YesKit Part 4 – Jon Anderson Edition – 697
Update: 2025-11-14
Description
Produced by Joseph Cottrell, Wayne Hall, Ken Fuller and Jeffrey Crecelius
The Dark Days Of Yesterday - Projekt Gemineye - the new album by our own Mark Anthony K!
Mark says: "This is the 10th studio album! Wow…if you would have told me that id release 10 albums..I'm not sure if I would believe it.This is a rather personal album for me….lyrically speaking. Its talks about some of the darker times in my life….i dont get too specific about things..not only because they are difficult memories…but also so that they can be relatable other people as well.Musically and production wise.. I'm very pleased with it and i hope you enjoy it as well."
https://projektgemineye.bandcamp.com/album/the-dark-days-of-yesterday
From a tiny idea I had about Jon Anderson’s use of instruments live with Yes, Mark and I managed to bang on for ages again this week. Hopefully, you will find the discussion as interesting as we did, particularly as I noticed some definite links between the band’s sonic changes over the decades, Jon’s development as a musician and the instruments he used.
In order to create some kind of helpful structure to the conversation, I managed to find the earliest examples of each kind of instrument Jon uses live in the photos on the amazing Forgotten Yesterdays website and I have embedded them into the show notes here - do take a look at those and add a comment if you can think of any other Yeskit Jon used live with the band - or add a comment even if you can’t.
What are all the instruments Jon used live with Yes?
When did he start playing tuned instruments?
What can we glean about the band amd about Jon from his choice of instruments?
See if you agree with us and then leave a comment below.
All images from the wonderful Forgotten Yesterdays website:
Screen capture from video 1969 Wiesbaden DE - Tambourine
Screen capture from video11/23/1969 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre FR - Tambourine with skin
11/26/1969 Basel CHBenito De Juan Dolio - Claves
1971 Photo by Michael Putland - Dewtron Mr Bassman pedals
Jill Furmanovsky 1971 - Cowbell
07/31/1971 London UK. Geoffrey Mason - Maracas
02/14/1974 Uniondale NYPhoto by RDZK - The ‘bus stop’ percussion kit for Ritual
02/10/1974 Columbia SC - Benito De Juan Dolio - Acoustic guitar
05/10/1975 London UK Sound ChaserDaniel Potvin - Flute (or is it a piccolo?)
05/17/1975 Stoke UK Photo by Dick Barnatt - Electric guitar
06/18/1976 Boston MA Photo by Barry Rogoff - Large harp
08/20/1977 Buffalo NY Steve Wehner - 10-string Cuatro
06/18/1984 Berlin DE Thomas Holland-Cunz - Small keyboard
03/04/1996 San Luis Obispo CALaurel Renz - Small harp
03/03/1998 Bournemouth UKCengiz Varlik - Newer version of the ‘bus stop’
09/18/1999 San Pedro CR Carlos Chacón Cambronero - Keyboard
12/01/1999 Pittsburgh PABrian King - Percussion 'sticks'
08/18/2001 Atlanta GARick Glover -Martin Backpacker modified MIDI controller
https://youtu.be/nx_GIji9EGw?si=7zsLEiDq0YiD6Puc
Barry Plummer 2026 Calendar is now available!
ORDER HERE
YMP Listener discount code - KVKBKC8Z
Enrich your Prog year with iconic images of Yes in the 1970s, taken by the legendary rock photographer, Barry Plummer.
Enjoy 12 beautiful colour and black and white photographs of Yes in the studio and live, capturing the essence of the world’s greatest progressive rock band. With this limited-edition calendar on your wall throughout 2026, you’ll agree that Barry Plummer is, indeed, the Master of Images!
(A flat shipping fee will be added at checkout depending on your location.)
ORDER HERE
Yes - The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans - Yes Album Listening Guide
Available now!
YesMusicBooks.com
YMP Patrons:
Producers:
Joseph Cottrell
Wayne Hall
Ken Fuller
Jeffrey Crecelius
Patrons:
Aaron SteelmanLindAl Dell'AngeloLobate ScarpBarry GorskyMark BaggsBill WhittakerMark ...
The Dark Days Of Yesterday - Projekt Gemineye - the new album by our own Mark Anthony K!
Mark says: "This is the 10th studio album! Wow…if you would have told me that id release 10 albums..I'm not sure if I would believe it.This is a rather personal album for me….lyrically speaking. Its talks about some of the darker times in my life….i dont get too specific about things..not only because they are difficult memories…but also so that they can be relatable other people as well.Musically and production wise.. I'm very pleased with it and i hope you enjoy it as well."
https://projektgemineye.bandcamp.com/album/the-dark-days-of-yesterday
From a tiny idea I had about Jon Anderson’s use of instruments live with Yes, Mark and I managed to bang on for ages again this week. Hopefully, you will find the discussion as interesting as we did, particularly as I noticed some definite links between the band’s sonic changes over the decades, Jon’s development as a musician and the instruments he used.
In order to create some kind of helpful structure to the conversation, I managed to find the earliest examples of each kind of instrument Jon uses live in the photos on the amazing Forgotten Yesterdays website and I have embedded them into the show notes here - do take a look at those and add a comment if you can think of any other Yeskit Jon used live with the band - or add a comment even if you can’t.
What are all the instruments Jon used live with Yes?
When did he start playing tuned instruments?
What can we glean about the band amd about Jon from his choice of instruments?
See if you agree with us and then leave a comment below.
All images from the wonderful Forgotten Yesterdays website:
Screen capture from video 1969 Wiesbaden DE - Tambourine
Screen capture from video11/23/1969 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre FR - Tambourine with skin
11/26/1969 Basel CHBenito De Juan Dolio - Claves
1971 Photo by Michael Putland - Dewtron Mr Bassman pedals
Jill Furmanovsky 1971 - Cowbell
07/31/1971 London UK. Geoffrey Mason - Maracas
02/14/1974 Uniondale NYPhoto by RDZK - The ‘bus stop’ percussion kit for Ritual
02/10/1974 Columbia SC - Benito De Juan Dolio - Acoustic guitar
05/10/1975 London UK Sound ChaserDaniel Potvin - Flute (or is it a piccolo?)
05/17/1975 Stoke UK Photo by Dick Barnatt - Electric guitar
06/18/1976 Boston MA Photo by Barry Rogoff - Large harp
08/20/1977 Buffalo NY Steve Wehner - 10-string Cuatro
06/18/1984 Berlin DE Thomas Holland-Cunz - Small keyboard
03/04/1996 San Luis Obispo CALaurel Renz - Small harp
03/03/1998 Bournemouth UKCengiz Varlik - Newer version of the ‘bus stop’
09/18/1999 San Pedro CR Carlos Chacón Cambronero - Keyboard
12/01/1999 Pittsburgh PABrian King - Percussion 'sticks'
08/18/2001 Atlanta GARick Glover -Martin Backpacker modified MIDI controller
https://youtu.be/nx_GIji9EGw?si=7zsLEiDq0YiD6Puc
Barry Plummer 2026 Calendar is now available!
ORDER HERE
YMP Listener discount code - KVKBKC8Z
Enrich your Prog year with iconic images of Yes in the 1970s, taken by the legendary rock photographer, Barry Plummer.
Enjoy 12 beautiful colour and black and white photographs of Yes in the studio and live, capturing the essence of the world’s greatest progressive rock band. With this limited-edition calendar on your wall throughout 2026, you’ll agree that Barry Plummer is, indeed, the Master of Images!
(A flat shipping fee will be added at checkout depending on your location.)
ORDER HERE
Yes - The Tormato Story & Tales from Topographic Oceans - Yes Album Listening Guide
Available now!
YesMusicBooks.com
YMP Patrons:
Producers:
Joseph Cottrell
Wayne Hall
Ken Fuller
Jeffrey Crecelius
Patrons:
Aaron SteelmanLindAl Dell'AngeloLobate ScarpBarry GorskyMark BaggsBill WhittakerMark ...
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