Arts & Entertainment

Warren Teen Joining Steve Vai for Asian Tour

Three-time Grammy Award winner Steve Vai taps three-time Grammy Camp attendee for upcoming Asian tour.

Unlike some high school graduates looking to spend the summer months relaxing, Warren resident Michael Arrom is taking a giant step forward in his music career this summer.

Arrom, who graduated from Pingry on June 13, will be leaving Thursday to join guitar virtuoso Steve Vai on a seven-nation tour with stops in Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Thailand. 

"I was expecting things to start kicking off after college, so to go on tour with someone like Steve is mind-blowing," Arrom said. He said he's taking a year off before heading to USC, where he'll major in Popular Music performance at the school. "I'm just planning to take the extra time to grow as a musician."

"I've heard that Steve's the kind of guy who can push musicians to do things they wouldn't normally think to do," Arrom said. "I can't wait to see what happens." 

That growth may come quickly, first in the few days of practice the five-piece band has set in Los Angeles before heading to Australia to begin the tour—which Arrom admitted he is a little nervous about.

He was offered the keyboard spot on Vai's top-notch four-member band after an audition via Skype, he told his former school.

"What sealed the deal was Michael’s grueling preparation of one of Mr. Vai’s songs that many people consider 'unplayable' because the piece requires a fast tempo, complicated finger techniques and sudden leaps between octaves," Pingry reported on its website. 

Vai may be best known as Frank Zappa's "stunt guitarist" and has performed with David Lee Roth, Alcatrazz and Whitesnake. He appeared in the 1986 movie "Crossroads" as "Jack Butler," a musician who had sold his soul to the devil to acquire unnatural musical skill.

But Vai is also known as a strong supporter of musicians he likes, providing access to his studio and recording company, Favored Nations. He was searching for musicians to support him on the tour, and was directed to Arrom by David Rosenthal, a longtime friend of Vai's with whom Arrom has been studying for several years.

But Arrom said he was still shocked to get the gig.
 
"He (Rosenthal) didn't tell me he was talking to Steve about me," Arrom said. Arrom said Rosenthal said Vai would be emailing him—which he did, sending the music for Arrom to be prepared to play for the audition. 

The step is a logical one for Arrom, who has been grooming for professional touring for several years—he attended the prestigious Grammy Camp for young musicians three years in a row, and was tapped to perform with Keith Urban at the American Country Music Awards in December.

Arrom was also named the top instrumentalist under 18 at the annual Jersey Acoustic Music Awards program in May.

And while many successful music careers are made by joining tours like this one, he's still focused on going to college next year.

"There's all these opportunities, but tours aren't 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunities," Arrom said his teacher told him. "I want to go to college to learn more and make connections."


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