DISCOGRAPHY

"Steve and I have been good friends since we met at Berklee in 1978. Back then, we played together in a band called 'Morning Thunder.' Since that time, each of our careers took off in different directions and this was the first chance that we had to work together again. It was great fun to work with Steve again so many years later. This album went on to be nominated for a Grammy in 1990 in the category of Best Rock Instrumental."

This concert was a highlight of David's long career. In addition to performing in Billy's band, David also arranged and conducted the live orchestra.

"It's always a thrill to play for a hometown crowd, especially when it happens to be Madison Square Garden, where I went to see concerts as a kid. This album was recorded during a record-breaking 12 soldout shows in 2006."

This double CD was recorded live at Madison Square Garden during the 3 hour New Year's Eve show on 12/31/99-1/1/00. This particular concert was very special not only because it celebrated the millennium, but because it marked the end of the tour we were doing and possibly the end of Billy's touring career.

This limited edition CD is a great compilation of all three greatest hits volumes plus a bonus CD of live stuff that I played on during the River of Dreams tour.

"After several years of touring with Billy Joel, I finally had the opportunity to do some studio recordings with him. On the song 'Hey Girl' Billy asked me to play piano, which was a great honor because I am one of only three people to play piano on a Billy Joel record (the other two were Ray Charles and Richard Tee)."

"Originally only released in Australia, this compilation includes the River of Dreams CD, a CD of five live tracks that I played on during the River of Dreams tour, and a CD of one of Billy's college lectures."

"It took me nearly nine months to complete the orchestration of Yngwie's 'Opus 1. My 307 page score for the Millennium Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor was originally written for 65 piece orchestra plus choir. But, due to union rules every musician in the orchestra was contracted to play at the recording session. So, my orchestration ended up being performed by a 90 piece orchestra with 40 piece choir!"

"After the long, tedious process of transcribing more than an hour of Yngwie's ideas for the concerto, it was then time to begin the orchestration. First I wrote the entire score by hand, and then it was entered into my computer using a software program called Overture. I was then able to generate laser printed copies which were later leather-bound and used by the conductor during the recording sessions."

"Another interesting part of the whole process was creating a demo of my orchestration for Yngwie. Although he is a brilliant guitarist, Yngwie doesn't read music. So I couldn't present him with my score and say, 'what do you think?'. Instead, I had to create the 'Rosenthal Philharmonic' (using 7 Kurzweil synthesizers) and record a demo of the entire piece by playing every one of the parts. Then Yngwie overdubbed his guitar parts and was able to make comments and suggestions, which I later incorporated into the score."

"As part of my job as orchestrator, I also had to create all of the parts booklets for each of the individual musicians in the orchestra. When all was said and done, I ended up with more than 1500 pages of music! Just to proof-read the entire score and all the parts took me almost 2 months!!"

"The Concerto was recorded in Prague by the Czech Philharmonic in June, 1997 and was released February 4th, 1998 in Japan. Because of the unique nature of this album, the record company (Pony Canyon) decided on two simultaneous releases: one targeted for the classical audience (released on the Canyon Classic label) and the other targeted for the typical Yngwie Malmsteen listener."

"I would like to personally thank Vora Vor for her dedicated assistance throughout this project. Unfortunately, the incomplete liner notes in the album did not properly credit everyone involved on this project."

"It took me nearly nine months to complete the orchestration of Yngwie's 'Opus 1. My 307 page score for the Millennium Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor was originally written for 65 piece orchestra plus choir. But, due to union rules every musician in the orchestra was contracted to play at the recording session. So, my orchestration ended up being performed by a 90 piece orchestra with 40 piece choir!"

"After the long, tedious process of transcribing more than an hour of Yngwie's ideas for the concerto, it was then time to begin the orchestration. First I wrote the entire score by hand, and then it was entered into my computer using a software program called Overture. I was then able to generate laser printed copies which were later leather-bound and used by the conductor during the recording sessions."

"Another interesting part of the whole process was creating a demo of my orchestration for Yngwie. Although he is a brilliant guitarist, Yngwie doesn't read music. So I couldn't present him with my score and say, 'what do you think?'. Instead, I had to create the 'Rosenthal Philharmonic' (using 7 Kurzweil synthesizers) and record a demo of the entire piece by playing every one of the parts. Then Yngwie overdubbed his guitar parts and was able to make comments and suggestions, which I later incorporated into the score."

"As part of my job as orchestrator, I also had to create all of the parts booklets for each of the individual musicians in the orchestra. When all was said and done, I ended up with more than 1500 pages of music! Just to proof-read the entire score and all the parts took me almost 2 months!!"

"The Concerto was recorded in Prague by the Czech Philharmonic in June, 1997 and was released February 4th, 1998 in Japan. Because of the unique nature of this album, the record company (Pony Canyon) decided on two simultaneous releases: one targeted for the classical audience (released on the Canyon Classic label) and the other targeted for the typical Yngwie Malmsteen listener."

"I would like to personally thank Vora Vor for her dedicated assistance throughout this project. Unfortunately, the incomplete liner notes in the album did not properly credit everyone involved on this project."

"This album of covers was recorded as a tribute to the music that Yngwie grew up listening to. I was called in to play on two tracks: 'Carry on My Wayward Son' and 'Child in Time.' The sessions were a lot of fun because these were also songs I grew up listening to. This was the first time I had met Yngwie, and it was during these sessions that the idea of the Millennium Concerto was born."

Originally recorded on the 1988 Heavy Nova tour, this recording from a show at the legendary Apollo Theater was finally released in 2001.

This Japanese Rainbow-tribute band recorded this, their self-titled debut CD, on Pony Canyon Records. The name of the band, Niji-Densetsu, actually means 'Legends of Rainbow.' David played on 2 songs, 'Spotlight Kid' and 'Gates of Babylon.' 'Gates of Babylon' features a new, extended keyboard introduction called 'Road to Babylon' which was written by David. The album also features performances by ex-Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner.

"I produced and played keyboards on three tracks on this release ('You're So Beautiful,' 'Just Because', and 'It's Falling Apart'). Working on this project musically reunited me with Don O'Keefe, a longtime friend and the drummer from my college band 'Masterpiece.'"

Although this album was released in 1998, it contains tracks that were recorded more than 10 years prior. David played keyboards on two tracks. The band features guitarist Mike Walsh who played in David's high school band 'Crystal Visions.'

"The Good Rats were one of my favorite bands when I was in High School. It was a great thrill when Peppi Marcello called me and asked me to play on two tracks ('She's Stayin' Home Tonight,' and 'Feelin' Good Again')."

"Prior to the recording of this album, I was asked to become a bandmember of Dream Theater. I was unavailable because I was touring with Billy Joel at that time. However, I was able to make time to do some synthesizer programming on this EP."

"Throughout my career I always wanted to have my own band. I finally got the opportunity in 1992 when I signed a contract with EMI/Toshiba. Although I had been looking for a record deal for many years, when I finally got one, I no longer had a band! So I held auditions with a very select group of some of the most talented musicians I had ever worked with. We chose the name Red Dawn, and it turned out to be the best band I had ever played in! The entire project was a great musical experience and the release of this album was a personal milestone in my career."

The album was originally released in Japan on the Inside Out label (a division of EMI/Toshiba) in March, 1993. It was later released in the UK on the Now and Then label.

"This European release includes a track that I produced and played keyboards on ('Lay Down Your Guns'), and recorded at my home studio. It also includes two songs that I co-wrote ('Old Fashioned Love' and 'Personality')."

"Steve and I have been good friends since we met at Berklee in 1978. Back then, we played together in a band called 'Morning Thunder.' Since that time, each of our careers took off in different directions and this was the first chance that we had to work together again. It was great fun to work with Steve again so many years later. This album went on to be nominated for a Grammy in 1990 in the category of Best Rock Instrumental."

"In 1988 I was in L.A. recording tracks for Steve Vai's 'Passion and Warfare.' At the same time he was working on tracks for this Whitesnake album. At one point we took a break from Steve's album, switched master tapes, and I added some synth overdubs to the title track. I was really in the right place at the right time!"

This 1988 release was one of my first endeavors into the world of R&B. This album contained the #3 R&B hit single, 'Joy and Pain.'

"Originally I was called in to just do synthesizer programming for this project. At the end of one of the all-night sessions (around 6:00 A.M.!) Bob Rosenberg asked me if I was familiar with the Peter Frampton song, 'Baby I Love Your Way' and the Lynyrd Skynyrd song, 'Freebird.' Of course I knew both of them, but the idea of putting the two songs together in a medley seemed strange to me at first. But I gave it a try, and by 10:00 A.M. we had the basics for what later became my first #1 hit single!"

"One of my passions in life besides music is baseball. Climb was a project started by former Expos outfielder Warren Cromartie (who is also a drummer and a fan of Rainbow!). I met Warren in Cincinatti at a Rainbow concert. We quickly became friends, and the next day he invited me to watch his 'gig' as the rightfielder during the Expos vs. Reds game. Several years later, after his retirement from baseball, he invited me to play on this record."

This 2000 compilation features selections from many of Rainbow's albums. The CD includes 3 tracks that I played on: 'Stone Cold,' 'Power,' and 'Street of Dreams.'

This 2000 compilation features selections from many of Rainbow's albums. The CD includes 3 tracks that I played on: 'Stone Cold,' 'Power,' and 'Street of Dreams.'

Rainbow broke up in 1984 when Ritchie Blackmore decided to reunite Deep Purple. Shortly after, this double live album was released as a final tribute to the Rainbow years. It includes recordings from concerts throughout Rainbow's 8-year history. I played on 2 tracks that were recorded on the Live Between Eyes tour and 4 tracks from the Bent Out of Shape tour. One of the tracks was recorded at Rainbow's last concert and features my orchestration of a rock version of Beethoven's 9th, performed by the band with the Tokyo Symphony.

This album was recorded in Copenhagen in 1983 and contains the hit single 'Street of Dreams.' It was the first time I worked with Chuck Bürgi, who would later become the drummer in Red Dawn.

"I recorded this, my first album, when I was only 20. I sat in the control room during the recording of this entire album so that I could learn as much as possible about the recording process. This album contains the hit single 'Stone Cold.' Upon its release, it received extensive airplay and was the first time I heard myself on the radio! My orchestration for 'Eyes of Fire' was performed by the Montreal Symphony and was the first time I heard one of my orchestrations performed."

"This was my first full album production. The tracks were recorded at Electrola Studios in Cologne, Germany and mixed at Powerplay Studios in Zurich, Switzerland. The band featured the talents of Dutch guitarist Wilco Van Beek and British singer Ian Parry, as well as former Good Rats drummer Joe Franco. Besides producing, I also played keyboards on some of the tracks."

Here is a reprint of my liner notes from the CD:

"Way back in 1985, I had the pleasure of producing and playing keyboards for an exciting new band called Hammerhead. They had tracked me down in Italy while I was on tour with Little Steven, and asked me if I would be interested in producing their debut album for EMI/Electrola. After listening to their demos I was immediately interested, and before I knew it I was in Amsterdam rehearsing!"

"The combination of Ian Parry's energetic vocals with Wilco Van Beek's soaring guitars gave the band a powerful and characteristic sound. With Ian Bishop on bass and the addition of the incredible Joe Franco on drums, the band was really rockin'! After a week of rehearsal, it was off to Cologne to record at EMI/Electrola Studios. But not everything would be so smooth..."

"When the band arrived in Cologne they were greeted with the news that there weren't enough hotel rooms, and that there were none available anywhere. So for the first week of sessions Wilco and Ian found themselves sleeping on the couch of the label manager's apartment! The record company quickly assured us that everything would be fine, but the obstacles kept on coming. Technical problems, scheduling problems, it seemed like every day something else would go wrong."

"At one point there was a huge snowstorm and the studio roof collapsed from the weight of the snow! Melting snow poured into the studio and suddenly the band found themselves on the roof shoveling snow along with some of the label's top executives!! What a sight!! It took more than a week to repair the roof, but we still continued recording when the weather was good!"

"Through it all, the band's enthusiasm prevailed and we kept on working. The guys joked about everything and we managed to have alot of laughs and alot of fun throughout the recording process. Most importantly, we were all excited because we were making a great record."

"After we finished the recording, I moved the project to Powerplay Studios in Zurich where I was joined by Obie O'Brien to mix the record. All went okay there, but when I returned to Cologne with the finished mixes I was informed that while I was gone the label had a 'falling out' with the band and the record was not going to be released. I returned back home to the States feeling great about the record but immensely disappointed that no one would ever hear it."

"During the next 15 years, the band would make countless attempts to obtain the masters from Electrola in an effort to try and get it released on another label. Finally, in early 2000, it was Hans Van Vuuren who successfully reached an agreement with Electrola to release the album on Double Dutch. But there would still be one last obstacle. The masters had been lost!"

"It was then that Hans contacted me in an attempt to locate any decent copy of the original master. Fortunately, I remembered that Obie O'Brien had made a 1/4 inch safety copy. So I called him and sure enough he still knew exactly where it was! The tape was in good condition and was carefully transferred to DAT to be remastered."

"And so, at long last, I am pleased to present to you, 'Heart Made Of Steel'."

"Although recording techniques and the musical climate have both changed considerably since 1985, I'm sure you'll find that Hammerhead is still an exciting and fun band to listen to. I am thrilled that the rest of the world will finally get to hear it!"

David Rosenthal
June 21, 2000.

The CD was recorded live in Australia, 2008.