RICHIE KOTZEN To Release '24 Hours' in November

August 30, 2011

After two years of extensive international touring, guitar virtuoso, singer/songwriter Richie Kotzen is back to unleash his new album, "24 Hours", due on November 11 via Headroom-Inc.

"24 Hours" reflects the guitar style that has defined Kotzen's career as a virtuoso, while taking it to another level.

"I feel like I have reached a new level of soloing on the opening track '24 Hours'," explains Kotzen. "I stopped using a guitar pick on electric a few years ago and my playing has evolved in a different way. Some of the solo lines I play on the song '24 Hours', and others as well, are lines I would have never been able to play with a guitar pick. So I would say the solos on this CD are at a different level than previous recordings."

"24 Hours" is an absorbing collective blend of Kotzen's musical influences and diversity. It takes you on an inspired, musical journey as the opening track sets the tone that falls stylistically somewhere between early VAN HALEN and SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE. Kotzen also brought in his talented daughter, August Kotzen, and friend Jerry Cantrell of ALICE IN CHAINS, to complete the album.

"My daughter August is singing with me on a few songs and is playing electric piano on the song 'Stop Me'," states Kotzen. "My friend Jerry Cantrell is singing backgrounds on 'Love Is Blind' and does a very cool lead vocal ad-lib in the final chorus of the tune."

Kotzen burst onto the heavy metal scene as a teenager with a lightning-fast guitar techniques. With his talents, Kotzen has played with some of the best musicians; including renowned jazz great Stanley Clarke and a three-year stint in the band MR. BIG.

"I have been lucky in the sense that I have been able to play with guys who I could learn from," explains Kotzen. "The biggest musical lesson for me was playing in a band with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. Obviously, these guys are jazz musicians and I am not, but I learned so much from the time we recorded and toured together. My favorite rock bassist is Billy Sheehan, and we were in MR. BIG together for three years, which was awesome."

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