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ALBUM
2009 LANCE RECORDS
ALBUM REVIEW BY BEVERLY PATERSON
Joe Vitale Jr. “Dancing With Shadows” (Vari
Loud Records)
“n air of suspense also guides the record, as
inventive structures and moments of nervous tension wash over
the landscape.”
They say talent is genetic, and Joe Vitale Jr., who is the son
of drummer extraordinaire Joe Vitale, is no exception.
Introduced to the rock and roll life at an early age, Joe Jr.
was still in elementary school when he made his debut
performance, playing tambourine on stage with Crosby, Stills and
Nash. Since then, Joe Jr. has established himself as a singular
music machine. A multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and
producer, Joe Jr. shines ever so brightly on his first album,
“Dancing With Shadows,” which deftly injects modern pop
sensibilities into classic rock scenarios.
Stirring rhythms, complemented by throbbing
breaks and tugging hooks tend to characterize the music here. A
hypnotic touch is visible throughout, particularly on the title
track, which certainly does evoke images of one dancing with
shadows. Dark moods, intertwined with rays of light give the
material a nice balance. Rumbling keyboards rub shoulders with
slaving guitar riffs to the tune of Joe Jr.’s strong and sturdy
vocals, which strike a commanding presence. An air of suspense
also guides the record, as inventive structures and moments of
nervous tension wash over the landscape. “She Intoxicates,”
“Mysterious,” “Infectious” and “I Don’t Belong” are just a quick
mention of the other gems featured on the disc. “Dancing With
Shadows” is a stone cold accomplishment, and it’s only the
beginning for Joe Jr., who obviously has an ear for imaginative
sights and sounds.
www.variloudrecords.com
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ARTICLES
2010 Cleveland Plain Dealer Interview July 14th, 2010
2009 Statement From Michael Standard On Woodstock Concert
2009
Your Hometown Sports & Entertainment Interview
2005 Canton Repository Article On Stephen Stills "MAN ALIVE" Album
2004 Pro Audio Review SONY Soundbyte Magazine Article
2010
CLEVELAND
PLAIN DEALER INTERVIEW JULY 14th, 2010
Teach your children: As a child, Joe
Vitale Jr. grew up in the shadows of his dad, who for years played
with rock 'n' roll giants (Joe Walsh...
See More; Crosby,
Stills & Nash; Dan Fogelberg; the Eagles). Today, the Canton native
is following in his father's footsteps recording and playing out.
"At the moment, I'm putting together a band for my record 'Dancing
With Shadows,' which is released at the end of 2008," said Vitale, a
1996 Jackson High School graduate. "I refer to it as industrial
classic rock. It's rock 'n' roll with a lot of electronic edge to
it. It's The Who-meets-Nine Inch Nails but with cleaner lyrics. I
also play with tribute band OHIO: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. My
dad, Joe Vitale, plays with Crosby, Stills & Nash. He's actually out
with them now, so I started playing with them because I kind of grew
up with the music from my dad playing it all through my youth and
knowing all of the songs. I thought it would be a lot of fun, and
also I play the character of my dad. So it's kind of surreal." OHIO:
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is scheduled to play at 9 p.m. Saturday
at the Winchester Tavern & Music Hall, 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood.
Tickets are $15. Call 216-226-5681
Written by: John Benson
Original Article:
http://www.cleveland.com/music/index.ssf/2010/07/punk_rockers_living_stereo_com.html
2009
Where Are They Now Interview
FEBRUARY 04th, 2009
Where Are They Now - Joe Vitale
Jr.
Where Are They Now? - OH - Music - 02/04/2009
Submitted By: Staff
Name: Joe Vitale
Jr.
Band: I am a solo Artist
Instruments you play: Guitar, Drums, Singing/vocals,
Keyboards, Percussion, Bass
Hometown: Canton, Ohio
What kind of music do you play and what type do you like to
listen to: I like to play a large variety of music be it Rock
to Electronic. I like to listen to everything but I LOVE
classic rock, Industrial, Blues and Latin.
When and why did music become important to you: Right
around age 10 when my dad, Joe Vitale, the drummer, had me
come out on stage with Crosby, Stills and Nash and I got to
play tambourine on Teach your Children. It was such an
electrifying experience hearing the crowd cheer and I knew
that I wanted to go into music as my career. Up to that point
I really wanted to be an astronaut, and I still follow the
space program very closely, but music took over very quickly.
When I was in high school I was given one of those really cool
Tascam Porta Studio 8 track recorders. I started to write my
own songs around age 14-15 and I never stopped! Music was
always a way for me to express the way I was feeling…be it
good or bad…I found that I had been given the gift from God. I
wanted to use that gift to not only express myself but to try
to write songs that people could gain something meaningful
from for their lives, as well as have a fun escape from our
crazy day to day lives and rock out.
Do you come from a musical family and if so what do they
do: I do come from a musical family. My father is a famous
drummer who has played with some of the top names in the
industry including the Eagles, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Peter
Frampton, Joe Walsh, Dan Fogelberg and many others. My dad’s
side of the family were all musicians as well. My grandfather,
grandmother, uncles, etc.
Tell us about your school experience, particularly middle
and High School: School was always interesting for me. I
love to learn. I went to Jackson Memorial Middle School and
then Jackson High School. I joined the band in 6th grade and
it was a struggle at first learning to read music and figure
out what all those crazy circles and lines meant, but I stayed
at it and eventually it was second nature to read it. I had a
lot of friends through the band both in middle School and in
high school… some of which I still talk to today, 11 years
after high school. Band was always my favorite class. I was in
the marching band in high school and was section leader of the
drum section my senior year. Those were my favorite memories
growing up. I’ve performed in my alumni marching band
every year since I graduated and every time I’m standing under
the goal post getting ready to go out on the field with the
stadium crowd cheering, the smell of the damp grass and the
weight of my snare hanging from my shoulder still sends
massive chills down my spine. I love it. My friends and I
always had cover bands throughout high school and tried to set
up gigs at friends houses for parties and we also played at a
couple dances. Hey, you have to start somewhere, right? All
through high school I continued to write music and learn as
much as I could. After high school I went to Mount Union
College and continued to learn music there as a percussion
performance major. I was in a fraternity in college, Sigma Nu.
Several of my brothers were also in the music program which
made for lots of fun and jam sessions at the frat house. After
two years, I had an opportunity to go out on the road with The
Stephen Stills Blues Band as a Latin percussionist and as
difficult of a decision as it was, I dropped out of school to
pursue my career. A few years later, I went to Malone College
for a year for audio engineering.
Tell us about your first time performing for a live
audience: I touched on this earlier but the very first
time I was ever on stage was late August, 1987. I was brought
out on stage at Blossom Music Center in NE Ohio with Crosby,
Stills and Nash for a sold out crowd of 19,000 screaming
people. I was 10 years old and only playing a tambourine, but
I loved every second of it! It really changed my life that
first time. I knew from right at that moment what I wanted to
do the rest of my life.
Who is most influential in your music (other bands):
The Who, Joe Walsh, Nine Inch Nails, Joe Vitale Sr. (my
father) and Crosby Stills and Nash.
Where does the inspiration for your music come from:
Like the saying goes “Write what you know”. I try to write
about experiences that happen to me throughout my life. It is
hard to make up song lyrics if you haven’t really gone through
it. I mean it can be done but won’t have that edge that really
talks to your audience. I will say though, I feel that God
allows the events in my life, good or bad, to happen so that I
can write the way I do. So, I would say that my inspiration
comes from God in a major way. I have had to struggle with a
lot over the years and while I always wish it could have been
smooth sailing; my lyrics wouldn’t say anything of personal
feelings or truth if everything had been great. My album has a
lot of concept songs on it dealing with triumph over
adversity. It is the central theme of the album. But I am also
a romantic so I have a lot of relationship songs as well. I
wanted something funny on it so I included my humorous breakup
song, “It’s Not Me, It’s You” which is getting a lot of
attention and everyone really seems to like it.
Have you been a member of other bands and if so tell us
about those experiences: I have played in several cover
bands here locally, both my own and others. At the moment I
have been asked to play in a Crosby, Stills and Nash tribute
band called “OHIO,” which is great because I know all the
songs! I have also played for Joe Walsh, Crosby Stills and
Nash, and The Stephen Stills Blues band. Every band I play
with is a unique experience. I have really enjoyed all the
groups I have played with and I have lots of very fun memories
of life on the road.
What goals do you as an individual and a band have: I
have worked my entire life to do what I do. I sacrificed a lot
during my life, when a lot of my friends were out partying I
was in my basement working. Not saying I didn’t want to be out
having fun, but I just knew I had to work hard if I ever
wanted to make it. I absolutely love what I do and I wouldn’t
trade it for anything. Honestly, I want to take this as far as
I can imagine and that God has in mind. As does any musician
in this industry, I would love to have a song hit #1 on the
Billboard Charts and I would love to be blessed to play in
large arenas. Right now, that is just a dream and a prayer,
but it is that dream that God has placed in my heart that
drives me to be the best that I can possibly be. I am a
perfectionist and I have always tried to perform to the best
of my abilities and gifts. Sometimes you have good nights
sometimes you have bad nights, but you always try to give the
best performance of your life.
Tell us about a teacher who made a big difference in your
life: Timothy DeStefano was my band director and very
close friend all through high school and college. He taught me
how to write music for and direct an orchestra, allowed me to
perform a piece of mine with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra
when I was a junior in High School, and brought me to Mount
Union College. He and I still talk over email to this day. He
was tough and expected the best from everyone who played for
him and we wanted to be the best for him. He made you feel a
sense of pride in your achievements, made you want to be the
best, work harder, and strive for excellence. He is a very
good Christian man and he has changed the lives of thousands
of students over the years. When I was in high school the
average size of the marching band was over 300 and grew to 348
the year I graduated. Take that number and realize that he had
been doing this since the mid 1970s and you can imagine just
how many students lives he has touched.
Did you play sports in school, if so what were they and
what is your best memory from them: Every time I play
sports I more and more realize why I am a musician. I tried
tennis, baseball, basketball and swimming, but never joined a
team once I got to high school. However, I do really enjoy
playing golf. High scores are good, right?
What's going on with the band now:
New CD: I have my debut album out called “Dancing With
Shadows” It is a 14 song album which I have been working on
for 9 ½ years now. It is finally released and available.
Tour: I don’t have a set schedule for myself yet.
However I am going out on the road with the Band “Ohio” this
spring and summer and will be performing around the country.
Concerts: See above.
Studio: Always in the studio working on new songs for
my second album as well as working on an industrial remix
album of a couple songs from the first album.
Do you have CD's out now and if so what are they and where
can people get them: I do. My debut album “Dancing with
Shadows” can be bought through my website: www.joevitalejr.com.
It is also available on CD Baby, Digstation.com, Amazon.com,
iTunes, and Atlas Books. Retail stores coming soon.
Where can people go on-line to find out more about the band,
your music, and how to book you for a show: Through my
website, www.joevitalejr.com and MySpace and my record label.
Official Site: www.joevitalejr.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/joevitalejr
Record Label: www.variloudrecords.com
What are some of your interests outside of music: I
love videography, photography, web design, graphics design,
jet skiing, boating, hiking, fishing, camping, golf, amusement
parks, traveling, seeing all my wonderful friends, video
games.
Anything else you would like to add: My CD, “Dancing
With Shadows,” was released with two other products…my Dad,
Joe Vitale’s, CD, “Speaking In Drums” and his book, “Backstage
Pass.”
40th Anniversary of Woodstock Concert with Joe Vitale Jr. playing
drums with Crosby Stills & Nash Tribute Band "OHIO" from Michael
Standard
AUGUST 2009
As you know, "OHIO" blew the
crowd away last August at our "Woodstock Tribute Concert ". There
were 12,000 people in attendance and your performance on Saturday
was the hit of the weekend. No kidding. We just had to have you back
for a solo performance.
I wish I had a better command of the language, because I find it
difficult to express how pleased we are with your February 6th
performance here at the Woodstock Opera House. The place was packed
and the "buzz" afterwards was that "OHIO" was. . . awesome.
As you know, Artie Kornfeld producer of the original 1969 Woodstock
Music Festival, was our guest of honor at your show. As Artie and I
stood back stage, he told me that he thought you guys might be even
better than his friends in CSN&Y. That's a hell of a compliment from
a man who's career spans over 45 years in the music business and
was the producer of "Woodstock", the most important music and
cultural event in American in history.
Congratulations on two awesome performances.
Best personal regards,
Michael Stanard
One Zero Charlie Productions, Inc.
2005
STEPHEN STILLS "MAN ALIVE" ALBUM RELEASE CANTON REPOSITORY
SEPTEMBER 23rd, 2005
CLICK IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE
2004
PRO AUDIO REVIEW | SONY SOUNDBYTE MAGAZINE SUMMER 2004
 
Click images above to read full stories
from Pro Audio Review
Sony Soundbyte Article on digital audio work & editing on Stephen
Stills' album "Man Alive".
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PERFORMANCES
1998 STEPHEN
STILLS BLUES BAND AT LOS ANGLES HOUSE OF BLUES
Stephen Stills celebrated his birthday to a packed house at the House
Of Blues. The set list as I can remember it is as follows (not necessarily
in order).
Love the One Your With
For What It's Worth
Change Partners
Helplessly Hoping
So Begins The Task
Long Time Gone
Born in Chicago
Born Under a Bad Sign
Carry On
Woodstock
49 Bye Byes
Two new songs:
One I think was named 'Back Home' (dedicated to Johnny Rivers in the
audience). I didn't get the name of the other song, a blues number with
Michael Finnegan dedicated to his daughter
Tree Top Flyer (electric)
Dark Star
The band members were Mike Finnegan, Joe Vitale, Joe Vitale, Jr.,
Gerald Johnson and second guitar player, didn't catch his name. Tall and
lanky with glasses, and looked totally uninspired. John McEnroe came
onstage to lead the audience in rousing "Happy Birthday to You".
I gotta tell you, I found the performance totally not satisfying and
I'll tell you why. Please bear with my thoughts here. I love Stephen
Stills, to begin with. He is a great artist, musician, songwriter and
performer. I have been a dedicated fan ever since the first time I heard a
Buffalo Springfield record.
I was particularly disappointed with the repetoire of this performance.
I could see this playlist if it were a CSN concert or a Stills concert
with a bigger venue, but with the House of Blues I expected something
different. I saw Stills there three years ago and the set list was
practically identical. I expected (or hoped for) a different type of
performance in this venue both last night and three years ago.
I guess my issue is that Stills has a great body of work. He also has
very impressive influences. I guess I would love to see him abandon the
"greatest hits" formula and perform a combination of other great Stills
compositions with some blues/rock covers from other artists. Standing
there as everybody mouthed the words to For What It's Worth or Helplessly
Hoping has just turned into the type of performances which are just too
predictable.
There were two blond, 19 year old, bimbettes rocking away and begging
for Suite: Judy Blue Eyes. My favorites songs were Born Under a Bad Sign
and Born in Chicago along with the new material. The rest of the songs
were just rehashes of performance I have heard already. Though Stills
guitar work, as always, was stunning. The songs were just vehicles for
some great licks.
I also understand that you don't get a packed house by boring the rank
and file with non-hits. And not to compare, but except for a limited
number of songs, Neil Young always surprises the audience with a different
set list to keep the performances interesting.
I hope you all understand that it is not my intention to bash Stills.
But I would love to finally see a performance which doesn't begin with
Love the One Your With and end with Woodstock.
J. Starret (StarrettJ@aol.com)
Crosby, Stills &
Nash Concert Review Section
TOP OF PAGE
PRODUCTS
2007 SONY CREATIVE SOFTWARE PRESS RELEASE "VITAL DRUMS" LOOP LIBRARY
2002 REMIX MAGAZINE PRODUCT REVIEW OF JUNKYARD RHYTHMS
January 20, 2007
Sony Creative Software announced today the availability of the Vitale
Premium Sound Series Loop Library Collection. A must-have for every
aspiring drummer, this Loop Library is unique in offering the track
collections of one of Rock n' Roll's most influential combos, drummer Joe
Vitale and his son Joe Vitale Jr. Joe Vitale Sr. is a renowned musician
whose career has spanned over thirty years of touring, recording, and song
writing and production with legendary and Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame
artists such as The Eagles, Joe Walsh, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, John
Lennon and Keith Richards. These are just a few of the many artists who
have called upon Joe to anchor their platinum hits with his rock solid yet
completely transparent drumming. The elder Vitale's son, Joe Vitale Jr.,
engineered the sounds for this loop library.
The Vitale Sound Series Loop Library will
appeal to songwriters and producers of rock and pop music who want the
best possible performance and recording quality on their tracks. "The Sony
Sound Series collection now boasts the addition of rock drumming legend
Joe Vitale at the Premium Collection level," said Dave Chaimson, vice
president of marketing for Sony Media Software. "The Vitale father-and-son
team deserves nothing less than a Premium Collection presentation, with
24-bit sound engineered by Joe Vitale Jr., performances by both artists,
extensive liner notes, and bonus video content. Now, music producers working on every platform at every
tier of the industry can enjoy the Vitale sound on their tracks, and gain
instant access to the kinds of rock music foundations that lead to smash
hits."
The Vitale Premium Collection tier includes
862 files comprising more than one gigabyte of material, extensive liner
notes and a behind-the-scenes video that explains how the library was
produced. The Vitale Premium Collection library is a 2 disc, highly
specialized collection that includes sophisticated, royalty-free Premium
Projects composed with ACIDized .wav file loops.
Original Review from Harmony Central January 20th, 2007 Article
2002
REMIX MAGAZINE
LOOPS FOR ACID PRODUCT REVIEW
July 1st, 2002
" Junkyard Rhythms"
The art of percussion mandates beating, bashing, crashing, shaking,
striking, kicking and several other violent noise-associated verbs. Many
times, the more primitive the approach, the more real and raw the
emotion. With Junkyard Rhythms, Joe Vitale and his son, Joe
Vitale Jr., explore their inner-drumming Neanderthals while rummaging
through the rot in their local junkyard. The CD's documentation is
minimal, but guessing where these sounds come from is half the fun. In
terms of performance, the majority of the loops evoke a Latin flavor
much in the vein of the Vitale family's well-received sample CD release
Latin Percussion (also from Sonic Foundry). But this time, their
modus operandi is to beat the clunk outta the junk — without any help
from traditional bongos, congas and timbales.
Despite the junkyard theme, the infectious salsa moods, percolating
dance rhythms and traditional Brazilian samba are fresh. Most of the
samples were recorded dry with minimal effects processing except for a
smattering of tasty compression and interesting room-style reverbs,
which contribute to Junkyard's overall esoteric vibe. When diving
into the more than 420 MB of Junkyard Rhythms' loops, you'll hear
bells, buckets, bumpers, tubs, trash cans, pots, pans and more than a
dumpster full of unrecognizable timbres that Vitale and son are probably
still chuckling about.
Each loop is preconfigured to work with Sonic Foundry Acid Pro and
other loop-friendly applications (Ableton Live, Cakewalk Sonar and so
on). The collection is divided into three sections: Ensemble Grooves
(221 MB), Individual Grooves (201 MB) and One-Shots (52 MB). Especially
cool are the Junkyard Kits, which comprise all kinds of knickknacks,
plastic shapes and metal scraps. These hybrid toys for experimental
drummers may just be the missing percussive ingredients for those in
search of a little dirty spice. And though you may think these guys
played everything including the kitchen sink, there is no junkyard dog.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 4
Sonic Foundry; tel. (800) 577-6642; e-mail
customerservice@sonicfoundry.com; Web
www.sonicfoundry.com
Original Review
of Product Remix Magazine July 1st, 2002
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