NEAL
SCHON
ESSENTIAL ALBUMS
by John Stix
4
F
or most of us, a trip back to
our youth includes seeking out
the first house we remember
living in. Of course, no matter where
you look, everything has changed.
Most of us really can’t go back to the
future. Then there is Neal Schon.
Going back to his past has given Neal
a remarkable present. After more
than four decades he got the old band
back together. That old band recorded
Santana III and Caravanserai. He
was 15 when he originally joined
them. Santana IV hit all the classic
rhythms and percussive moves that
fuel Neal for guitar blasts that roar
with abandon. Then of course, there
are the melodic excursions of his
group Journey, and the instrumental
soaring of his solo albums. Speaking
objectively, no one has had a better
creative 18 months than Neal Schon.
If you want to know what digs at the
heart of Neal’s playing, there’s no
better place to look than his list of
essential albums. ■
DIGITAL EDITION
AUG/SEPT