Steve Vai is arguably one of the most diverse, technically proficient and visionary guitarists of our time. He has worked with a wide ranging array of musical artists, most notably: legendary, experimental and eccentric composer and guitarist Frank Zappa - who listed Vai's contribution, in liner (album), notes as both "stunt guitar" and "impossible guitar parts"; extreme, often outrageous, personality and hard rocker David Lee Roth (post Van Halen); the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra performing a nearly impossible-to-play concerto, written by Ichiro Nodaira, for one electric guitar and a 100-piece orchestra, entitled Fire Strings.
The development of Vai's music genius began at the feet of Joe Satriani from whom he took guitar lessons in 1978. His musical education continued when he next attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Berklee's primary aim is to educate in the areas of contemporary music like jazz and rock, tuition of which is not available at other classical music schools. It was Frank Zappa that gave Steve the break he needed, and jump started his stunningly prolific career as musician, composer and solo artist which has included playing as a member of ten different bands (including Alcatrazz, Whitesnake and Public Image Ltd.), releasing 13 solo albums, and appearing on more than 80 albums by other artists.
In addition to his musical career Vai is a dedicated husband to Pia Maiocco, (former bass player of Vixen) and father of two. He is also a philanthropist, co-founding, with Richard Pike the Make a Noise Foundation, whose charitable aim it is to provide musical instruments, education and culture to young musicians who cannot afford it themselves.
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G3 Europe 2004 - Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Robert Fripp - July 1, 2004
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Joe Satriani, Steve Vai And John Petrucci Play G3-06 Melbourne Stop
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