Since being shown the door by Yes in 2008, Jon Anderson has elevated himself to an astonishing level of progressive music practitioner. If his random solo epics or collaborations with Jean-Luc Ponty and Roine Stolt weren’t adventurous and creative enough, 1000 Hands will surely convince anyone with ears and a modicum of taste that the original singer of Yes is defying age and circumstance with a remarkably inspiring and uplifting piece of work.
The origins of 1000 Hands go back to the 1990s when Anderson was still in Yes. In fact, the first recordings were done with Yes bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White. When the singer was enticed to complete the work, he and his producer Michael Franklin enlisted a number of A-listers to help out, including Jean-Luc Ponty, Ian Anderson, Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, Pat Travers, Steve Morse, Rick Derringer, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman, Larry Coryell, Tower of Power’s horn section, and another former Yes bandmate, guitarist Steve Howe. Given the breadth of musicianship and Anderson’s own high standards of excellence, 1000 Hands is nothing short of a prog and fusion lover’s wet dream, and one of the best albums of “new” music to come out from anyone associated with Yes in the last 30 years.
A subtle acoustic sweep of “Now” pulls you in before “Ramalama” crystallizes into a melodic mantra immersed in Anderson’s unique vocalizations. “First Born Leaders” has Squire and White providing the rhythm on what is more or less an islander’s romp. Fortunately, these aren’t the only appearances from these two. In the meantime, “Activate” swishes around Ian Anderson’s masterful flute work, while acoustic guitars, piano and orchestration rise and fall to the definitive phrase of “That’s the way it’s got to be.” And so it is.
Amidst the sheer musicality of 1000 Hands, strings, horns and numerous voices ring clear and loud throughout. “Now Variations” is Jon Anderson’s beatific answer to “Eleanor Rigby,” and “I Found Myself” swims in a chasm of grace and divinity. Opening with an elegant mix of violin, acoustic guitar and accordion, “Twice In A Lifetime” could be one of the singer’s most romantic songs. With love as a prevailing theme, it all comes bubbling to a froth when Corea, Ponty, Cobham, Coryell, Stu Hamm and Journey’s Jonathan Cain add a smooth, jazzy soundtrack to “Come Up.” Corea’s piano runs alone polish and shine the angular flourishes and Anderson’s effervescent lyrics.
The album’s closer, “Now And Again,” is an extended reprise of the album’s opener, with Steve Howe on acoustic guitar opposite Jon Anderson — something many Yes fans thought would never happen again. The lyrics seemingly address the reunion: “Never forget that we are friends,” Anderson sings, “never forget here I am singing as you play…” Over the years, the songs of Yes have transcended the collective. On 1000 Hands, the songs and the collective seamlessly meld into one. Jon Anderson is the ringmaster, assured in his vision, steadfast in bringing the music to fruition. It’s the same aesthetic he brought to Yes, making them one of the most enduring bands in rock.
~ Shawn Perry
