Courtesy of Jon Anderson
Courtesy of Jon AndersonJon Anderson‘s star-studded new solo album, 1000 Hands, gets released this Sunday, Mach 31, nearly 30 years after the founding Yes frontman started the project.
Anderson tells ABC Radio that he began the album in 1990 while on a ski retreat in Big Bear, California, with songwriting help from old friend and pre-Yes band mate Brian Chatton. Jon says he shelved the initial recordings because he felt what Chatton was doing was “a little bit askew to where I thought we were going.”
Twenty-six years later, Anderson says he got a call from a guy who’d initially put up some money to fund the album, and who suggested that Jon complete the project with help from a talented producer named Michael Franklin.
Anderson agreed, and he set about finishing lyrics and vocals for the songs, while Franklin took charge of the music. The producer brought in various guest musicians, many of whom Jon wanted to work with.
The result is a set of songs offering an eclectic mix of musical genres and sounds, played by an impressive lineup of artists including Yes members Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Alan White, Jethro Tull‘s Ian Anderson, Journey‘s Jonathan Cain, Rick Derringer, Carmine Appice, and jazz greats Chick Corea, Billy Cobham and Jean-Luc Ponty.
Anderson says he was especially happy to collaborate with Howe, with whom he hadn’t recorded since exiting Yes in 2008.
Jon reveals that he joined Steve in the studio to record the tune, “Now and Again,” noting that the song’s lyrics “was me explaining to him that…we’re musical brothers and it’s beautiful to sing with him again.”
You can purchase 1000 Hands at JonAnderson1000Hands.com.
Anderson launches a tour in support of the album this Friday in Lynn, Massachusetts. Here are all the confirmed dates:
3/29 — Lynn, MA, Lynn Auditorium
3/31 — Cleveland, OH, Hard Rock Rocksino
4/1 — Annapolis, MD, Maryland Creative Arts Center
4/3 — Ridgefield, CT, Ridgefield Playhouse
4/4 — Englewood, NJ, Bergen PAC
4/6 — Collingswood, NJ, Scottish Rite Auditorium
4/7 — Derry, NH, Tupelo Music Hall
4/9 — Reading, PA, Santander PAC
4/11 — St. Charles, IL, Arcada Theatre
4/12 – Waukegan, IL, Genesee Theatre
4/14 — Munhall, PA, Carnegie of Holmstead Music Hall
4/15 — Wilkes Barre, PA, FM Kirby Center
4/19 — Milwaukee, WI, Marcus Center for the Arts
4/20 — St. Paul, MN, The Fitzgerald Theater
4/23 — Tucson, AZ, The Fox Theater
4/24 — San Diego, CA, Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
4/26 — Los Angeles, CA, Saban Theatre
4/27 — Las Vegas, NV, Cannery Casino
4/30 — Phoenix, AZ, The Van Buren
5/6 — Nashville, TN, Ryman Auditorium
5/8 — Clearwater, FL, Capitol Theatre
5/10 — Orlando, FL, Dr. Phillips Center Fundraiser
5/11 — Biloxi, MS, Beau Rivage Casino
5/12 — Arlington, TX, KAABOO Texas
8/8 — Detroit, MI, Rockin’ on the Riverfront
And here’s the 1000 Hands track list:
“Now”
“Ramalama”
“First Born Leaders”
“Activate”
“Makes Me Happy”
“Now Variations”
“I Found Myself”
“Twice in a Lifetime”
“WDMCF”
“Come Up”
“Now and Again”
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