William Shatner, 82, who startled Star Trek fans by recording tunes like “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” on his 1968 debut “The Transformed Man,” will release a new album — his fifth — on Oct. 8.
“Ponder the Mystery,” a prog-rock effort with Billy Sherwood of Yes, shares some sci-fi DNA. Shatner and producer Sherwood got more stars to perform on the album than there are in the Alpha Quadrant. Among them: Rick Wakeman, Steve Vai, Al Di Meola, Robby Krieger of the Doors, Vince Gill, Mick Jones, George Duke, Dave Koz and Edgar Winter.
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Shatner will perform the album live with a backup backup band, Circa, whose members are Sherwood, Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye, Rick Tierney and Scott Connor.
“I’ve never adhered to the assumption that oil and water don’t mix,” said Wakeman in a statement. “Stir them hard enough and add some other ingredients and they certainly will mix.”
“Ponder the Mystery” track listing:
1. Red Shift
2. Where It’s Gone… I Don’t Know with Mick Jones
3. Manhunt with Simon House
4. Ponder The Mystery with Steve Vai
5. So Am I with Al Di Meola
6. Change with Rick Wakeman
7. Sunset with Joel Vandroogenbroeck
8. Twilight with Edgar Winter
9. Rhythm Of The Night with Nik Turner
10. Imagine Things with Vince Gil
11. Do You See? with Edgar Froese
12. Deep Down with Robby Krieger
13. I’m Alright, I Think with Dave Koz
14. Where Does Time Go? with George Duke
15. Alive with Zoot Horn Rollo