Anderson/Stolt

A joint recording venture called Anderson/Stolt united former Yes vocalist and songwriter Jon Anderson with Flower Kings and Transatlantic guitarist and composer Roine Stolt. Inside Out Music chief Thomas Waber originated the effort aboard the 2014 Progressive Nation at Sea Cruise, an event that featured performances by both Stolt’s Transatlantic and Anderson’s band. Long insistent about persuading the singer to craft another collection of Yes-style music, Waber succeeded in bringing the two principals together. Their exchanges continued through exchanged ideas until formal studio dates were arranged. Stolt recruited players drawn from his close circle, among them his brother Michael and Jonas Reingold on basses, keyboardist Lalle Larsson, drummer Felix Lehrmann, and a five-voice chorus that included multi-instrumentalist Daniel Gildenlöw. Anderson chose Tom Brislin, veteran of the Symphonic Music of Yes tour of 2000-2001. Sessions extended across a year and a half under the co-production of the two lead artists. Invention of Knowledge, built from three suites and one extended standalone piece, fused the approach of 1970s-vintage Yes with third-wave prog fusion and contemporary recording tools and production techniques. The album appeared in June of 2016 and met nearly universal critical acclaim.