Other highlights include Williams' heartfelt tribute to his father, 'Para Don Berna', a reworking of the Baden Powell song, 'samba Novo', and 'La Salsa En Mi', featuring background vocals from 2003 Grammy Winner Ruben Blades and salsa legend Gilberto Santa Rosa.

The first single, a remix of his 'Just Because' featuring David Benoit, is poised to be a hit at smooth jazz radio while covers of Kansas and Billy Joel demonstrate Williams' ability to freshly reinterpret classic pop ballads.

Tracks like 'La Salsa En Mi' and 'Desvelado' mix Bernie's love of jazz with the sophisticated Latin rhythms of his Puerto Rican heritage. In addition to playing lead and rhythm guitar, Williams composed seven songs for the album. His major label debut, The Journey Within reflects his lifelong passion for music and encompasses his rich and varied musical palette. A classically trained guitarist, playing and composing music is Bernie's first true passion with influences that include jazz, classical, pop, Brazilian, and Latin sounds. But ask Bernie Williams what he wanted to be when growing up, and he'll say it was to be a professional musician. Without question, New York Yankees superstar Bernie Williams is one of the most popular and talented players in major league baseball, a potential hall-of-famer, and one of the most popular and well known athletes in pro sports. A legend on the field and a classically trained professional musician with a compact disc that reflects his honesty, his passion and love for music, his creativity, and his amazing talent.ĭescription by The Verve Music Group © 2003 One thing led to another and I was able to crystallize those ideas into a CD.' I always took my guitar on the road with me and I started listening to a lot of jazz, rock, Latin music and with my classical background, I started to incorporate all those influences and started creating different ideas. Oddly enough, I figured I was going to be a musician and that was going to be my profession, but like they say, the best baseball gig came along and I just ran with it. That's where I got all the music technique and an introduction to classical music.Īfter that, I started to play baseball. I began to take formal lessons with a neighborhood music teacher and when I was in ninth grade, I went to a music high school. When I became eight years old, it became a passion. Sometimes I would wake up and listen and go ask him, 'what is it that you are playing and how can I learn.' My dad was self-taught and it would be in the middle of the night and I would hear this note sounding throughout the whole house. He brought a guitar from Spain - he was a merchant marine - and he used to play it.

'My first experience with music was listening to my dad playing the guitar.

Shawn pelton playing with a click track