Ian Anderson - An Afternoon In Philly (2022)

STUNNING IN HOUSE SESSIONS FROM IAN ANDERSON WHILE ON THE DIVINITIES TOUR Best known, of course, for his work as lead vocalist, flautist, acoustic guitarist and leader of Jethro Tull, Ian Anderson is a multi-instrumentalist who, in addition to flute and acoustic guitar, plays keyboards, electric guitar, bass, bouzouki, balalaika, saxophone, harmonica and a variety of whistles. His solo work began with the 1983 album Walk into Light; since when he has released another five works, including the sequel to the Jethro Tull album Thick as a Brick (1972) in 2012, titled Thick as a Brick 2. Anderson was planning to start a solo career in 1980, while Jethro Tull was taking a break following the death of bassist John Glascock in 1979, and wrote the album A as a solo record.

But Tull’s Martin Barre ended up participating, and Dave Pegg played bass. Record company pressure forced the record to be released under the Jethro Tull name. His first official solo album was Walk into Light, in 1983 therefore, on which new Tull member Peter-John Vettese played an important role in the electronic direction of the music. In 1995, Anderson released his second solo album, Divinities: Twelve Dances with God, an instrumental work composed of twelve flute-heavy pieces pursuing varied themes with an underlying motif. The album was recorded with Jethro Tull keyboard player Andrew Giddings and orchestral musicians. While promoting the new record, Ian and band began playing the album live by the middle of May ’95, firstly across Europe, concluding the leg at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire on 25th May. The group then decamped to North America, where they fulfilled a busy schedule, playing 17 shows across the USA in as many days. On 6th June, Anderson and group had probably their busiest day of all on the Divinities tour. Not only did they perform a marvellous show in the evening at The Tower Theatre in Upper Derby, Philadelphia, but during the afternoon of the same day, the guys attended Philly FM stations WMMR and WXPN where they both chatted and played live in the respective studios for live FM transmission across the state. Performing completely unplugged, the band played both cuts from the new record and a number of Tull classics, and with the full interview segments included too, this new CD contains both sessions in full here for the first time.

Tracklist
1. WMMR-FM Interview (Part 1) (1:54)
2. Life Is A Long Song (3:27)
3. WMMR-FM Interview (Part 2) (10:59)
4. In Sight Of The Minaret (3:53)
5. WMMR-FM Interview (Part 3) (3:33)
6. Cheap Day Return (1:23)
7. Wond'ring Aloud (1:50)
8. WMMR-FM Interview (Part 4) (8:08)
9. In The Grip Of Stronger Stuff (2:46)
10. WMMR-FM Interview (Part 5) (0:57)
11. Aqualung (7:43)
12. WXPN Intro/Jack-In-The-Green (4:44)
13. WXPN Interview (Part 1) (1:32)
14. In Sight Of The Minaret (3:54)
15. WXPN Interview (Part 2) (2:40)
16. In The Moneylender's Temple (3:21)
17. WXPN Interview (Part 3) (3:28)
18. Cheap Day Return (1:23)
19. Wond'ring Aloud (1:52)
20. Dun Ringill (3:00)
21. WXPN Interview (Part 4) (2:59)
22. Jack-In-The-Green (2:33)
23. WXPN Interview (Part 5) (2:02)