As the world continues to be consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Jethro Tull\u2019s Ian Anderson sings and plays flute with Mandoki Soulmates leader Leslie Mandoki. Mandoki has found inspiration and a new spark of hope amidst the chaos. He has penned a powerful new song in appreciation for the heroes who have emerged in this global crisis, the nurses, doctors, and other health care providers as well as the grocery store clerks and food delivery personnel who have stepped up to serve their communities. The new song, entitled simply \u201c#WeSayThankYou,\u201d expresses so clearly the feelings of gratitude many of us have felt in these troubled times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mandoki explains, \u201cAs an artist, I feel it is my duty to contemplate ideas for a better world. Now, like so many of us, I suddenly have the time. Let us grab this uncommon moment of pause together and take a new approach to the problems of the world. And let\u2019s take a hard look at who this crisis is casting in a heroic light, and who comes out the villain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The duet is being released as an EP on Thursday, May 7, 2020, through the Purple Pyramid imprint of indie giant Cleopatra Records, Inc. and is Mandoki Soulmate\u2019s first release in the recently inked partnership with the L.A.-based label. Additional Mandoki releases are set to follow later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Statements of the Mandoki Soulmates on the crisis<\/strong>: Leslie, Ian, Randy, Al DiMeola, Bill Evans, Jesse Siebenberg, Nick Van Eede, Steve, John, Simon, Chris talking about the \u201c#WeSayThankYou\u201d\u2019 mission.<\/strong> Ian Anderson & Leslie Mandoki with the Mandoki Soulmates #WeSayThankYou with John Helliwell of Supertramp, Chris Thompson of Manfred Mann, Bobby Kimball & Simon Phillips of Toto, Jazz-Icon and Grammy-Winner Randy Brecker, Chair of Berklee\u00b4s Bass Department Steve Bailey<\/strong> Landing Page with Advance Music and Digital Media Links <\/strong>https:\/\/orcd.co\/mandoki-soulmates-with-ian-anderson<\/a> As the world continues to be consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Jethro Tull\u2019s Ian Anderson…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23,2],"tags":[1030,1029,125,51,121],"class_list":["post-13056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music-news","category-news","tag-ian-anderson","tag-jethro-tull","tag-prog","tag-progressive-rock","tag-progrock"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13056"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13058,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13056\/revisions\/13058"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skylight.gr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
There are three different versions of the song on the EP:
1. Duet with Ian Anderson.
2. New Version with Ian Anderson and Leslie Mandoki featuring Soulmates: Supertramp saxophonist John Helliwell, multi Grammy Winner Randy Brecker (on trumpet), Chair of Berklee\u00b4s Bass Department Steve Bailey, Simon Phillips (drums, along with Leslie),and backup singers: Bobby Kimball (Toto) and Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann\u00b4s Earth Band). \u00a0
3. Unplugged, Acoustic, Living-Room-Concert, with Ian & Leslie, Randy, Steve, John.
Leslie will be donating the royalties from the sales, syncs, and airplay of \u201c#WeSayThankYou\u201d\u00a0to a To-Be-Announced Charity.
\u201c#WeSayThankYou\u201d was written in the context of Leslie\u2019s own isolation in Germany, where his doctor wife, Eva, is a first contact physician.
Ian and Leslie have worked together for over 25 years on various collaborations with his jazz-rock band Soulmates featuring the good and great of classic rock and jazz. Mandoki\u2019s Soulmates toured North America in 2018.
VIDEOS<\/strong>
Ian Anderson & Leslie Mandoki #WeSayThankYou<\/strong>
https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=l0Y6XFZw7Hk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=5EK2LEZIBiA<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NNScHWwFNqA<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social Media, including Hashtags<\/strong>
#WeSayThankYou #TogetherAtHome
http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/lesliemandoki<\/a>
https:\/\/www.mandoki-soulmates.com<\/a>
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/themandokisoulmates\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mandoki.soulmates<\/a>
Mandoki Soulmates \u2013 Album & Concerts<\/strong>
https:\/\/youtu.be\/qpR_G7nniV4<\/a>
Photos of Leslie, and Leslie & Ian mid-page at: <\/strong>https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/sh\/tx7x779mmcjskpz\/AACMigdAgFzXTLaYFKamu6Ika?dl=0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"