Jon & Vangelis - The Friends Of Mr. Cairo (1981)

Artist:  Jon & Vangelis
Title:  The Friends Of Mr. Cairo
Release:  1981
Format:  LP
Label:  Polydor Records
Catalog#  2383609

Jon and Vangelis is the collaborative effort between the singer Jon Anderson (the lead vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes) and the Greek synthesizer musician Vangelis Papathanassiou. Together they released a number of successful albums in the 1980s.
“The Friends of Mr Cairo” is the second album by Jon and Vangelis, released in 1981. There are two editions of this album, with different sleeves. Both versions were released in 1981 within a few weeks of each other. The title track, “The Friends of Mr Cairo”, peaked at No. 1 on the Canadian singles late 1981, though this track was not a hit elsewhere. The second edition of the album includes the single “I’ll Find My Way Home” and “State of Independence” was later a hit single for Donna Summer.
The title track and its accompanying music video serve as an ode to classic Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s. Most notable references are to the classic film noir The Maltese Falcon. The track incorporates sound effects and voice impressions of the stars of the era most notably Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre and Jimmy Stewart.


Side one
1.  The Friends Of Mr. Cairo  (12:04)
2.  Back To School Boogie  (5:06)
3.  Outside And Inside  (5:00)

Side two
1.  State Of Independence  (7:53)
2.  Beside  (4:08)
3.  The Mayflower  (6:35)

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Jon And Vangelis - Private Collection (1983)

 

Artist:  Jon And Vangelis 

Title:  Private Collection

Year:  1983

Format:  LP

Label:  Polydor

Genre:  Electronic, Ambient

Catalog#  813174-1

"Private Collection" is the third album released by Jon and Vangelis, released in 1983.

Jon & Vangelis' first two albums really seemed to be building up to this point. With "Private Collection", the two artists (Jon Anderson of Yes fame and Vangelis) have created what feels just a bit like a classical work. Truly the nearly 23-minute "Horizon" really feels a lot like a modern symphony. It is definitely the culmination of their work together, their most ambitious effort. The shorter cuts on the album all have their moments and surely hold up to anything from the previous releases, but "Horizon" stands far above them all. It combines the best elements of Anderson's work in Yes with the electronically classically tinged stylings of Vangelis to produce a work that is near masterpiece in its quality. It is a life-affirming, positive piece. Among the other highlights of the disc are "Deborah" and "He Is Sailing."

Side one

1.  Italian Song  (2:55)  

2.  And When The Night Comes (4:31)  

3.  Deborah  (4:55)  

4.  Polonaise  (5:25)  

5.  He Is Sailing  (6:55)  

Side two

1.  Horizon  (22:48)

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