Yes – In Colours Of Jade (Virtuoso 093/094)

In Colours Of Jade (Virtuoso 093/094)

Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA – May 26th, 1979

Disc 1 (67:25):  Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Siberian Khatru, Heart Of The Sunrise, Future Times / Rejoice, Circus Of Heaven, Time And A Word / Long Distance Runaround / The Fish / Survival / Perpetual Change / Soon

Disc 2 (71:49):  Clap, And You And I, Starship Trooper, Rick Wakeman solo, Awaken, Tour Song, I’ve Seen All Good People, Roundabout

Yes’ Ten True Summers tour was booked almost exclusively to record for a planned live album.  Tormato had already been thoroughly promoted the previous year and only two songs remained in the set from their latest effort.  (“Arriving U.F.O.” would appear in a few shows in the final week). 

It began on the west coast in Fresno on May 24th.  Following Fresno Yes played two nights in Long Beach, and In Colours Of Jade captures the second night utilizing an excellent audience recording.  It’s very detailed and clear with nice definition in the individual instruments.  The bass and lower frequencies nicely compliment the upper register.  It’s loud without distorting the recording and creates a heavy atmosphere to the show.  There is a cut eight seconds in to “I’ve Seen All Good People,” but otherwise it is complete.

Yes replaced the “Firebird Suite” introduction with two intros:  an except from Benjamin Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra” and a bit from the score to “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind” written by John Williams.

“Siberian Khatru” and “Heart Of The Sunrise” open the show, the same dark opening from the Yessongs triple live LP from six years before.

“Saturday night southern California” Jon Anderson says before they continue with a lively version of “Future Times / Rejoice,” followed by a song “for the imagination,” “Circus Of Heaven.”  The half hour long big medley is a conscious nod to their history, hitting upon all of the previous incarnations of the band including Relayer. 

Anderson next introduces the “fast and furious fingers of Steve Howe.”  Howe plays “Clap” with an interlude of “Surface Tension” from The Steve Howe Album which had just hit the record store shelves.  Devastating versions of “And You And I” and “Starship Trooper” continue the show.  The latter sounds curiously dated in this recording, sounding like an old relic resurrected for the night. 

Rick Wakeman’s solo includes excerpts from The Six Wives Of Henry VIII and ends with a rare quote from Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue.”  The ends with “Awaken,” the only song in the set from their previous album Going For The One.  Wakeman favors very deep, heavy tones on the keyboards lending a strange tone to the piece.

The encores begin with the “Tour Song” which has the same melody as other stops but with lyrics specific to partying in Long Beach on a Saturday night.  “Roundabout” is introduced as “The Long Beach Boogie,” ending the evening.  

Lighthouse have been releasing their Yes titles of late on CDR labels such as Amity.  It’s surprising to see them release two Yes silvers at this time.  Their choice of tapes is erratic.  In Colours Of Jade is a very good release worth having while Master Degree, released at the same time, is not.  Yes were a hot band several years ago and had many great silver pressed titles released, but those days are past.