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Due to the City Council Work Session broadcast on KMXT, tonight's show may begin later than 9 pm.
The first half of tonight's show celebrates the 45th anniversary of Patrick Moraz's first solo album, The Story of I.
After the success of Relayer, Yes next made a decision that each member would make a solo album. The Story of I is the first solo album by Patrick Moraz. By the time the album was released, Moraz was still touring with Yes but he was let go by the band in late 1976 after Rick Wakeman was booked on a session musician basis during the Going for the One recording sessions in Switzerland.
The album is based around a romantic story of a massive tower in the middle of a jungle. The tower lures people from all over the world to go inside it. Inside the tower, people are able to experience their wildest desires and fantasies. The only rule is that the people inside the tower may not fall in love with each other. However two people inside do so and decide to escape since the tower acts also as a prison which inhabitants are slaves of their own desires.
The album consists of fourteen tracks related to the story. The album, particularly the percussion section, is strongly influenced by Brazilian music. Much of the Latin percussion was recorded in Rio de Janeiro over two days in August 1975 and dubbed on to the tracks. The album uses pitch-bend controls on the synth/organ notes. The Story of I was chosen as the album of the year by Keyboard Magazine.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Allmusic's retrospective review praised the album's blending of styles, finding in the various tracks "hints of funk and marimba, Caribbean and South American styles, and even flamenco, all guided by Moraz's whirlwind keyboard playing." They also made special note of Andy Newmark's drumming and the strong variety of instruments, and concluded, "The Story of I is a refreshing twist from this progressive craftsman and can sincerely be appreciated by all audiences."[1]
If time permits we will play some tracks from 50th Anniversary - Ashes Are Burning - An Anthology Live in Concert. This release is a perfect celebration of a legendary and treasured body of music. 2019 live show featuring a set list which included songs which had never been orchestrated or performed with an orchestra before. The most memorable concert took place at the Keswick Theater in Glenside, PA on 12th October 2019. This sold-out concert saw the band perform a set which included such classics as 'Carpet Of The Sun', 'Ocean Gypsy', 'Running Hard', 'Day Of The Dreamer' and 'A Song For All Seasons' and also saw a special guest appearance by Renaissance founder JIM McCarty who performed on the song 'Island' and the epic closing piece 'Ashes Are Burning'. It was a truly magical evening. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the formation of Renaissance, vocalist Annie Haslam and band performed a series of concerts with an orchestra in the USA in October.
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