The formation of a superband fronted by classic rock icon ex-Yes frontman Jon Anderson with jazz rock icon violinist Jean-Luc Ponty created some buzz ever since Anderson first publicly broached the idea back in early 2014.
The AndersonPonty Band concept led a memorable live engagement in Aspen in September 2014, captured both audibly and visually. The resulting CD/DVD Better Late Than Never will be available on September 25, 2015 via Liaison Records. Something Else! offers a sneak peak of a track from AndersonPonty Band’s CD, “I See You Messenger,” which you can stream above.
Following in the template for much of the album, AndersonPonty Band’s “I See You Messenger,” reconditions some old favorites from both veteran artists into fresh, new ideas. The very title of this song suggests the early Yes hit “I’ve Seen All Good People” and Ponty’s title track from his 1978 release Cosmic Messenger, a rock-jazz classic. The rest of the AndersonPonty Band have all been in Ponty-led groups since at least the late ’80s: Rayford Griffin on drums, Jamie Glaser on guitar, Wally Minko on keys and Vital Information member Baron Browne on bass.
The cascades of Anderson singing ‘didda didda’ in the opening moments is a direct gaze back to the The Yes Album classic tune, and the hopeful, sunny music bears his unmistakable stamp. Meanwhile, Ponty’s electric violin can be heard weaving in and out of the melody, and the rhythmic/harmonic unity of this song is the kind of stuff that the Ponty guys do so well.
AndersonPonty Band’s “I See You Messenger” is indeed a meeting of the minds between two visionary musicians from the ’70s who don’t seem ready to stop doing the things that made them famous just yet.
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The vocalization runs are reminiscent of “Don’t Kill The Whale”
..or “I’ve Seen All Good People…”