Richie Kotzen: Telecasters and Stratocasters
Richie Kotzen
Telecasters and Stratocasters
(The Store for Music Ltd.)
From teenage guitar wailing wunderkind, creating masterfully rich (and often funky) solo albums, joining Poison in the early 90s as well as Mr. Big, continuing to record solo and tour, then making arguably his biggest commercial move as one part of the trio of super group, Winery Dogs in 2013, Richie Kotzen has had a storied career.
Telecasters and Stratocasters collection features 42 tunes spanning three discs, and includes his three solo albums, Break It All Down, Something To Say, and What Is, plus bonus tracks from his Wave Of Emotion album. Having used Fender electric guitars for most of his career, most notably his signature model Telecasters and Stratocasters, the collection is aptly titled.
Starting with the pop of âBreak It All Down,â to 70s-funk sounding electric piano-led âSome Voodoo,â featuring a sexy vocal and sweet clean guitar leads to the torchy ballad of âMy Addiction,â really there is so much to like about this full blush of tunes. Pretty much Kotzen is a quadruple threat-singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer-and his talent is certainly evident here.
The nine bonus tunes are all pretty rockinâ, and quite diverse, including a laconic, funky statement on culture, âWorld Affair,â the swirling riff and snap of heavy screamer, âMoonshine,â and the heavy bass, slow jam. falsetto, Prince-sound-alike, âNo Reason.â
Telecasters and Stratocasters is a massive piece of Richie Kotzen stuff, and well worth diving into head first for slow jams, heavy rockinâ, and lots of funk mixed with rock from this talented artistâs past.