ROSS VALORY Unveils Visually Thrilling Video For “Windmill” From ‘All Of The Above’ Album Out Today

To coincide with the release of his ALL OF THE ABOVE album out this Friday (April 12) on OID Music, ROSS VALORY has unveiled a new video for “Windmill.” Directed by Michael Cotten, the visually thrilling video leans into the song’s Brazilian flair with live action to animation video with tropical seascapes, samba dancers, and picturesque city scenes, alongside ROSS and the other musicians playing the song. Watch the video HERE.

“’Windmill’ is another Latin-inspired tune [from the album] that dances across Brazil!” ROSS says. “It was written on guitar and as a result this is the first time I’ve recorded guitar.”

He continues, “This is the third music video release, on which I am so very happy to be collaborating with Michael Cotten. His work is unique and sophisticated, and I’m honored to have my music paired with his visual magic. Michael and I are continuing to develop video concepts for the entire album.”

“Creating the videos for Ross Valory’s new music ‘All Of The Above’ has been both challenging and thrilling!” Michael Cotten adds. “To have such great musical inspiration is a dream project for my video art. Regarding ‘Windmill,’ Ross has created a musical playground that brings to mind a fantasy ‘Sambascape’ that celebrates the spirit of Brazil in an engaging visual party.”

For the track, VALORY brought in Celso Alberti, the brilliant Brazilian drummer from the Steve Winwood band, who lit up the piece, laying down a track where Karl Perazzo [from Santana] added his percussion. Core team member and acclaimed keyboardist Eric Levy added piano and synths. The original guitar part that VALORY played on his Godin nylon-string electric remained, as did some other electric guitar parts he played. VALORY dropped a new bass part on the track and saxophonist Marc Russo finished the piece.

“Windmill” marks the third video and track from the debut album from one of rock’s best bass guitarists and an original member of the multi-platinum band Journey until his 2020 departure.   It follows the album’s two previous Cotten created for “Wild Kingdom (with its Latin-fired intensity) and “Tomland” (the album’s hypnotic first single).

The track’s credits are as follows:

WINDMILL

(Ross Valory)

Ross Valory – Bass Guitar, Guitars

Eric Levy – Piano, Synths

Karl Perazzo – Percussion

Celso Alberti – Drums

Marc Russo – Alto Saxophone

Single artwork

Credit: Prairie Prince

ROSS VALORY

Photo credit: Jérôme Brunet

ROSS VALORY always had pieces of music tucked away that he had written, although songwriting contributions to Journey slipped away after the first three “experimental” albums. As a member of Journey, VALORY concentrated on shaping the rhythm section and contributing his baritone vocals to the background blend.

During the band’s second coming following the 1995 reunion album Trial By Fire, VALORY began sorting through his files and polishing up some of his old notes. In between tour dates, he pulled together a tight-knit group of collaborators and slowly began to finish what he started. After a lifetime in music, VALORY scrupulously etched ALL OF THE ABOVE. The album was produced by VALORY and co-produced by Jacob Stowe and Eric Levy.

VALORY developed a repertory company of musicians over the years that came together at his studio. He cultivated individual numbers like sprawling projects, experimenting with different arrangements played by an assortment of musicians. Sometimes spending years jamming on these ideas, the pieces took shape slowly. Different ideas were tried and discarded, remodeled and refurbished. The basic concept was to find the heart of the material and expand upon it until VALORY could refine and shape the music’s path to his supreme satisfaction. He cast specific musicians to specific parts. The studio became his laboratory and the compositions his experiments.

From the Latin-fired intensity of “Wild Kingdom” to the ethereal dirge of “No One Wins a War,” the raucous party on “Low Rider” or the brilliant reprise of Santana’s “Incident of Neshabur,” the album presents an evolved artist fully in command of his vision, a lifetime of experience behind the project, augmenting his core associates with guest musicians such as Gregg Errico of Sly & the Family Stone, drummer Steve Smith, and saxophonist Marc Russo. The nine tracks on the album represent the full maturity of VALORY’s musical gifts, cutting a broad swath through the instrumental territory the music travels. He plays keyboards, guitar, and, of course, many basses in a display of cultivated virtuosity across a palette far broader than could be found in his work with Journey. He is stepping out from behind his bass and, for the first time in his more than half-century as a professional musician, representing his vision and his compositions.

VALORY left Journey in 2020 and the band members worked out their issues in a peaceful mediated settlement. VALORY, who spent most of his life as a member of Journey, has no regrets. He counts his blessings at having spent an amazing career with a remarkable group of musicians who succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

The ALL OF THE ABOVE track listing is as follows:

Wild Kingdom

Nightflower

Tomland

Touched, Part II

Windmill

Incident at Neshabur

Low Rider

No One Wins a War

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