Randy Coven, a versatile bassist who worked with Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen and Leslie West over the years, has died at age 54. Coven’s family has confirmed his passing on May 20, though a cause of death was not revealed. Services for Coven will be held later today (May 22). Coven was a specialist in neoclassical and heavy metal styles perhaps best known for having toured with Malmsteen from 1999-2001, a period chronicled on the 2009 concert recording ‘Live in Korea.’ The guitarist’s over-the-phone audition of Coven reportedly went something like this: “Do you drink beer?” “Do you play with a pick?” “And do you play a Fender bass?” Coven was said to have answered “yes,” “yes” and “yes,” securing the job. He struck up a friendship with Vai while attending Berklee College of Music, and the two formed a late-’70s group called Morning Thunder. Vai later joined Coven on the title track of the bassist’s best-known solo effort, 1985′s ‘Funk Me Tender.’ Alice Cooper, Asia and Megadeth guitarist Al Pitrelli appeared on Coven’s sophomore solo album, ‘Sammy Says Ouch!,’ and later worked with Coven as part of a late-’80s group called CPR. While with CPR, Coven collaborated with Deep Purple‘s Steve Morse and Zakk Wylde of the Ozzy Osbourne band. His work with West, of Mountain fame, included 1994′s ‘Dodgin’ The Dirt’ and 1999′s ‘As Phat As It Gets.’ More recently, Coven released a 2002 solo album called ‘Witch Way,’ worked as part of A.R.K. and MCM, and appeared along with Joe Lynn Turner on a 2005 album by Russian pianist Vitalij Kuprij. by & © Nick DeRiso May 22, 2014 11:29 AM © http://ultimateclassicrock.com/randy-coven-dies/
Stu Hamm and Billy Sheehan seemed to get the most magazine coverage for their supreme bass-playing acrobatics during the late '80s, but another gentleman was right up there in the tapping/slapping department of rock bass -- Randy Coven. Like both aforementioned players, Coven was a pal of Steve Vai, and first graced the pages of such publications as Guitar for the Practicing Musician around the same time. While he turned many a head with such releases as Funk Me Tender and Sammy Says Ouch!, little was heard from Coven throughout the '90s. Now, 12 years after his last release comes Coven's third solo effort, 2002's Witch Way. With Coven joined by a pair of renowned rock guitarists -- Mountain's Leslie West and gun-for-hire Al Pitrelli (the latter of whom penned a couple of songs here) -- Witch Way expectedly focuses on the bassist's four-string skills, but turns out to be a musical potpourri. Included is a Spyro Gyra-esque easy listening jazz number, "Island Dream"; a song that sounds straight off of Frank Zappa's early-'80s albums, "Love Kitchen"; as well as a moody instrumental reading of a Doors classic tune, here named "Ryders on the Storm." © Greg Prato © 2014 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/witch-way-mw0000458283
The late bassist extraordinaire Randy Coven said of this album, "Today, during all this chaos, I have found myself returning to my fusion roots on my latest CD "Witch Way". This CD represents all the years of pent up musical energy I needed to release, or I will explode CD!" “Witch Way” is a good combination of fusion and funk by the late bassist. This album has received some criticism over the band’s treatment of The Door’s classic, “Riders On The Storm”. A lot of people didn’t like the fusion treatment and the keyboard work, but what the hell? It’s not a bad cover, and hardly sacrilege, and definitely does not spoil a great but too short album. This album can be complex and experimental at times, but the music is varied and it’s a classy instrumental album with contributions from Leslie West, Al Pitrelli, John Macaluso and more. Check out Blues Saraceno’s "Never Look Back" album featuring Randy Coven [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 75.6 Mb]
TRACKS / COMPOSERS
1 Island Dream - Al Pitrelli 4:53
2 Ryders On The Storm - Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore 4:24
3 Love Kitchen - Jon Bavona, Randy Coven 3:52
4 Poem - Randy Coven 3:53
5 Funk You - Randy Coven 3:50
6 Tree II - Randy Coven 3:28
7 Darklight - Al Pitrelli 4:13
8 Therapy - Randy Coven 4:00
MUSIC
Leslie West, Al Pitrelli, Jim Hickey - Guitar
Randy Coven - Bass
Jeff Shapiro - Piano, Keyboards
Scott McGille, Paul Morris, Delmar Brown - Keyboards
John Macaluso, Joe Chirco - Drums
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