Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson Says Alfie Boe's Vocal Technique May Top Young Pavarotti's
Ian Anderson, frontman of Jethro Tull, has named British singer Alfie Boe's album Classic FM Presents… among his all-time favorites — and gone further, saying Boe's technical control as a classical vocalist may "exceed Pavarotti's relatively young peak." According to Far Out Magazine, Anderson singled out Boe's version of "Nessun Dorma," praising its technical ability, control, authority and weight.
Anderson's personal favorites list
Anderson's picks span several genres. Alongside Boe's classical-crossover record, he named Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell II and Foreigner's Head Games, praising both.
- Alfie Boe — Classic FM Presents…
- Meat Loaf — Bat Out of Hell II
- Foreigner — Head Games
Boe, who came up through musical theatre and has also recorded extensively in the classical repertoire, drew one caveat from Anderson: he hopes Boe won't confine himself to the middle-of-the-road pop market.
A connection made, but no meeting yet
The two artists' link traces back to San Diego. Anderson was performing in the city when he learned Boe had played there just days earlier; Boe left well wishes and his phone number. The two have since spoken by phone several times, but Anderson said he still hopes for a chance to meet in person, calling Boe a "very fine" singer.
What Led Zeppelin taught him about genre
Anderson traced part of his own openness to different musical styles back to early tours alongside Led Zeppelin. He said Zeppelin showed how to build dramatic tension using a direct rock vocabulary while folding in more eclectic elements — early Zeppelin music, he noted, mixed in substantial folk, Asian and African influences.
Before that, acts like The Nice, The Beatles and Pink Floyd had shown him what progressive rock could look like on record. Touring with Zeppelin, he said, let him see that kind of experimentation put into practice live.