Neal Schon - Exotica (Official / New Album / Feat. D. Castronovo, M. Mendoza)
Taken from the album SO U on Frontiers Records.
Guitar legend Neal Schön has joined forces with bassist Marco Mendoza (Black Star Riders, Ted Nugent, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy) and drummer Deen Castronovo (Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Vai, Hardline) to create a unique body of work with jazz and blues-inspired virtuosic hard rock playing, entitled SO U. The new album features Schön, Mendoza and Castronovo splitting vocal and writing duties, with many of the tracks also co-written by Night Ranger/Damn Yankee's songwriter, singer and bassist Jack Blades.
Neal Schön commented, "This is a great new record that features all three of us -- Deen, Marco and myself -- sharing lead vocals. Enjoy!"
Best known as founding member and lead guitarist of Journey, Neal Schön has enjoyed a remarkable career as one of rock n' roll's top virtuosos, with a hand in creating some of the most popular songs of all time. Beginning his career more than 35 years ago in the San Francisco Bay area, the 15-year-old guitar prodigy left home to join Santana. Schön moved on in 1973 to form Journey. With Journey and other projects, he has earned 19 Top 40 singles and 25 platinum and gold albums, was awarded the prestigious "Legend Of Live Award" at the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005 and was individually inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall Of Fame in 2013. As the only member to record on all of Journey's albums, Schön continues with the band today in its latest incarnation.
In addition to 6 solo albums and 14 studio albums with Journey, Neal Schön has also performed with Joe Cocker, Sammy Hagar, Paul Rodgers, Larry Graham, Betty Davis, Michael Bolton, fusion legend Jan Hammer, Hardline and supergroup Bad English, as well as a variety of side projects.
His latest instrumental solo album, THE CALLING, released in 2012 via Frontiers Records, won rave reviews from fans and the media alike, with Vintage Guitar declaring "THE CALLING is a fine piece of work demonstrating that Schön still has it going on -- and then some...The songs are strong and his guitar tones are absolutely luxurious."
In demand as one of the leading guitarists of his generation, Schön also worked with Gibson to manufacture his own limited edition "Neal Schön Signature Model Custom Les Paul" guitar, but now uses custom PRS Neal Schon LTD Private Stock guitars, made especially for Neal by Paul Reed Smith.
Musicians
Neal Schon: guitars, lead vocals
Marco Mendoza: bass guitar lead vocals
Deen Castronovo: drums, lead vocals