Steve Vai Archives Vol. 4 CD

Archives Vol. 4 is a collection of songs Vai has contributed to other projects and records including Public Image Ltd., tracks from the Hendrix tribute In From The Storm with the London Symphony Orchestra, and a collaboration with Chick Corea from The Songs Of West Side Story, among others. Favored. 2005.

For the fourth installment in his ARCHIVES series, heavy-metal guitar hero Steve Vai digs up an eclectic array of past collaborations. The artists here include Whitesnake (Vai was briefly a member of the hard-rock group), Alice Cooper (his childhood idol), and the post-punk collective Public Image Ltd., while the material ranges from Jimi Hendrix to Leonard Bernstein. No matter what the setting, Vai is always adventurous, and his distinctive six-string shredding consistently stands out, making this dynamic collection a must-have for his legion of fans.

Personnel: Steve Vai (guitar); Corey Glover, David Coverdale, John Lydon, Alice Cooper, Paul Rogers (vocals); Martin Schwartz (guitar, cowbells); Frank Gambale, Hiram Bullock, Joe Satriani, Nicky Skopelitis, Reckless Fable, Stef Burns, Bob Harris (guitar); Eric Marienthal, Richard Cunningham (saxophone); Chick Corea (Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer); Clif Magness (keyboards, synthesizer, percussion); John Webster, Robert Bailey (keyboards); David Paich, Greg Phillinganes (synthesizer); Dave Samuels (vibraphone); James Earl, John Pena, Nikki Sixx, Rudy Sarzo, Bill Laswell, Billy Cox, Bob Daisley (bass guitar); Dave Weckl, Ginger Baker, Gregg Bissonette, Josh Freese, Mickey Curry, Simon Phillips, Tommy Aldridge, Tony Beard, Tony Williams , Chris Frazier (drums); Lenny Castro, Billy James , Joe Poraco (percussion); Gary Falcone, Ian Richardson, Mick Wilson, Mike Finnegan, Nick Coler, Shaun Murphy, Sherwood Ball, Stan Bush, Terry Wood, Cali, Suzannah Harris, Matt Bissonette (background vocals); London Metropolitan Orchestra.