Neal Schon, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai Guest on Jason Becker Album
Jason Becker confirmed the release of Triumphant Hearts, an album featuring dozens of guest stars including Neal Schon, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Gus G and Trevor Rabin. It will be released on Dec. 7.
Becker, a former David Lee Roth guitarist who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 1990, lost the ability to move over the following years. He communicates using his eyes and continues to create music by computer, as detailed in the 2012 documentary Not Dead Yet. “I have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis," he once said. "It has crippled my body and speech, but not my mind.”
He announced his Triumphant Hearts project with a crowdfunding campaign in 2016, which went on to raise more than $100,000. You can listen to the album's lead track, “Valley of Fire,” below. It features Becker’s Magnificent 13 – Schon, Vai, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Michael Lee Firkins, Mattias IA Eklundh, Greg Howe, Jeff Loomis, Richie Kotzen, Gus G, Steve Hunter and Ben Woods.
“In addition to his new music, Jason hopes to demonstrate through this project how support to meet one’s physical needs can mean that even massive physical limitations don’t necessarily equal creative limitation,” Becker’s Indiegogo campaign page read.
“Some people feel sorry for me, and I understand that," he told LouderSound.com. "I really feel lucky, though. I don’t miss playing guitar anymore. I’m sure that’s out of necessity, but I am grateful for so much more. I am surrounded by loving people, and I can still make music."
You can see the full track listing for Triumphant Hearts below.
Jason Becker, ‘Triumphant Hearts’ Track Listing
1. “Triumphant Heart” (feat. Marty Friedman, Glauco Bertagnin & Hiyori Okuda)
2. “Hold On To Love” (feat. Codany Holiday)
3. “Fantasy Weaver” (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)
4. “Once Upon A Melody”
5. “We Are One” (feat. Steve Knight)
6. “Magic Woman” (feat. Uli Jon Roth & Chris Broderick)
7. “Blowin' in the Wind” (Gary Rosenberg & Jason Becker)
8. “River of Longing” (feat. Joe Satriani, Aleks Sever, Guthrie Govan, Steve Morse)
9. “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”