IAN ANDERSON E RICK WAKEMAN, MICA COTICHE

THANKS TO ALIEN

The Living Tree is basically Jon Anderson singing gently about things of life and light with Wakeman’s soothing piano in the background. There is actually very little guitar and no percussion, so the songs have more of a flowing feel to them. While the album is very peaceful, it is by no means boring or wandering. There is nothing musically challenging or tedious about it, and it makes for a refreshing listen. The lyrics, along with the music, succeed at being calm but always moving forward and not feeling repetitive. Really a great album to pick up, especially for fans of Jon.

For people who have long admired the angelic singing voice and celestial talents of Yes’s Jon Anderson, they are well aware that throughout Jon’s creative career as a prolific solo artist, his ongoing collaborations with many esteemed artists, and with Yes, he has always held a deep reverence, both professionally, and personally, for nature and our planet, and their spiritual connection to us.

After being hospitalized and sidelined in 2008 with acute respiratory failure, Jon is now in excellent health, enthusiastic spirits, and has just released a new album with Yes keyboardist, Rick Wakeman, The Living Tree. The album embraces Jon’s own spiritual connection to “The Garden” as he lovingly calls it, and its uplifting and healing powers that helped guide Jon through that difficult time to once again be well, full of light and artistry, singing, writing, and performing music.

The Living Tree is an exuberant and sparkling creative collaboration between Jon and his lifelong friend Rick. It’s also their first album that they’ve created together, aside from their many albums and tours with Yes and their two albums with Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, and Howe. Jon and Rick wrote and recorded the entire album over the Internet, with the two emailing music and vocal parts back and forth to one another from their prospective homes in the USA and England, to craft this radiant collection of inspirational songs.

Now, Jon and Rick are bringing The Living Tree to the concert stage with an intimate show and UK Tour, billed as the “Anderson/Wakeman Project 360”, from October 9, through November 15, 2010, where the two artists share their many mutual musical gifts, delightfully witty repartee and jokes, and great bond of friendship. Jon will then return to the U.S. to enjoy the holidays with home, hearth and family.

Then Jon will tour the USA and Canada from December 1, 2010 through May 21, 2011 on his own, in an “An Acoustic Evening With Jon Anderson.” Both tours will find Anderson lyrically strumming his acoustic guitar, while beautifully singing both the “Wonderous Stories” of classic songs from Yes and new songs from The Living Tree, while he regales audiences with his fond storytelling and artistic reflections.

Yes’s Jon Anderson took time from his busy tour schedule of the UK with Rick Wakeman, to share his thoughts on his and Rick’s creative process on The Living Tree, their tour together, and his always inspiring light and positivity.