Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Anderson, Ian
Label: Zyx Music
Released: 2005
Runtime: 102:32
Rating: 4/5
Ian Anderson, the legendary one-legged, hopping flute thunderer, more or less closed the book on Jethro Tull as an active studio band after the rather needless commercial project »The Jethro Tull Christmas Album« (2003), while his solo album »Rupi’s Dance«, released the same year, earned him quite a few bonus points as a solo artist. The line between Jethro Tull and his solo career has always been razor thin and crossed more than once, and he often played his solo material at Jethro Tull shows and vice versa.
So it’s no big surprise that one fine day he decided, as part of a solo tour, to play his solo work and plenty of beloved Jethro Tull classics with the Frankfurt Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of John O’Hara, the future Tull keyboardist and accordionist. Alongside the versatile O’Hara, who watched over the German orchestra, Ian’s backing band was rounded out by bassist David Goodier, yet another future Tull member, and Ian’s son, drummer James Duncan, who doesn’t want to use his father’s surname for media-related reasons. The main difference between Jethro Tull and his solo output was always the absence of the legendary guitarist Martin Barre, who was replaced here by the young Bavarian guitar gem Florian Opahle.
Between 2004 and 2006, Ian crisscrossed most of Europe and the US on this solo tour with O’Hara and the orchestra. The end product of the collaboration was the double live album »Plays the Orchestral Jethro Tull«, which features orchestrally rearranged Tull favorites from over the years along with Ian’s solo classics. In their new outfits they come across as seriously appealing, and thanks to the lavish symphonic arrangements they don’t lose a bit of their rock punch. Opahle is an outstanding guitarist and more than a worthy ‘replacement’ for Barre, while the ‘old cats’ under Ian’s baton are, as expected, unbeatable. Ian’s voice, with the legendary musician approaching his sixtieth birthday at this point in his career, was already showing a fair few signs of wear, but still not to the extent that it gets too obvious.
On this night, multi-instrumentalist Ian played his traditional instruments, that is, flute, bamboo flute and acoustic guitar. The individual orchestral arrangements were contributed, in collaboration with Ian, by O’Hara, Elizabeth Purnell and Andrew Giddings, the long-time (and long since former) Tull keyboardist, while »Bouree« was rearranged from a template by the orchestra under the baton of David (today Dee) Palmer, yet another former Tull keyboardist.
The first disc is spiced up with rearranged versions of standards from Ian’s solo albums »Rupi’s Dance«, »The Secret Language of Birds« (2000) and »Divinities: Twelve Dances of God« (1995). Standouts include the opening »Eurology«, »In The Grip Of A Stronger Stuff« and »Boris Dancing«, an instrumental parody of the late Russian president and professional boozer Boris Yeltsin. The Tull classics, which include a couple of nice surprises like »Up The Pool«, »Wond’ring Aloud« and »Cheap Day Return«, get completely new sonic colors under the orchestral treatment, and in a good way. As tradition demands, the song intros are seasoned with Ian’s humorous patter, which keeps the mood upbeat and playful throughout.
The second disc, apart from the »The Jethro Tull Christmas Album« standards »Pavane« and »God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen«, contains four splendidly symphonic reworkings of Tull evergreens, led by decent versions of »Aqualung« and »My God« and a phenomenal take on »Budapest«, which Ian sings with real fire. The obligatory closer is »Locomotive Breath«, which in its symphonic dress loses none of its usual, expected hard rock bite.
With a little help from his son, three new pals and the Frankfurt orchestra, Ian delivers yet another eloquent piece of proof that Jethro Tull classics have always blended beautifully with orchestral arrangements. No surprise there, since their roots reached into classical music as well as blues rock, folk and jazz. You can hear throughout the recording that Ian had a blast with this orchestral project. It’s aimed first and foremost at longtime fans, because despite the undeniable quality and superior technical execution, under the baton of Ian’s protective stage charisma, it’s still far from an essential release you’d have to take with you to a desert island. »Plays the Orchestral Jethro Tull«, which was recorded on December 8, 2004 in the German city of Mannheim, also came out on DVD.
Lineup
Ian Anderson – flute, bamboo flute, acoustic guitar, vocals
James Duncan – drums, percussion
David Goodier – bass guitar, glockenspiel
John O’Hara – keyboards, accordion
Florian Opahle – electric and acoustic guitar
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Kathrin Troester – flute
Sibylle Wähnert – bassoon
Astrid Cienia – oboe
Production
Ian Anderson
Track list
CD1:
1. Eurology
2. Calliandra Shade (The Cappuccino Song)
3. Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day
4. Up the Pool
5. We Five Kings
6. Life Is a Long Song
7. In the Grip of Stronger Stuff
8. Wond’ring Aloud
9. Griminelli’s Lament
10. Cheap Day Return
11. Mother Goose
12. Bourée
13. Boris Dancing
14. Living in the Past
CD2:
1. Pavane
2. Aqualung
3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
4. My God
5. Budapest
6. Locomotive Breath
