Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe: An Evening of Yes Music Plus

Filmed September 9, 1989 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe features the near-classic Yes lineup of singer Jon Anderson, guitarist Steve Howe, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Bill Bruford, with Jeff Berlin filling in for the absent Chris Squire on bass. Promoting their 1989 CD release Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, this two-hour-plus concert opens with the strains of “Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra,” after which three of the band members take solo turns: Anderson (“Time and a Word” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart”), Howe (“The Clap” and “Mood for a Day”), and Wakeman (“Catherine Parr” and “Merlin the Magician”), before kicking into “Long Distance Runaround” (which concludes with a blistering Bruford drum solo). For fans, this 16-track set will be prog rock manna from heaven, as the beatific Anderson, nimble-fingered Howe, literally-surrounded-by-keyboards Wakeman, and brilliant percussionist Bruford serve up such timeless Yes tunes as “And You and I,” “I've Seen All Good People,” “Heart of the Sunrise,” “Roundabout,” and “Starship Trooper,” as well as a stunning full-length rendition of “Close to the Edge.” Interwoven throughout are a handful of then-current tunes, most of which still stand the test of time, including the hit “Brother of Mine” and “Order of the Universe.” Not as spiffy-looking or as aurally rich (the sound is Dolby Digital stereo) as Yes 35th Anniversary Concert: Songs from Tsongas (VL-11/05) or Yes Symphonic Live (VL-9/02), this is nevertheless sure to appeal to Yes fans. Recommended. [Note: Bill Bruford's Earthworks Video Anthology 1 and 2, featuring Bruford with his jazz quartet, are also newly available, priced at $38.99 each.] Aud: P. (R. Pitman)