12/05/2018

Todd Rundgren Announces "The Individualist" World Tour Presented By SiriusXM

PHOTO: © 2018 Lynn Goldsmith

Tickets On Sale December 10, 2018 at 10AM Local Time
Citi Presale Begins December 04, 2018 at 10AM Local Time

Los Angeles - Current Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee Todd Rundgren will be embarking on the world’s first hybrid concert/book tour this spring, highlighting both his hits as well as “deep tracks” spanning his 50-year career.

Produced by Live Nation and presented by SiriusXM, the North American leg of the tour starts in Atlanta, GA and hits major markets before wrapping in San Francisco, CA. The North American dates will be preceded by dates in Europe/UK and followed by dates in Japan. Full itinerary is below.

Rundgren’s long-awaited autobiography, The Individualist: digressions, dreams and dissertations, is being released by Cleopatra Press on December 21, documenting his life through his 50th birthday. The concert set list will mirror that time period, consisting of song selections from the inception of his musical career through 1996, with intros & stories behind the songs and Rundgren’s impressive career.

He will be playing back-to-back shows in the ten North American markets in order to be available for books signings and local TV and radio appearances on the second show day in each city. Tickets go on sale Monday, December 10 at 10AM Local Time. Two-day ticket packages, along with single-day tickets, will be available in each North American market.

Citi is the official presale credit card of the Todd Rundgren – The Individualist Tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Tuesday, December 4th at 10AM local time until Sunday, December 9th at 10PM local time through Citi’s Private Pass program. For complete presale details, visit www.citiprivatepass.com.

FOR INTERVIEW REQUESTS CONTACT: Paul Maloney, Panacea Entertainment paul@panacea-ent.com



The Individualist: digressions, dreams and dissertations is available now for pre-order at: 
Amazon.Com: Pre-order Todd: https://www.amazon.com/Individualist-Digressions-Dreams-Dissertations/dp/0997205652

Europe: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Individualist-Digressions-Dreams-Dissertations/dp/0997205652

TODD RUNDGREN “THE INDIVIDUALIST TOUR”

April 1 - Theater am Mareintor - Duisburg, Germany
April 2 - Laeiszhalle - Hamburg, Germany
April 3 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, Netherlands
April 6 - Eventim Apollo - London, UK
April 10 - Buckhead Theatre - Atlanta, GA
April 11 - Buckhead Theatre - Atlanta, GA
April 13 - State Theatre - Washington, DC
April 14 - State Theatre - Washington, DC
April 16 - Town Hall - New York, NY
April 17 - Town Hall - New York, NY
April 19 - Berklee Performance Center - Boston, MA
April 20 - Berklee Performance Center - Boston, MA
April 23 - Athenaeum Theatre - Chicago, IL
April 24 - Athenaeum Theatre - Chicago, IL
April 27 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
April 28 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
May 01 - Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
May 02 - Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
May 05 - Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square - Cleveland, OH
May 06 - Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square - Cleveland, OH
May 09 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
May 10 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
May 12 - Palace of Fine Arts - San Francisco, CA
May 13 - Palace of Fine Arts - San Francisco, CA
May 22 - Sumida Triphony Hall - Tokyo, Japan
May 23 - NHK Hall - Osaka, Japan

TODD RUNDGREN

A Wizard, A True Star. The title of Todd Rundgren's 1973 solo album aptly sums up the contributions of this multi-faceted artist to state-of-the-art music. As a songwriter, video pioneer, producer, recording artist, computer software developer, conceptualist, and interactive artist (re-designated TR-i), Rundgren has made a lasting impact on both the form and content of popular music.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rundgren began playing guitar as a teenager, going on to found and front The Nazz, the quintessential `60's psychedelic group. In 1969, he left the band to pursue a solo career, recording his debut offering, the legendary Runt. But it was 1972's seminal Something/Anything?, on which he played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and acted as his own producer, that catapulted Todd into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to unanimously dub him 'Rock's New Wunderkind'. It was followed by such landmark LPs as The Hermit of Mink Hollow and the above mentioned A Wizard, A True Star, as well as such hit singles as “I Saw The Light,” “Hello It's Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends,” and “Bang The Drum.”

In 1974, Todd formed Todd Rundgren’s Utopia (renamed and reconfigured in 1976 as Utopia), an entirely new approach to the concept of interactive musicianship, and embarked on an extensive round of touring and recording. Standout Utopia offerings included Oops! Wrong Planet, Adventures in Utopia, and Oblivion. Along the way, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia combined technical virtuosity and creative passion to create music that initially, for millions, defined the term "progressive rock”, and subsequently, as Utopia, the term “powerpop.”

Rundgren's myriad production projects include albums by Patti Smith, Cheap Trick, Psychedelic Furs, Meat Loaf, XTC, Grand Funk Railroad, and Hall And Oates. Rounding out his reputation as rock's Renaissance Man, Rundgren composed all the music and lyrics for Joe Papp's 1989 Off-Broadway production of Joe Orton's Up Against It  (the screenplay commissioned by The Beatles for what was meant to have been their third motion picture). He also has composed the music for the hit film Dumb and Dumber, as well as a number of television series, including Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Crime Story.

In 2012 Rundgren performed his iconic 1973 album A Wizard A True Star in concert in its entirety for the first time ever, and several years later did the same with a double bill: Todd & Healing. He has toured with Ringo Starr as an erstwhile member of the All-Starr Band since 1989, and continues to perform with symphony orchestras both domestically and internationally. His latest studio album, White Knight, was released last May, and this past spring he toured North America with original Utopians Kasim Sulton and Willie Wilcox for the first time in 33 years. His long-awaited autobiography The Individualist, will be in stores December 21. He embarks on the world’s first hybrid concert/book tour this coming April/May, highlighting music across his 50-year career.

Last year on successive weekends he was awarded honorary doctorates from both the Berklee School of Music and DePauw University.

In 1998 Todd debuted his new PatroNet technology which for the first time allowed fans of a musical artist to subscribe directly to the artist’s musical output via the Internet. This caps a long history of groundbreaking early multimedia "firsts", including:

• 1978: The first interactive television concert, broadcast live over the Warner/QUBE system in Columbus, Ohio (the home audience chose each song in real time during the concert by voting via QUBE’s 2-way operating system).
• 1978: The first live nationally broadcast stereo radio rock concert (by microwave), linking 40 cities around the country.
• 1979: The opening of Utopia Video Studios, a multi-million dollar state-of-the-art facility. The first project produced by Todd there is Gustav Holst’s The Planets, commissioned by RCA Selecta Vision as the first demonstration software for their new videodisc format.
• 1980: Creation of the first color graphics tablet, which was licensed to Apple and commercially released as The Utopia Graphics Tablet.
• 1981: “Time Heals,” the first music video to utilize state-of-the-art compositing of live action and computer graphics (produced and directed by Todd), becomes the eighth video to be played during the launch of MTV on August 1, 1981.
• 1982: The first live national cablecast of a rock concert (on the USA Network), simulcast in stereo to over 120 radio stations.
• 1982: The first two commercially released music videos, one of which was nominated for the first-ever Grammy awarded for “Best Short Form Video” in 1983.
• 1992: The first commercially available music downloads via CompuServe.
• 1993: The release of No World Order, the world’s first interactive record album on CD-i.
• 1994: The release of The Individualist, the world’s first full-length Enhanced CD.
• 1994: The world’s first interactive concert tour.
• 1998: Launches PatroNet, the world’s first direct artist subscription service -- predicts that someday "music will be sold by the pound".
• 2016: The production of the world's first full length concert shot with multiple Virtual Reality 360º cameras.

CONTACT: Paul@panacea-ent.com, PH: 805-491-9400

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Todd Rundgren Announces "The Individualist" World Tour Presented By SiriusXM

PHOTO: © 2018 Lynn Goldsmith

Tickets On Sale December 10, 2018 at 10AM Local Time
Citi Presale Begins December 04, 2018 at 10AM Local Time

Los Angeles - Current Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee Todd Rundgren will be embarking on the world’s first hybrid concert/book tour this spring, highlighting both his hits as well as “deep tracks” spanning his 50-year career.

Produced by Live Nation and presented by SiriusXM, the North American leg of the tour starts in Atlanta, GA and hits major markets before wrapping in San Francisco, CA. The North American dates will be preceded by dates in Europe/UK and followed by dates in Japan. Full itinerary is below.

Rundgren’s long-awaited autobiography, The Individualist: digressions, dreams and dissertations, is being released by Cleopatra Press on December 21, documenting his life through his 50th birthday. The concert set list will mirror that time period, consisting of song selections from the inception of his musical career through 1996, with intros & stories behind the songs and Rundgren’s impressive career.

He will be playing back-to-back shows in the ten North American markets in order to be available for books signings and local TV and radio appearances on the second show day in each city. Tickets go on sale Monday, December 10 at 10AM Local Time. Two-day ticket packages, along with single-day tickets, will be available in each North American market.

Citi is the official presale credit card of the Todd Rundgren – The Individualist Tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Tuesday, December 4th at 10AM local time until Sunday, December 9th at 10PM local time through Citi’s Private Pass program. For complete presale details, visit www.citiprivatepass.com.

FOR INTERVIEW REQUESTS CONTACT: Paul Maloney, Panacea Entertainment paul@panacea-ent.com



The Individualist: digressions, dreams and dissertations is available now for pre-order at: 
Amazon.Com: Pre-order Todd: https://www.amazon.com/Individualist-Digressions-Dreams-Dissertations/dp/0997205652

Europe: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Individualist-Digressions-Dreams-Dissertations/dp/0997205652

TODD RUNDGREN “THE INDIVIDUALIST TOUR”

April 1 - Theater am Mareintor - Duisburg, Germany
April 2 - Laeiszhalle - Hamburg, Germany
April 3 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, Netherlands
April 6 - Eventim Apollo - London, UK
April 10 - Buckhead Theatre - Atlanta, GA
April 11 - Buckhead Theatre - Atlanta, GA
April 13 - State Theatre - Washington, DC
April 14 - State Theatre - Washington, DC
April 16 - Town Hall - New York, NY
April 17 - Town Hall - New York, NY
April 19 - Berklee Performance Center - Boston, MA
April 20 - Berklee Performance Center - Boston, MA
April 23 - Athenaeum Theatre - Chicago, IL
April 24 - Athenaeum Theatre - Chicago, IL
April 27 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
April 28 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
May 01 - Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
May 02 - Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
May 05 - Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square - Cleveland, OH
May 06 - Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square - Cleveland, OH
May 09 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
May 10 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
May 12 - Palace of Fine Arts - San Francisco, CA
May 13 - Palace of Fine Arts - San Francisco, CA
May 22 - Sumida Triphony Hall - Tokyo, Japan
May 23 - NHK Hall - Osaka, Japan

TODD RUNDGREN

A Wizard, A True Star. The title of Todd Rundgren's 1973 solo album aptly sums up the contributions of this multi-faceted artist to state-of-the-art music. As a songwriter, video pioneer, producer, recording artist, computer software developer, conceptualist, and interactive artist (re-designated TR-i), Rundgren has made a lasting impact on both the form and content of popular music.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rundgren began playing guitar as a teenager, going on to found and front The Nazz, the quintessential `60's psychedelic group. In 1969, he left the band to pursue a solo career, recording his debut offering, the legendary Runt. But it was 1972's seminal Something/Anything?, on which he played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and acted as his own producer, that catapulted Todd into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to unanimously dub him 'Rock's New Wunderkind'. It was followed by such landmark LPs as The Hermit of Mink Hollow and the above mentioned A Wizard, A True Star, as well as such hit singles as “I Saw The Light,” “Hello It's Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends,” and “Bang The Drum.”

In 1974, Todd formed Todd Rundgren’s Utopia (renamed and reconfigured in 1976 as Utopia), an entirely new approach to the concept of interactive musicianship, and embarked on an extensive round of touring and recording. Standout Utopia offerings included Oops! Wrong PlanetAdventures in Utopia, and Oblivion. Along the way, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia combined technical virtuosity and creative passion to create music that initially, for millions, defined the term "progressive rock”, and subsequently, as Utopia, the term “powerpop.”

Rundgren's myriad production projects include albums by Patti Smith, Cheap Trick, Psychedelic Furs, Meat Loaf, XTC, Grand Funk Railroad, and Hall And Oates. Rounding out his reputation as rock's Renaissance Man, Rundgren composed all the music and lyrics for Joe Papp's 1989 Off-Broadway production of Joe Orton's Up Against It  (the screenplay commissioned by The Beatles for what was meant to have been their third motion picture). He also has composed the music for the hit film Dumb and Dumber, as well as a number of television series, including Pee Wee’s Playhouse and Crime Story.

In 2012 Rundgren performed his iconic 1973 album A Wizard A True Star in concert in its entirety for the first time ever, and several years later did the same with a double bill: Todd & Healing. He has toured with Ringo Starr as an erstwhile member of the All-Starr Band since 1989, and continues to perform with symphony orchestras both domestically and internationally. His latest studio album, White Knight, was released last May, and this past spring he toured North America with original Utopians Kasim Sulton and Willie Wilcox for the first time in 33 years. His long-awaited autobiography The Individualist, will be in stores December 21. He embarks on the world’s first hybrid concert/book tour this coming April/May, highlighting music across his 50-year career.

Last year on successive weekends he was awarded honorary doctorates from both the Berklee School of Music and DePauw University.

In 1998 Todd debuted his new PatroNet technology which for the first time allowed fans of a musical artist to subscribe directly to the artist’s musical output via the Internet. This caps a long history of groundbreaking early multimedia "firsts", including:

• 1978: The first interactive television concert, broadcast live over the Warner/QUBE system in Columbus, Ohio (the home audience chose each song in real time during the concert by voting via QUBE’s 2-way operating system).
• 1978: The first live nationally broadcast stereo radio rock concert (by microwave), linking 40 cities around the country.
• 1979: The opening of Utopia Video Studios, a multi-million dollar state-of-the-art facility. The first project produced by Todd there is Gustav Holst’s The Planets, commissioned by RCA Selecta Vision as the first demonstration software for their new videodisc format.
• 1980: Creation of the first color graphics tablet, which was licensed to Apple and commercially released as The Utopia Graphics Tablet.
• 1981: “Time Heals,” the first music video to utilize state-of-the-art compositing of live action and computer graphics (produced and directed by Todd), becomes the eighth video to be played during the launch of MTV on August 1, 1981.
• 1982: The first live national cablecast of a rock concert (on the USA Network), simulcast in stereo to over 120 radio stations.
• 1982: The first two commercially released music videos, one of which was nominated for the first-ever Grammy awarded for “Best Short Form Video” in 1983.
• 1992: The first commercially available music downloads via CompuServe.
• 1993: The release of No World Order, the world’s first interactive record album on CD-i.
• 1994: The release of The Individualist, the world’s first full-length Enhanced CD.
• 1994: The world’s first interactive concert tour.
• 1998: Launches PatroNet, the world’s first direct artist subscription service -- predicts that someday "music will be sold by the pound".
• 2016: The production of the world's first full length concert shot with multiple Virtual Reality 360º cameras.

CONTACT: Paul@panacea-ent.com, PH: 805-491-9400

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Heavy Metal Legends BAD NEWS! Release 32nd Anniversary Box Set & more


The Comic Strip Presents...BAD NEWS!



VIM, DEN, COLIN and SPIDER are BAD NEWS!

The Comic Strip Presents... BAD NEWS! Four hairy muisos with a dream to be the next Motorhead. Sure they have musical differences – all great bands do. But with Colin's PA ,Vim's old transit van and the entire back line stacked on HP, what could possibly go wrong ?…. Chart success, adoring fans and excess all areas, it can only be GOOD News surely! Then the unexpected happens.

BAD NEWS get picked by Channel 4 television for a fly on the wall documentary about a metal band's quest to make the big time. The film when first broadcast caused immediate outrage not just with metal fans who thought it was “far too heavy”, but the band got condemned by the music press who declared them: “the worst thing since Shawaddywaddy” or as one smart arse critic wrote “this isn't Metal, it's Heavy Lead”.

The documentary ends with the band in a sprawling fist fight and falling apart as they head for obscurity. That riveting film of BAD NEWS is what you actually have now in your grubby weed stained fingers …yeah? But it wasn't all bad news. . Sharkey Mcyntyre the scrap dealer turned pop promoter using the old dictum that “there's no such thing as bad news” immediately invited the band to play at the Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donnington along with some of their heroes including Motorhead.

Suddenly there's a part two of the Bad News story and when EMI decide to sign the band. Channel 4 also embark on a second film MORE BAD NEWS (even longer than the first!) charting their rise to fame as they record two albums with the legendary axe man Brian May who actually lets them murder the Queen classic “Bohemian Rhapsody” - it's all laid out here in front of you – followed by a national tour ending with a final live concert at Hammersmith Odeon (also included).

SO! You got your BAD NEWS t-shirt and patch, your picture filled tour programme - Now get yourself a greasy hot dog a plastic pint of lager; roll yourself a huge spliff and sit back and enjoy…. Are you ready?! Coz here they come! “The worst band in the world” On Film! On CD! On Bootleg! And live here on stage Ladies and Gentlemen!

BAAAAAAAD NEWS!

For more information: http://www.pledgemusic.com/badnews

Both CD reissues of “Bad News” and “Bootleg” are expanded with extra tracks. In the case of “Bootleg” it has a bonus CD and features the bands performance at Castle Donnington and Hammersmith Odeon.

This is the first in series of deluxe box sets for all the Comic Strip Presents films.

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

12/01/2018

Rock Review: Jason Becker-Triumphant Hearts

Release Date: December 7, 2018
Label: Music Theory Recordings
Jason Becker suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). A fatal condition with a life expectancy of maybe five years. He was diagnosed in 1989 at 19 years old. He is still cranking out music to this day!
He was and still is a six-string slinger with plenty of energy to create music, his personal testament to the power of music and positive thinking. He never stopped working. I think that is the reason he is still with us today, he never gave up and feels empowered to make music on a very high level regardless of physical limitations.

The man also has a great sense of humor, he released a documentary on his life in 2017 titled I’m Not Dead Yet. In the video I have provided, which runs over 9 minutes, gives a good overview of how people in the music business feel about Becker. Everyone is filled with respect and admiration for this man and for good reason. I actually interviewed Jason in 2001 in regards to the tribute album Warmth In The Wilderness II on Lion Records. At that time, I had asked what he would like to do next and he said “I haven't thought about it lately, but it would either be a symphony or funky and possibly devotional stuff. Whatever there would be lots of guitar on it.” So here we are in 2018 and we are on the heels of the new release Triumphant Hearts. It looks as though those thoughts and expectations have been realized with the new release. It is pretty cool that I go that far back with Jason and I had the opportunity to interview him.

So, guitar fans get ready for one amazing onslaught of guitar magic on Triumphant Hearts. The first song to be released from the album is the 9 minute and 5 second instrumental “Valley of Fire” (check out the video provided). The song features The Magnificent 13 – Steve Vai, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert, Neal Schon, Marty Friedman, Michael Lee Firkins, Mattias IA Eklundh, Greg Howe, Jeff Loomis, Richie Kotzen, Gus G, Steve Hunter, and Ben Woods. That is one phenomenal line up to put together on one track! It works very well for having that many guitar players contribute. Actually, I am surprised it did not go any longer than 9 minutes and 5 seconds and I am sure it could have with all that talent available.

There is a lot of orchestrations in the tracks which makes the listening experience rich and full. Jason composed all the music and he gets his work done by controlling a computer with his eyes. The technology that is available today is truly amazing and because of that we still have the opportunity to hear this amazing artist and his creations.

For all of the rockers out there, be patient when popping the CD in because the first track may give you the wrong idea of what you are about to hear. It is classical music but just wait, things really getting rolling after that. The mix of instrumentals, mainly guitar parts, and tracks with vocals, is just what the doctor ordered for my music tastes. There is a boatload of ear candy on the longer tracks like the aforementioned “Valley of Fire” and “River of Longing” and “Taking Me Back.” There actually is only one track under 4 minutes on the entire album, the curtain closer “You Do It,” which last 55 seconds. 

If you are in the mood for some six-string fireworks and want to hear some of the best guitar players in the world on one release, then Triumphant Hearts is your one-way ticket to musical bliss. Hell, you may be so inspired after hearing this music that you will pick up your own guitar and start playing, and if you don’t have one, go out and buy one!

Jason Becker is an incredible human being with a very talented musical mind. Triumphant Hearts is an amazing event that every music fan needs to hear. The man and his music will make an impression on you one way or another, I can promise you that.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
November 30, 2018

Founder of:

Review Provided By MuzikMan Reviews & News

Tracks:
01. Triumphant Heart (feat. Marty Friedman, Glauco Bertagnin, Hiyori Okuda)
02. Hold On To Love (feat. Codany Holiday) 07:27
03. Fantasy Weaver (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)
04. Once Upon A Melody  
05. We Are One (feat. Steve Knight)  
06. Magic Woman (feat. Uli Jon Roth & Chris Broderick)
07. Blowin' in the Wind  
08. River of Longing (feat. Joe Satriani, Aleks Sever, Guthrie Govan, Steve Morse)
09. Valley of Fire (feat. Michael Lee Firkins, Steve Vai, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert, Neal Schon, Mattias IA Eklundh, Marty Friedman, Greg Howe, Jeff Loomis, Richie Kotzen, Gus G., Steve Hunter, Ben Woods)
10. River of Longing (feat. Trevor Rabin)
11. Taking Me Back
12. Tell Me No Lies
13. Hold On To Love (feat. Codany Holiday) [Chuck Zwicky Remix]  
14. You Do It
   



Rock Review: Jason Becker-Triumphant Hearts

Release Date: December 7, 2018
Label: Music Theory Recordings
Jason Becker suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). A fatal condition with a life expectancy of maybe five years. He was diagnosed in 1989 at 19 years old. He is still cranking out music to this day!
He was and still is a six-string slinger with plenty of energy to create music, his personal testament to the power of music and positive thinking. He never stopped working. I think that is the reason he is still with us today, he never gave up and feels empowered to make music on a very high level regardless of physical limitations.

The man also has a great sense of humor, he released a documentary on his life in 2017 titled I’m Not Dead Yet. In the video I have provided, which runs over 9 minutes, gives a good overview of how people in the music business feel about Becker. Everyone is filled with respect and admiration for this man and for good reason. I actually interviewed Jason in 2001 in regards to the tribute album Warmth In The Wilderness II on Lion Records. At that time, I had asked what he would like to do next and he said “I haven't thought about it lately, but it would either be a symphony or funky and possibly devotional stuff. Whatever there would be lots of guitar on it.” So here we are in 2018 and we are on the heels of the new release Triumphant Hearts. It looks as though those thoughts and expectations have been realized with the new release. It is pretty cool that I go that far back with Jason and I had the opportunity to interview him.

So, guitar fans get ready for one amazing onslaught of guitar magic on Triumphant Hearts. The first song to be released from the album is the 9 minute and 5 second instrumental “Valley of Fire” (check out the video provided). The song features The Magnificent 13 – Steve Vai, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert, Neal Schon, Marty Friedman, Michael Lee Firkins, Mattias IA Eklundh, Greg Howe, Jeff Loomis, Richie Kotzen, Gus G, Steve Hunter, and Ben Woods. That is one phenomenal line up to put together on one track! It works very well for having that many guitar players contribute. Actually, I am surprised it did not go any longer than 9 minutes and 5 seconds and I am sure it could have with all that talent available.

There is a lot of orchestrations in the tracks which makes the listening experience rich and full. Jason composed all the music and he gets his work done by controlling a computer with his eyes. The technology that is available today is truly amazing and because of that we still have the opportunity to hear this amazing artist and his creations.

For all of the rockers out there, be patient when popping the CD in because the first track may give you the wrong idea of what you are about to hear. It is classical music but just wait, things really getting rolling after that. The mix of instrumentals, mainly guitar parts, and tracks with vocals, is just what the doctor ordered for my music tastes. There is a boatload of ear candy on the longer tracks like the aforementioned “Valley of Fire” and “River of Longing” and “Taking Me Back.” There actually is only one track under 4 minutes on the entire album, the curtain closer “You Do It,” which last 55 seconds. 

If you are in the mood for some six-string fireworks and want to hear some of the best guitar players in the world on one release, then Triumphant Hearts is your one-way ticket to musical bliss. Hell, you may be so inspired after hearing this music that you will pick up your own guitar and start playing, and if you don’t have one, go out and buy one!

Jason Becker is an incredible human being with a very talented musical mind. Triumphant Hearts is an amazing event that every music fan needs to hear. The man and his music will make an impression on you one way or another, I can promise you that.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
November 30, 2018

Founder of:

Review Provided By MuzikMan Reviews & News

Tracks:
01. Triumphant Heart (feat. Marty Friedman, Glauco Bertagnin, Hiyori Okuda)
02. Hold On To Love (feat. Codany Holiday) 07:27
03. Fantasy Weaver (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)
04. Once Upon A Melody  
05. We Are One (feat. Steve Knight)  
06. Magic Woman (feat. Uli Jon Roth & Chris Broderick)
07. Blowin' in the Wind  
08. River of Longing (feat. Joe Satriani, Aleks Sever, Guthrie Govan, Steve Morse)
09. Valley of Fire (feat. Michael Lee Firkins, Steve Vai, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert, Neal Schon, Mattias IA Eklundh, Marty Friedman, Greg Howe, Jeff Loomis, Richie Kotzen, Gus G., Steve Hunter, Ben Woods)
10. River of Longing (feat. Trevor Rabin)
11. Taking Me Back
12. Tell Me No Lies
13. Hold On To Love (feat. Codany Holiday) [Chuck Zwicky Remix]  
14. You Do It