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Like Journey, ESCAPE features five of California�s top tier rock musicians. All the players have endorsement deals with major musical gear companies, including ProTools, Bognar Amps and Paul Reed Smith guitars, and several Escape members have endorsements and/or beta test with cutting-edge amp/effect manufacturer Line 6. More than one of Escape's players has played with Keith Emerson, Toto members such as Bobby Kimball and David Paich, Kelly Hansen (Foreigner lead singer), Howard Leese (Heart, Bad Company), Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple fame, 70's hit-makers Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, Stuart Smith and Joe Retta of Sweet, former AC-DC drummers Chris Slade and Simon Wright, three different American Idol finalists, and even former members of Journey. There is no other Tribute to Journey that has the musicianship and experience - and the ability to play and sing every note with all the subtle nuances of the original - like ESCAPE.
Musical director STU SIMONE, filling Greg Rolie and Jonathan Cain�s keyboards/ vocals/ guitar position, began working with John Koha as a songwriter and producer before they formed ESCAPE way back in 1996. As keyboardist/ harmony singer for multi-platinum rock band Poison, Stu played to audiences averaging 10,000 a night --totaling some half a million people-- on Poison's 1999 and 2000 headlining world tours, and his playing and harmonizing can be heard on Poison's 2000 CD, "Power To the People." Other great vocalists that Stu has worked with include the current singers of Foreigner (Kelly Hansen), Toto (Bobby Kimball), Sweet (Joe Retta), Montrose (Keith St.John) and Survivor (Robin McAuley), not to mention recent Journey frontman Jeff Scott Soto who sang with Stu's well-known 80's rock group LA Rocks. Other credits include work with Heaven & Earth, Hamilton Joe Frank & Reynolds, Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon guitarist), Robin McAuley Group, LA Rocks, Rings Of Saturn, Torie Tyson, and Magic; keyboard and vocal sessions for movies and TV, karoake and video games; and frontman and lead vocalist of 80s hairband tribute HAir Guitar and original band KEYTAR. Check out www.myspace.com/stusimone for more info, photos and gig listings.
A voice like Steve Perry�s is certainly a rare thing, but Escape is lucky enough to have someone who not only sings like Mr. Perry, but also looks like him as well. ESCAPE 's lead vocalist DAVE ALCANTAR has been a very successful solo act in Orange Country for a number of years, where of course "Mr. Journeyman" is well-known for his Steve Perry impressions, he moonlights in a band with original Journey drummer Ainsley Dunbar, and has sung duets with many famous artists, including Bill Medley of Righteous Brothers fame. Check out www.DaveAlcantarMusic.com
ESCAPE lead guitarist/vocalist JAY GORE has established himself as one of LA's top guitarists; When he's not playing with Escape, Jay tours with Bobby Kimball (Toto), Lauryn Hill (The Fugees) , sexy female sax sensation Mindi Abair and teen singer/actress Hillary Duff ("Lizzy MaGuire" on TV), who made it to #1 on the pop charts. Besides recent appearances with rock vocalist extraordinaire Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple bassist & vocalist extraordinaire), Jay has played with Eddie Money, Sly Stone, Boz Scaggs, Edgar Winter, Rick James, Sean Lennon, Seal, Brian Culbertson, four different members of Toto, and two American Idols (Kimberly Caldwell and Constantine Maroulis). Jay has also written/produced songs that have been featured on the hit TV shows Beverly Hills 90210, Miami Ink, American Dad, E.R. and Party of Five. Jay has a number of product endorsements from many manufacturers including Line 6, Paul Reed Smith guitars, Ernie Ball/Music Man, Bognar Amplification, Rivera Amps, Matchless, Taylor Guitars, DiMarzio Pickups, Pickboy, Bournes Electronics, Levi's Leathers, and James Tyler Guitars to name more than a few. Jay's wide variety of experience comes in handy, enabling him to reproduce the full spectrum of Neil Schon's long and distinguished guitar career, from the searing wah-wah attack of early Journey, through the smooth jazz and blues inflections of late Journey. Check out http://www.myspace.com/jaygorerockstar, www.facebook.com/JayGoreOnGuitar and www.youtube.com/jaygoreguitar.
When Jay is off touring the world, AUGUST ZADRA steps right in on guitar and vocals. August is also busy touring as the lead guitarist and vocalsit (hear him sing the Tommy Shaw songs!) with Styx singer/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung.   
Drummer GARY PONDER is one of the busiest drummers in town, with credits including Gary Wright, Chris Squier and Maureen McCormick and recent session s with Bunny Brunell and Tony MacAlpine; he is endorsed by top drum maker Drum Workshop, among others. You can catch him performing live at the NAMM show every year demoing Worldmax drums. Like Journey's Steve Smith once did, Gary brings incredible technique and a mastery of jazz fusion to the pop & rock party. Check out www.GaryPonder.com
MARVIN SPERLING (bass & vocals) is the perfect bassist for a Journey tribute, as he has played in two original bands featuring former Journey members. Marvin brings 'the Journey sound" to ESCAPE from working with Robert Fleischman, the vocalist hired by Journey just before Steve Perry who co-wrote such Journey staples as "Wheel In The Sky." Marvin also plays with Josh Ramos, guitarist of The Storm, which features former Journey and Santana lead vocalist/keyboardist Greg Rollie as well as Journey bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith. Marvin has also played with such rock royalty as Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Kelly Hansen (Foreigner, Hurricane), Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow), Howard Leese (Heart, Bad Company), Kelly Keeling (MSG, Dokken, George Lynch), Tomi Jenkins (Cameo), Jay Schellen (Asia), and #1-rate recok keyboardist of all time Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP). Marvin has a cutting-edge ProTools music studio in Los Angeles, MarvinBass Studios, and besides being a beta-tester for ProTools (the #1 pro digital recording system), has endorsement deals with Spector Basses, Fernandes Guitars, Aguilar Amps, Line 6, Hipshot Products, Rotosound Strings and Sterling by MusicMan. Like keyboardist Stu Simone, Marvin is a former member of Heaven & Earth. He played bass and mixed the "Windows To The World" album, and played on the classic rock CD Heaven & Earth.
Altogether, these veteran
California rockers
faithfully capture the look and sound of Journey like no one else. With a
decade of shows across the US behind them,
ESCAPE
is earning a reputation at the premiere Journey Tribute in the world!
For proof, just check out the band's demo video (available to booking agents
and venues), show dates, reviews and a bulletin board at
www.tributecity.com.
We'd love to hear from you! And now it�s departure time for your ESCAPE to the frontiers of the Journey musical evolution... You won�t believe your eyes... and ears!
� 1999-2012 by Stu Simone, all rights reserved[ ESCAPE Home ] |
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