Musician, singer and songwriter Eric Westphal was born in Jackson Heights/Queens New York.

He began playing guitar when he was five years old, by age nine he was taking classical guitar lessons and just as he turned eleven years old gave his first live classical guitar recital.

By the age of fifteen Eric found another passion tied to his love for music – song writing. The songs ideas came pretty quickly to him although like most beginners the content was somewhat naïve, he continued to write and in his own words “after about a hundred songs in, my writing started to come together”.

Working with a number of bands through these years his songs slowly made their way into the cover band’s live set lists, eventually by the age of 21 Westphal started his own full on original group called the James Blonde Band.

This band played all original songs mostly penned by Eric and in Northern California they enjoyed heavy radio airplay with a solid three year run of independent record output.

A poet and musician known for his uniquely intelligent lyrics and passionate performance style, Hamilton created music that couldn’t be pigeon-holed into one genre or another.

During the 90’s Westphal was part of the Dirk Hamilton Band and was also a member of Gary Young’s Hospital, which produced three studio albums.

Thus, and having performing in various groups and producing or playing on countless album projects, Westphal has carved a niche for himself with the creativity and expression of his music.

To name just a few, Eric has worked on albums and co-written songs with Eric Martin, Gary Young, Jeff Watson, Mic Gillette, and the aforementioned Dirk Hamilton, and James Blonde.

Re-released now via IAC Records is a digitally remastered and expanded edition of the debut album by the talented Westphal, Alice Street Sessions.

Featuring Tesla's Troy Luccketta on drums along with a whole host of well- known artists, such as fellow Tesla buddy Tommy Skeoch, Marc Bonnilla, Bobby Messano, Jimmy Z, among others, Westphal may well have been writing music for over 30 years, but on this debut album, well, we get to see a musical acorn taking root.

1. 'Harmony' (5:54)
2. 'Hold Me' (4:56)
3. 'Another Time Another Place' (4:12)
4. 'Second Time Around' (4:07)
5. 'Follow My Heart' (4:27)
6. 'Wake Up To Love' (4:21)
7. 'Stop And Smell The Roses' (3:34)
8. 'Janine' (4:32)
9. 'So You're In Love' (4:10)
10. 'Night Light' (2:18)
11. 'Footsteps' (5:24)
12. 'Parked In The Dapple Shade' (Bonus Track) (7:53)

First up is the quietly paced 'Harmony' and that's backed by the upbeat and funky 'Hold Me' and then the streamlined heartbreaker 'Another Time, Another Place.' The AOR mid-tempo ballad 'Second Time Around' is then followed by the blissful '80s pop/rock sounds of 'Follow My Heart.'

'Wake Up To Love' is then backed by one of my own favorites, the joyous coming together of harmonies and horn on 'Stop & Smell The Roses.' The ode to falling in love, 'Janine' is next and runs seamlessly into the book end to the prior story, 'So You're In Love.'

'Night Light' is a another very melodic horn work out and then the album comes to a close with more '80s rock sounds within 'Footsteps,' and then the bonus track on this expanded edition, the piano ballad 'Parked In The Dappled Shade.'

Amazon CD Purchase Link

www.EricWestphalMusic.com