Here’s part of a BlogCritics Music Review of the latest (August 28th, just three weeks ago) YES/ABWH DVD release, “Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe — An Evening of YES Music Plus“:
By 1980 the classic Yes lineup had begun to splinter, led by the departures of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman. Veteran musicians Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn were brought in as replacements and the Drama album and tour soon followed, but the band eventually split up in 1981. Bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White continued working together and in 1983 they recruited South African guitarist Trevor Rabin for a new group that would be dubbed Cinema. Later that year Jon Anderson was invited to join the band and the decision was eventually made to simply call it Yes.
Rabin, along with producer Trevor Horn, proceeded to significantly overhaul Yes’ beloved classic progressive-rock sound with a more modern, radio-friendly, pop-rock sound that came to fruition on this new lineup’s first album, 90125. The album won over millions of new Yes fans, even producing their first #1 single with “Owner Of A Lonely Heart,” and made the band more popular than ever. Another hit album of the same formula, and a couple of hugely successful tours followed, but longtime Yes fans and especially Jon Anderson began to grow weary of this new musical direction. They eagerly wanted a return to the classic Yes sound.
Following the 1988 Big Generator tour, Anderson began working with former Yes members Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, and Bill Bruford on what was probably originally planned as an Anderson solo album, but eventually turned into a band effort. Legally, the Yes name still belonged to the current members of the band, Chris Squire, Alan White, Trevor Rabin, Tony Kaye, and Anderson (still), so they would have to come up with something new. After floating around some interesting names, the best one probably being “No”, they eventually decided upon Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe, or simply ABWH.
Their self-titled debut album was released in 1989, and blended the classic Yes sound with some obvious world music influences. Later that year the band, including bassist Tony Levin, keyboardist Julian Colbeck, and guitarist Milton McDonald, embarked on a massive world tour, having legally secured the right to promote the tour as “An Evening Of Yes Music Plus.” Jeff Berlin filled in for Levin who was too ill to perform at this show. This amazing tour was captured on video and was initially released as a CD and VHS in 1994. This year a limited addition, two-DVD edition of the video, and more recently a single disk edition, minus any bonus features, was finally released.
An Evening Of Yes Music Plus was recorded Sept. 9, 1989 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountainview, California. This performance is sure to please any fan of the ABWH album, and especially fans of the classic Bruford era of the band, since it focused mainly on The Yes Album, Fragile, and Close To The Edge albums. I know those are my three favorites. The ABWH album is also solidly represented by five songs - and fairly long ones at that.
For the rest of the full review and the article, click on the link below:
Music Review: Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe - An Evening Of Yes Music Plus
Thank you.
Dr. Andrew Colyer and “MacGyver” Daniel Aggers
Indra’s Net
“Progressive Classical Music for Progressive Rock Fans ”
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