Towards the end of the Eighties the four above mentioned former members of Yes had reunited to record some new music and then undergo a tour to support it. Now as Yes fans will know this was a turbulent time for Yes, and these four were forbidden to use the band name of Yes. So the album was a self titled release under the unwieldy name of Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe, more conveniently shortened and referred to as ABWH, which is a great help if you writing about this band I can tell you 😉 …
Their self titled album was originally issued on Arista Records in 1989 and became very popular, they followed this with a world tour which was highly successful and it is from this tour that this release is taken. It was originally released in 1993 as a double album also an album/video box set, which I had bought for me as a present at the time. A performance on the 9th September 1989 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California was chosen and it was captured on video and sound for this said release. The set as listed below features many classic Yes songs alongside live renditions of material from ABWH’s self titled album.
This set is another great release from those people at Cherry Red, it features a remastered and expanded edition with the entire concert on two CD’s along with the full concert video on a region free DVD. They have also included a bonus DVD called In the Big Dream which features promotional videos and interviews. This expanded release contains two extra tracks, I’ve Seen All Good People and Starship Trooper over the original release, oddly Starship Trooper is not listed on the video recording on the DVD. Unfortunately I have not had access to the DVD concert in my review copy, but being on the DVD format I am sure that despite the Eighties fashion choices the picture and sound quality is much improved from the video copy I have.
A fine job has been done with the remaster, sounding clearer and sharper than the original release, I mean we all know what those 80’s/ early 90’s CD releases sounded like, particularly if you are an audiophile. Thee songs from their debut album sit along the classic Yes songs comfortably demonstrating that they were an integral parts of the Yes song-writing machine.
Disc one opens with a classical piece by Benjamin Britten and then we get a medley of Time And A Word / Owner Of A Lonely Heart / Teakbois which feature Jon’s vocal skills. This is followed by Steve Howe’s showcase of The Clap / Mood For A Day and then a Rick Wakeman medley which includes Catherine Parr / Merlin The Magician. Maybe an odd way to open a concert but it works as they then throw themselves into Long Distance Runaround. Following this with one of their new songs Birthright, then going on to provide two further Yes classics to end the disc.
Disc two starts with an excellent version of Close To The Edge and closing out with Starship Trooper. In between these two Yes songs are three songs taken from their ABWH album and two more Yes tracks. The concert demonstrates that they were Yes in all but name, putting energy and enthusiasm into all the songs they played. With the support of three additional musicians to fill out the sound it all makes for a great listen. Mention must be made for Jeff Berlin’s bass work who does an admirable job, as you may be aware that bass was handled by Tony Levin on the ABWH album, but he was unavailable for this tour.
If you want an album of the finest played Yes tracks alongside newer tracks from ABWH this could be the one for you, a demonstration of four Yes musician probably at the peak of their musical skills. Overall this is another excellent release by Cherry Red Records, and this boxset would sit well within the Yes discography (if allowed). After this, and rather than follow up their debut album, ABWH would join with other Yes musicians for the ‘Union’ era.
TRACK LISTING
CD1
01. Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra (1:39)
02. Time and a Word / Owner Of A Lonely Heart / Teakbois (7:32)
03. The Clap/Mood For A Day (9:34)
04. Gone But Not Forgotten / Catherine Parr / Merlin The Magician (5:37)
05. Long Distance Runaround (7:10)
06. Birthright (7:13)
07. And You And I (9:37)
08. I’ve Seen All Good People (9:13)
CD2
01. Close To The Edge (19:47)
02. Themes – Sound, Second Attention, Soul Warrior (6:36)
03. Long Lost Brother Of Mine (10:58)
04. Heart Of The Sunrise (11:04)
05. Order Of The Universe – Order Theme, Rock Gives Courage It’s Hard To Grow The Universe (9:17)
06. Roundabout (8:38)
07. Starship Trooper (12:47)
Total Time – 130:00
DVD1
An Evening Of Yes Music Plus
01. Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
02. Time And A Word / Owner Of A Lonely Heart / Teakbois
03. The Clap / Mood For A Day
04. Gone But Not Forgotten/Catherine Parr/Merlin The Magician
05. Long Distance Runaround
06. Birthright
07. And You And I
08. I’ve Seen All Good People
09. Close To The Edge
10. Themes – Sound, Second Attention, Soul Warrior
11. Long Lost Brother Of Mine
12. Heart Of The Sunrise
13. Order Of The Universe – Order Theme, Rock Gives Courage It’s Hard To Grow The Universe
14. Roundabout
DVD2
In The Big Dream
01. Brother Of Mine – The Big Dream, Nothing Can Come Between Us, Long Lost Brother of Mine
02. Order Of The Universe – Order Theme, Rock Gives Us Courage It’s So hard To Grow The Universe
03. Quartet (I’m Alive)
04. Heart Of The Sunrise (Live)
MUSICIANS
Jon Anderson – Vocals
Bill Bruford – Acoustic & Electronic Drums
Rick Wakeman – Keyboards
Steve Howe – Guitars
~ With:
Jeff Berlin – Bass
Julian Colbeck – Keyboards
Milton McDonald – Guitar
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Cherry Red Records | Esoteric Recordings
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 31st January 2025
LINKS
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe – Info at Cherry Red Records
Jon Anderson – Website | Facebook | Instagram
Bill Bruford – Website | Facebook
Rick Wakeman – Website | Facebook
Steve Howe – Website | Facebook