JASON BECKER: Triumphant Hearts (GUITAR HERO): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

He locked himself in the bathroom of Bob Rock's studio in Vancouver. He took his head in his hands and started crying. A few months earlier, at the beginning of 1990, only one audition was enough for David Lee Roth to appreciate his exceptional talent and to hire him instead of Steve Vai, who had left to join Whitesnake. But that evening, Jason Becker was unable to play 'Dr-op In The Bucket'. It is however him who had composed this song for Diamond Dave's album "A Little Ain't Enough". So why did his left hand refuse to play it and let it go now, in the middle of recording ? Damn disease. The doctors had told him he was doomed, but at twenty, Jason couldn't believe it. And until then, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis had only attacked his legs. But that night, it was his left hand that no longer responded and locked in the studio bathroom, Jason understood that hell was beginning.

Today, almost thirty years later, Jason is laughing about it. Now 49 years old, Jason Becker is totally paralyzed, can no longer speak, breathes through a hole in his trachea, feeds through a gastric tube but keeps his alertness intact and his sense of humor unfailing, calling himself the sexiest man on the planet. Above all, he has never stopped communicating or composing, with his eyes. He owes this extraordinary desire to live in large part to those around him. To his parents who mortgaged their house twice to take care of him full time. To his father, of course, who developed a communication system based on his son's eye movements. To his guitarist friends, led by Marty Friedman, the lifelong buddy who was the first to discover Jason's guitar genius and who welcomed him as a teenager inside Cacophony. And to all the fans all over the world, overwhelmed by his story, who crowdfunded this unexpected album, "Triumphant Hearts".

It is as much with the heart as with the eyes that Jason Becker has refined for years this new album, which would never have seen the light of day without the contribution of new technologies in the service of disability. And the most moving thing is the serenity that emanates from his compositions. From the very first track, 'Triumphant Heart', the American puts his perfect knowledge of classical music at the service of a magnificent symphony of strings and violin leading to the aerial guitar of the faithful Marty Friedman, the very first guest of the many big names who came to interpret the compositions of their friend. Symphonic and orchestral music is also in the spotlight on other titles: the magnificent 'Fantasy Weaver' with the incredible ukulele score by the gifted Jake Shimabukuroqui, the disturbing 'Once Upon A Melody' which incorporates old guitar tracks recorded by Jason himself and the delicate 'Magic Woman' where Chris Broderick's acoustic guitar responds with finesse to Uli Jon Roth's space guitar. Through these tracks, Jason Becker composes the soundtrack to the film of his life of confinement and invites us to the journey of his spirit, far beyond his battered body.

"Triumphant Hearts" contains many emotional moments, the highlights of which are undoubtedly 'Hold On To Love', a gospel ballad and luminous rhythm & blues dominated by the delicate soul voice of Codany Holiday and 'Blowin' In The Wind', a superb arrangement of Bob Dylan's famous hit, where every word seems to have been written for Jason. But the album also contains some truly great instrumental guitar pieces. From Joe Satriani to Steve Vai, Guthrie Govan, Paul Gilbert, Joe Bonamassa, Mathias Eklund and many others, some of the greatest specialists of the instrument have been invited to leave their mark on the most rock songs of the album ('River Of Longing', 'Valley Of Fire').

"Triumphant Hearts" is an important album whose scope goes far beyond music. It is impossible to listen to it without taking into account the story of its author. And so much the better, because beyond the prowess and the emotion, it is the proof of the power of the passion and the human spirit of which it pushes back the limits with a disconcerting optimism, until the very last track of the album, extracted from a recording of Jason child who exclaims while laughing: 'You Do It'. Yes, you did it, Mr. Becker. Thank you for restoring our faith in humanity. - Official website

JASON BECKER

TRIUMPHANT HEARTS

MASCOT LABEL GROUP

GUITAR HERO