New Perspective Vinyl

The music for Vital Information’s NEW PERSPECTIVE developed while touring the USA promoting their 40th Anniversary album TIME FLIES.  The band’s keyboardist, Manuel Valera and bassist Janek Gwizdala asked Steve Smith if he was interested in playing any jazz interpretations of the “Journey” songs that he had created during his tenure with the supergroup in the 1970’s,80’s and 90,s. That question has been coming up for the past 40 years and Smith’s answer has always been “No.”  Ignoring Steve’s concerns, Manuel decided to come up with a radical treatment of “Don’t Stop Believin.’” The band tried it at a soundcheck, played it that night and it got a positive response, which shifted the Journey veteran’s perspective.  On June 29, 2023, near the end of an east coast tour, the band stopped at Studio Mozart in Little Falls, NJ to record “Don’t Stop Believin,’” “Open Arms,” plus new versions of Vital Information classics “The Perfect Date” and “Charukeshi Express.” A theme for the new album was born: Record songs that Smith had previously played on during my career but with new arrangements that are quite different from the original versions, bringing a NEW PERSPECTIVE to the music. The 40th anniversary project New Perspective is available in Compact Disc and High-weight vinyl now.