Page of Life (Remastered by Vangelis) - Jon & Vangelis

[realprog]

Just spotted details of this remaster (due out Monday in the UK). Not sure about 'classic'. My own fave Jon & Vangelis album is Private Collection.

http://www.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=4411

· NEWLY REMASTERED DEFINITIVE EDITION OF THE CLASSIC 1991 JON & VANGELIS ALBUM

· REMASTERING SUPERVISED BY VANGELIS

· FEATURING THE RARE & SOUGHT AFTER BONUS TRACK "SING WITH YOUR EYES”

· BOOKLET WITH FULLY RESTORED ARTWORK & LINER NOTES

Esoteric Recordings are proud to announce the release of newly remastered and sonically enhanced editions of the albums recorded for the RCA and ARISTA labels by VANGELIS. All of these reissues come in deluxe digi-pack designs, with new masters personally supervised by VANGELIS.

"PAGE OF LIFE” was released by ARISTA Records in October 1991 and was the last of the JON & VANGELIS albums. Recorded in Athens and Rome, the album was wonderful collection of songs and instrumental work, blending perfectly the instrumental genius of VANGELIS and the lyrical and vocal majesty of JON ANDERSON.

This Esoteric Recordings release (undertaken with the full approval and supervision of VANGELIS himself) features a rare and sought after bonus track, "Sing with Your Eyes”, released only as part of the highly limited and promotional "Wisdom Chain” CD single in 1991. It also includes a booklet that restores the original album artwork.

Available 25th November 2013
Our Price: £10.95
Code: ECLEC2426
Weight: 200

[Esoteric]

we have 5 of the Sony Vangelis titles too as well as Page of Life all out on Monday. All remastered by Vangelis for us with Phil Smee artwork.

These are
Heaven and Hell
Beaubourg
Spiral
Direct
Albedo 0.39

[Oreb]

Never heard this one. I love Short Stories, but the next two Jon and Vangelis albums did little for me, so never bothered to check it out.

Looking forward to hearing the remastered instrumental albums, however.

[Rufus]

Will order this. Short Stories was the weakest J&V album but loved the single from it. The best was Mr.Cairo by a country mile with Page of Life second.
Not a fAn of Vangelis solo!

[Shutoku]

Page of Life was the one J&V album that didn't grab me for some reason.
I seem to recall a story that this album and how it was mixed etc was the undoing of the friendship, and that Vangelis was never happy with it, so this could be quite an interesting version to hear.
I love short stories...maybe my favorite, though I like Private collection a lot and if in the right mood Mr Cairo is good.
Heaven and Hell and Spiral are definitely favorites of mine for his solo work.

[ScottAM]

This is a great album, perhaps my favorite of their duo collaborations. "Garden of Senses" is the standout for me, though I enjoy most all of this one.

It would be cool for Jon and Vangelis to connect again...seems like the timing would be good while Jon is still out of Yes. Start patching up those old, frayed relationships, Jonnie boy!

[jot]

Thanks for the info. I'm a big fan of all of the J&V stuff and can't wait to hear this remaster.

[rickm]

To me Short stories is very good.

[Kai]

This is a great album, perhaps my favorite of their duo collaborations. "Garden of Senses" is the standout for me, though I enjoy most all of this one.

I've always liked "Garden of Senses" too. The albums has other fine tracks as well, but it stumbles a bit in places. Also it seems a bit more patched together an affair than the earlier works, as there is essentially a Jon Anderson solo piece without Vangelis ("Is It Love", which I like, for its worth) and a couple of Vangelis' own instrumentals (by this I mean the original version, not the reshuffled 1998 version, which I have not heard). But, on the other hand, I feel Short Stories is their only consistent release and hence also their best one. The combination of Vangelis' electronics and Anderson's vocal idiosyncracies is the most unpredictable and adventurous there. Yet all four albums are worthwhile. I mostly prefer Vangelis solo, but at times the two can create a greater whole.

[Paulrus]

The albums has other fine tracks as well, but it stumbles a bit in places. Also it seems a bit more patched together an affair than the earlier works, as there is essentially a Jon Anderson solo piece without Vangelis ("Is It Love", which I like, for its worth) and a couple of Vangelis' own instrumentals (by this I mean the original version, not the reshuffled 1998 version, which I have not heard). But, on the other hand, I feel Short Stories is their only consistent release and hence also their best one. The combination of Vangelis' electronics and Anderson's vocal idiosyncracies is the most unpredictable and adventurous there. Yet all four albums are worthwhile. I mostly prefer Vangelis solo, but at times the two can create a greater whole.

Put me down as a big fan of all the J&V albums. The chemistry was really working right up til the end, when Jon was unfortunately in his ABWH-"I'm gonna do whatever the hell I want" mode. Thus songs that were meant for ABWH2 appeared on Page of Life, capturing Vangelis totally by surprise. It's no wonder he was annoyed as hell.

I've got a cassette of the original version of Page of Life which is superior in that it lacks the Jon solo stuff and has more of Vangelis' instrumental work on it. I have yet to find it in digital format, so if anyone out there can help...

But there's no denying some great material on the album, including this track that I always thought would have made an awesome Yes song:



As for the other albums, I like 'em all for different reasons. Short Stories was an experiment in spontaneous improvisation that I think worked remarkably well, though it is undeniably patchy. Plus it captured Jon at the end of his 70s tenure with Yes when he still had some of that mojo working for him.

Friends of Mr. Cairo is also uneven, but has some great audio story-telling gems on it. Style-wise it's very much "of its time", with strong parallels to what Trevor Horn was doing back then.

I remember discovering Private Collection long after it came out. Clearly the lack of marketable single material meant it got zero promotion or air play. But it was Jon's first foray back into epic-length music since Yes. Plus it has one of his best non-Yes songs ever, IMO:



It's interesting how Jon tried to capture the same magic with other folks like Tangerine Dream and Kitaro, but he and Vangelis had something really special. Too bad he went and fucked it up.

[battema]

It's interesting how Jon tried to capture the same magic with other folks like Tangerine Dream and Kitaro, but he and Vangelis had something really special. Too bad he went and fucked it up.

I didn't think he ever actually collaborated with TD...just added some pads and vocals to an existing tune for 'Legend.'

There are some good tracks on Page of Life for sure...I prefer the original version vs. the later one that JA did sans involvement from Vangelis.

[Oreb]

For me 'Horizons', the epic from Private Collection, embodies everything that went sour with both men's music. The first half is sort of obvious bombast while the second is muzak, plain and simple.

Thankfully, Vangelis has been able to sporadically produce fine stuff since - El Greco being my favourite.

[rickm]

It's interesting that his collaborations with Rick Wakeman never reached the same level and cohesion as with Vangelis.

[Progtopia]

I didn't think he ever actually collaborated with TD...just added some pads and vocals to an existing tune for 'Legend.'

My understanding, as well. It was interesting to hear TD use "Loved by the Sun" on their last US tour with Linda Spa providing sax where the vocals would have been.

[battema]

A review of all six Vangelis remasters can be found here (12/4 update): http://www.elsew.com/data/latest.htm

Interestingly, the reviewer feels 'Page of Life' is the best overall of the set. I will likely look for this one and the Spiral one, for the bonus tracks.

[Oreb]

From the review of "Heaven and Hell" linked by Battema:

"an edit can be heard near the 6:56 mark of the album's first half. A chunk of music of some 23 seconds was cut from the track, listed on early LP prints as "Symphony to the Powers B".

Vicky - can you shed any light on why this happened?