloudless day. His celestial high
notes, cosmic lyrical concerns, and inimitable sincerity make him a
one-of-a-kind singer in rock and roll.
If there is a Platonic realm, with an ideal version of Yes, then surely
Jon Anderson is the front man of that archetypal progressive band.
In our fallen world, however, the Yes saga continues with a
couple of singers other than Anderson.
Jon Davison has managed to earn respect and appreciation of most Yes
fans for his earnest, reliable, and impressive turn as a stand in for Jon
Anderson, but there is no doubt that the revamped Yes is missing something
without Anderson’s signature sound.
As it happens, Yes and Anderson virtually crossed paths in
the first week of April. Yes was the
Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey April 4th while Jon played at
BB King’s Bar and Grill in New Your City the following night. I had an opportunity to enjoy both shows.
Yes, wrapping up their “three classic albums tour,” was
crisp, energetic, and formidable. Jon
Davison had an ease in his upper-register and is deservedly winning accolades for
his emotional fidelity to Yes’ music.
Keyboardist Geoff Downes also hit the mark with a diligent performance,
particularly on “Awaken,” and “A Venture.”
Steve Howe, Alan White, and Chris Squire were in excellent form too.
But Jon Anderson left an even more indelible
impression. Playing before a packed
audience, Anderson wove Yes music, songs from Jon and Vangelis, tunes from his
solo career, along with personal anecdotes and humorous asides, into a cohesive
whole that was a feast for the soul. Jon
may have muffed a few acoustic guitar riffs, but vocally he sounded peerless.
No comments:
Post a Comment