Last year, Jon Anderson and Jean Luc Ponty put up a Kickstarter campaign to help them finance their first album as the AndersonPonty Band.
The two legends took up residence at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, CO last September to perfect their new music and performed their debut concert on September 20, 2014. That concert is the basis for their first album, Better Late Than Never.
The AndersonPonty Band has created some breathtaking new musical compositions. Better Late Than Never also showcases rearrangements of classic Yes hits like Owner Of A Lonely Heart, Roundabout and Wonderous Stories, as well as some of Jean Luc Ponty’s beloved compositions, with Jon’s lyrical vocals and melodies enhancing the music and creating a very special and unique sound such as Infinite Mirage, a new song incorporating Jean Luc’s classic tune Mirage.
Yes’ original singer/songwriter for 35 years, Jon Anderson has had a successful solo career, which includes working with such notable music artists as Vangelis, Kitaro, and Milton Nascimento. International violin superstar Jean Luc Ponty is a pioneer and undisputed master of his instrument in the arena of jazz and rock. He is widely regarded as an innovator who has applied his unique visionary spin that has expanded the vocabulary of modern music. Together these two music legends have formed a musical synergy that is unparalleled!
Anderson said “A breakthrough feeling came as I sang with Jean Luc’s music, to be in a band again is very exciting on many levels, we will play and sing our way around the world and have fun, for music is pleasure, music is all that is.”
Ponty added “Collaborating with Jon who is such a creative singer/songwriter is unlike any project I have done before. I knew that we had plenty of musical affinities to make it work, but the result is way beyond my expectations. It is also a lot of fun to reunite with these excellent musicians who played with me in the past, they really put their heart in this project and with Jon’s creative input we are not just rehashing the past but giving a new life to the music we started developing decades ago.”
The AndersonPonty Band also includes Jamie Glaser, well known guitarist who has worked with Ponty, Chick Corea, Bryan Adams and Lenny White; Wally Minko, virtuoso keyboard player and composer who has performed and recorded with many worldwide stars including Pink, Toni Braxton, Ponty, Tom Jones, Gregg Rolie and Barry Manilow; Baron Browne on bass who has played with Steve Smith, Billy Cobham and Ponty; and Rayford Griffin on drums and percussion, who has played with Stanley Clarke Band, George Duke, Ponty and Michael Jackson. The band visit the music created by Jon Anderson and Jean Luc Ponty over the years with new arrangements, virtuosic performances and new energy.
Jean Luc Ponty was originally approached by Jon Anderson with the idea of working together as far back as the 1980’s. Now 30 years later the dream has finally come to fruition! In support of the new release, a world tour is currently in the works. Also, a videography documenting the making of the Better Late Than Never album will be released along with videos and performances.
Tour dates:
10/27 – Philadelphia – Keswick Theater
10/29 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie
10/30 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse
11/01 – Pittsurgh – Carnegie Theater
11/03 – Chicago – Arcada Theater
11/04 – Milwaukee – Milwaukee PAC
11/06 – Detroit – Detroit Music Hall
11/07 – Toronto – Danforth Music Hall
11/10 – Washington, DC – Howard Theater
11/11 – Long Island – Paramount Theater
11/13 – NYC – Ethical Culture
11/14 – Boston – Berklee Performance Center
11/17 – San Francisco – Regency
11/18 – Sacramento – Crest Theater
11/20 – Los Angeles – Saban Theater
11/21 – Scottsdale – Talking Stick
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