Former Yes vocalist Jon Anderson will release an epic musical work titled “Open” as a digital download on Tuesday, October 25. The piece marks a return to the long-form compositions that Anderson became known for as a pioneering member of Yes, including “Close To The Edge,” “Gates of Delirium,” “Revealing” and “Awaken.”
“Open” promises to be an exhilarating, 21-minute musical journey, as Anderson’s iconic vocals and timeless melodies weave intricate melodic and harmonic themes within a classical music framework. Anderson, who worked with orchestral backing from his neighbor and friend Stefan Podell, says the song’s theme focuses on messages of peace, love, light and freedom.
[LISTEN HERE!: Jon Anderson’s “Open” is a conceptually epic piece filled with wonderment, musical twists and a theme as broad as it is hopeful.]
“‘Forever taken to that place of understanding,’ are the first lyrics of ‘Open,'” Anderson says, in pre-release materials, “as though I am always remembering my true musical journey. To create this work, I sat with my 19th Century guitar and strummed ideas last spring 2010. Songs just poured out of me that week, and before I knew it I had created a long-form musical idea. With the help of Stefan Podell’s powerful orchestration, we put together what is now ‘Open.'”
Anderson is currently on tour in the U.S. and Canada with fellow former Yes member Rick Wakeman, after a series of successful concerts in the UK in 2010 in support of their critically acclaimed CD release The Living Tree. In December, Anderson will be performing select solo concerts in South America; go to Anderson’s web site for more information.
[ONE TRACK MIND: Yes cofounder Jon Anderson talks with us about returning to a favorite from ‘90125,’ rocking out with Vangelis and Tolstoy — and, yeah, how mountains really did once come out of the sky.]
“It has four movements all intertwined, and seems to have a life of its own,” Anderson says. “For those who love this kind of music, I feel so happy to present it as one of many I hope to create over the coming years. My love ‘Janee’ has helped in production with her unique musical observations and her angel voice. I am so happy and thankful.”
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“Open,” which follows Anderson’s own well-received solo release Survival and Other Stories from earlier this year, will be available as a digital download next week through iTunes.
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