2009 is not over as I write this, yet the year has clinched its spot as a historic one in the career of musician Eddie Jobson.  Best known for his seminal contributions to 70s progressive rock music as a member of Curved Air, Frank Zappa's band, and the supergroup UK, Eddie returned to the stage in January for the first time after an absence of nearly three decades (aside from a couple of "test gigs" in Russia during the summer of 2008) for a concert in New York City with his new band UKZ, whose top-flight performances of old and new compositions satisfied and impressed even the most discriminating prog fans in the audience.  In June UKZ returned for four shows in Japan, playing to ecstatic crowds who awaited Eddie's return hopefully for decades.  In August, Eddie's U-Z project partnered Eddie with other legendary musicians such as Simon Phillips and Greg Howe, as well as UKZ bandmates Trey Gunn and Marco Minneman, as they plowed through both familiar material and adventurous covers during a three-show jaunt in the US East Coast.   But the most electrifying new development is still yet to come: Eddie will be rejoining the stage in November with his songwriting partner and UK bandmate John Wetton, for a trio of concerts under the U-Z banner in Poland. 

Even if you filter out Eddie's dramatic return to the stage, 2009 has also been a momentous year for us, Eddie's fan community.  This was the year in which many of us met each other in person, by traveling to the shows.  Thousands of messages on Eddie's forum still provided no substitute for seeing each other in living, breathing, flesh-and-blood form. 

Lenny returned from the Japan gigs energized with the idea of a new compilation of music by Eddie's fans, and quickly mobilized the fan community.  Like the 2006 CD "Theme of Appreciation," this collection of tracks once again features contributions from fans from all around the world.  This time, Lenny asked us to make our statements in one-minute chunks.  "Theme of Appreciation 2: Eddie in One Minutes" demonstrates the many diverse ways in which Eddie's music has inspired all of us.  The music this time around reaches levels that are even more atmospheric, more proggy, more exquisite than the first compilation, and best of all, we have made this compilation freely downloadable on the Internet, right here from this page.  We hope you enjoy it!