Richie Kotzen has set a November 11th release date for his new album 24 Hours which features a guest appearance from Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell. Here is the background info his camp sent over: 24 Hours reflects the guitar style's that has defined his career as a virtuoso, while taking it to another level of playing. "I feel like I have reached a new level of soloing on the opening track 24 Hours," explains Kotzen. "I stopped using a guitar pick on electric a few years ago and my playing has evolved in a different way. Some of the solo lines I play on the song 24 Hours, and others as well, are lines I would have never been able to play with a guitar pick. So I would say the solo's on this CD are at a different level than previous recordings."
24 Hours is an absorbing collective blend of Kotzen's musical influences and diversity. 24 hours takes you on an inspired, musical journey as the opening track sets the tone that falls stylistically somewhere between early Van Halen and Sly and the Family Stone. Kotzen also brought in his talented daughter, August Kotzen and friend Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, to complete the album. "My daughter, August is singing with me on a few songs and is playing electric piano on the song Stop Me," states Kotzen. "My friend Jerry Cantrell is singing backgrounds on Love Is Blind and does a very cool lead vocal ad-lib in the final chorus of the tune."
24 Hours is an album that has been in the works since Kotzen started playing guitar. The guitar virtuoso burst onto the heavy metal scene as a teenager with a lightning-fast guitar techniques. With his talents Kotzen has played with some of the best musicians; securing such major collaboration with the band Mr. Big and renowned jazz great Stanley Clarke as well as his own solo projects. "I have been lucky in the sense that I have been able to play with guys who I could learn from," explains Kotzen. "The biggest musical lesson for me was playing in a band with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. Obviously these guys are jazz musicians and I am not, but I learned so much from the time we recorded and toured together. My favorite rock bassist is Billy Sheehan and we were in Mr. Big together for 3 years which was awesome."
