NEAL SCHON AND MUSIC THEORIES / MASCOT LABEL
GROUP ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF VORTEX ON
JUNE 19
Lead track "El
Matador" from double disc all-instrumental album featuring legendary guitarist
Schon with keyboardist Jan Hammer and
Journey's Steve Smith.
Mascot Label Group's
Music Theories Recordings and Neal Schon have announced the release of Vortex
on June 19. The 2-CD
all-instrumental album utilizes rock as its foundation, while also embracing
elements of jazz, classical and world music in an 18-track
stunning, sonically explosive collection of original compositions. The
release is dedicated
to Schon's best friend and wife,
who serves as his true inspiration every day (Both "Lady M" and "Triumph of
Love" were written for
her, the latter of
which he performed at their wedding on December 15, 2013). Schon shares, "This
is an evolutionary album for me. I’ve
always aspired to be a better player and push musical boundaries. And sure, I’ve
sold 80-million records with Journey,
and I’m proud of that, but this album is really me — all based on my
guitar, which is my ‘voice.’ It’s bold. There’s
love, and there’s definitely fire and an element of danger. And the energy level
is off the hook.”
The music of Vortex
originated in the hard drives that Schon is constantly filling with ideas
for riffs, melodies and chord progressions at home.
But they came to life at Berkeley’s Fantasy Studios, his preferred spot for
recording since Journey cut the
10-times-platinum number-one album Escape there in 1981. Schon states,
"It’s my home away from home. I spend so much time
there that they’ve given me my own locker.”
Schon formed Journey in
1973 and has led the band through its astonishing 42-year history. Along the way
Journey has sold well over 80
million albums, amongst which the band's Greatest Hits release was certified
Diamond by the RIAA for sales in excess of
10 million copies. To date sales now exceed 15 million copies. Eight other
Journey album releases have been certified
multi-platinum. Neal Schon co-wrote the timeless hit “Don’t Stop Believin,’"
which now holds the
title as the most
digitally downloaded song in history. Seventeen additional Journey singles were
Top 40 hits, Schon has received multiple
Grammy award nominations for both his work with Journey and his solo recordings.
And Journey has been nominated for
the Rock ‘n’ Hall of Fame.
One thing he’s never
done is considered resting on his laurels. Schon reflects, "I feel more aware
and alive now than I've ever been. Part
of that is the sobriety I've had for the last seven years. I’ve also evolved as
a person and a player though understanding
the value of being in the moment – letting things happen and not thinking too
much. There's an old blues saying:
‘If you’re thinkin’, you’re stinkin’. When you stop thinking and just play from
the heart, you discover your own voice. That’s
the real thing, and that’s what Vortex is about for
me.”
Tracklist
CD1
1. Miles Beyond
1. Miles Beyond
2.
Awakening
3.
Cuban Fly Zone
4. El
Matador
5.
Eternal Love
6. In
A Cloud
7.
Irish Cream
8.
Lady M (Our Love Remains)
9. Airliner
NS910
CD2
1.
Tortured Souls
2.
Schon & Hammer Now
3. NS
Vortex
4.
Unspoken Faith
5.
Twilight † Spellbound
6.
Triumph Of Love
7.
Mom
8.
Talk To Me
9. White
Light
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