The Devout Side of a Sometime Yes Man

While carrying on both secular and religious solo careers, as well as doing plenty of work on British TV, keyboardist Rick Wakeman is also, at least technically, again part of Yes.

The venerable prog-rock band has a chameleonlike tradition of losing and growing back parts, and Wakeman has left and rejoined five times now since his initial, groundbreaking run with Yes from 1971-74.

A recent release, “Keys to Ascension,” captured a 1996 reunion by what’s considered the band’s “classic” lineup: Wakeman on keyboards, with singer Jon Anderson, guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White.

Most of it is culled from three live shows played in San Luis Obispo, where Anderson was living. The double album also features two new studio songs, typical Yes excursions, clocking in at 9 and 19 minutes.

Wakeman said there is an album’s worth of unreleased new material in the can that he regards as “the best Yes has done in quite some time.” However, he reports, “again Yes is in the midst of its usual political crises” concerning who is going to be in the lineup, under what terms and when.

That leaves Wakeman uncertain whether he will be included on Yes’ next tour or record. He said that some recently announced spring tour dates by Yes took him by surprise--his name is included in the Universal Amphitheatre’s ad for the group’s concert there July 27--and may conflict with his British television commitments.

In any case, Wakeman sees Christian music taking up more and more of his time and energy--both as a composer-performer and as a label boss.

“We’re not trying to wave Bibles under people’s noses,” he said, “but if they have one foot on the Christian ladder, reaching them through music might help them go up another rung.”

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In the U.S., Contemporary Christian Music has emerged as a significant commercial force, with such performers as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, D.C. Talk and Jars of Clay launching their careers by playing a well-established network of large churches and graduating to mainstream record labels and major venues. In the U.K., Wakeman said, “It’s not developed anywhere near that extent yet. The reason is that the overall standard of British Christian bands is appalling.”

To remedy that and stoke the scene, Wakeman aims to import some strong, new American bands. His label has put out an album by a Seattle-based group, Ajalon, and he is scouting others from Modesto and New York.

Wakeman knows he has his work cut out for him in finding a network of British venues for touring Christian rock bands.

“The majority of English churches are old, cold and [have] wooden seats so hard that if you did merchandising, you would probably do best with Preparation H.”

He estimates the proportion of his time devoted to Christian music has grown from 10% to 70% or 80% since he wrote the seeds of “The New Gospels” to raise money for a church organ.

“I suppose the next leap will be taking it up to 100%,” Wakeman said. “I think [it will be] sooner rather than later. I took a giant step at the end of last year when I lost my mother. We were extraordinarily close.

“I guess it’s called growing up,” he said. “God has given me a talent, and what I’ve come to understand is that there is certainly a way He’d like it used.”