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| 1979 Boffomundo Show with Ron Curtiss & Aaron Weiner |
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| Welcome to Boffomundo Music Greetings and salutations from Ron Curtiss, owner and operator of Boffomundo Music. We feature a unique inventory of 50s jazz, Beatles, 60s and 70s rock, European progressive rock, 80s UK post-punk, US New Wave, classical, soundtracks and more. Links are here to Boffomundo Amazon Store for US sales and Boffomundo GEMM Store for US/International sales. Note that the GEMM site has many more items than Amazon, most of them rare vinyl, so pay them a visit! We also produced a series of cable music shows between 1979-92, seen here on YouTube. These shows featured interviews with King Crimson members: Robert Fripp (see below), John Wetton, Adrian Belew and Bill Bruford, plus Phil Collins & John Goodsall from Brand X, guitarists extraordinaire Al Di Meola, and Larry Carlton, PFM vocalist Bernardo Lanzetti, the late keyboard wizard, Fumio Miyashta and Genesis biographer and photojournalist Armando Gallo. Check out my Boffoblog below -for news, updates and perspectives on the world of progressive rock. Please click on the music link below to hear the title track from Infinity Machine from the brilliant German fusion band Passport. "Eternal Spiral" is a great example of the unique music available from Boffomundo. |
| YES WE CAN! **** First of all, Fly From Here is the most consistently satisfying album with a Yes title since Drama and that includes both Going For The One and Tormato. After the first Jon Anderson/Rick Wakeman defection in 1980, I was on board with the Buggles version of Yes with Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes. I though that their involvement added a freshness and vitality to a then-aging progrock masters. Buggles to the rescue in 2011? The Word Is Yes... Fly From Here is produced like a fine swiss watch, it's tunes fresh, melodic and energized. It's sounds like Yes. These are men in their 60's (except singer Benoit David) and have something to prove; that they can provide their fans with a modern approach to Yes music that doesn't compromise it's essence. The last record, 2001’s Magnification with orchestra, was stale, had a lousy cover, few memorable melodies, was overproduced and sold poorly. As I stated, this is first completely successful Yes album with proper Roger Dean graphics since 1980, included all work with Trevor Rabin. As the man in the spotlight, David has a strong, angelic voice in the Anderson mold, but is more than his own man. Finally given chance to get out from Anderson’s shadow, David is more impressive and is given more album time than you might have expected. Fellow Buggle and Asia founder, Geoff Downes (brought in for writing and a return to the 1980 sound) never pretended to be Rick Wakeman and his more atmospheric keyboard textures work beautifully. The "Fly From Here" suite builds upon the 1980 Yes track (never recorded, but performed live, appearing on the live Yes set, The Word Is Live) re-imagined and blended for modern times with the addition of well crafted tunes designed to compliment the main theme. Beginning with an overture, flowing into the re-tooled 1980 track “We Can Fly” then branching out from the theme with "Sad Night At The Airfield" & "Madman At The Screens" followed by guitarist Steve Howe’s quirky piece of prog, "Bumpy Ride" culminating in a reprise of the theme. Very impressive indeed. FFH is in the form of a proper classical symphony rather than the stream of consciousness arrangements of Close To The Edge, Tales From Topographic Oceans or Relayer, but the suite is a worthy addition to the Yes canon. Four of the five remaining tracks were recorded before the Buggle boys re-involvement: Chris Squire's "The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be", while the most commercial track on FFH, is very honest and is preferable to Squire’s “Onward” from 1978's Tormato. Chris' bass playing throughout the album is his best in years and is finally upfront in the mix. "Life on a Film Set" is another Buggles demo that would have been at home on Drama. Steve Howe's "Hour of Need" is a folk-rock gem featuring rich vocals from Steve and Benoit and a neat little moog solo courtesy from Oliver Wakeman, replaced during the recording of FFH, sounding not unlike dear old dad Rick. An unedited longer version of the track appears only on the Japanese CD release. It features an extended instrumental workout inspired by Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with strong riffing from Steve and is Alan White’s strongest contribution to the whole set! It does feel a bit out of place, but it rocks and should have made the final cut. It is well worth your time to locate this version. Howe's solo guitar piece "Solitaire" is a cross between “Clap” and “Mood For A Day” and is a fine addition to Steve’s acoustic catalog. The final track, "Into The Storm" rocks much like the unedited “Hour of Need” and is closest in sound to late 70’s Yes. It features lyrics by Squire and there is little doubt it is addressed to Jon Anderson, echoing John Lennon’s “How Do You Sleep” ode Paul. Certainly animosity exists between the two founders starting with Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe in 1988 and the use of the Yes name, which Squire “owns”. Since ’06, Jon puts on great one- man shows, is a bit frail looking but seemingly still hippy-dippy happy at 66 years following his health issues. He insists he was “fired” from Yes, but from what I have read, the other guys did not care much for his musical offerings for an album in 2006 and were unwilling to limit their touring. Rick Wakeman is a now a TV personality in Britain, has quit Yes on five separate occasions, says that Yes is now a “tribute band” and is “looking forward” recording with Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin. Actions speak louder than words. The history of Yes is a “drama” all its own with over a dozen personnel changes since 1968. As in 1980, the core three of Squire, Howe and White were intent to carry on, resurrecting the Drama lineup plus one and producing a second great album without Anderson/Wakeman, 30 years later. They carry on the Yes tradition with dignity and taste and I salute them for it. Buy this record! |
