Scott Allen Project

Scott began playing guitar at age 11 after seeing a live Van Halen video. He began taking lessons, and when he was twenty he attended the Musicians Institute, G.I.T.. After getting the opportunity to study with the likes of Scott Henderson, Danny Gill, Brett Garsed, and Steve Trovato, Scott graduated from M.I. in March 1996.

He moved back to Sacramento and began teaching guitar at Northridge Music Center, where he currently teaches 65 to 70 students weekly. Scott also started playing lead guitar with local metal favorites 7 Years. With 7 Years, he played countless gigs throughout the Sacramento area and recorded one EP. After two years, the group disbanded, which led him to start his own group, Scott Allen Project.

With Scott Allen Project he has opened for a number of national acts such as: Gary Hoey, Eric Martin of Mr. Big, Dave Maniketti of Y&T, Planet X (which featured Tony MaCalpine and Virgil Donati of The Steve Vai Band, and Derek Sherinian, formerly of Dream Theater), Zoppi, Frank Hannon of Tesla, and countless local bands. After several shows together, Frank Hannon ultimately agreed to produce and record Scott's debut CD What Lies Beyond Words.

Scott Allen Project has released What Lies Beyond Words independently in West Coast locations early last year, and has concluded a West Coast tour starting in Los Angeles. The record is being distributed via: Amazon.com, Metal Rendevous Records, CD Baby, Guitar Nine Records, New Artists Online, Indie Music Store Online, Scott Allen Project Online Store, Wayside Music, I-Tunes, and many other digital distributors. A second record is in the works for release in 2008. Scott has been featured in Mike Varney’s Spotlight Column in the January 2006 issue of Guitar Player Magazine. He has also received coverage in Northeast In-tune Magazine, Rise Music Magazine, Progressive Newsletter, Strutter Magazine, and Unsigned Music Magazine. Two tracks from What Lies Beyond Words are being featured on Ernie Ball Radio, on the Ernie Ball Music Man website. Scott Allen Project has also received radio play on KRXQ 98 Rock, FTM Pod Cast network, The Refinery Rock Radio, Progrock Radio on Progrock.com, Metal Express Radio, Indie Connection Radio Show on X FM in New York, The Fusion Show on WCSB in Cleveland, and the For the Love of Guitar radio show in Romania. Scott Allen Project has been featured on Shredaholic.com, the Guitar Zone, Guitar Chef Italy, Hard Rock Haven, Guitar Nine Records, 21st Century Metal Net, Music in Belgium, Metal Revolution, Metal Observer, MusicTap, Progscape.com, Rough Edge, Sea of Tranquility, Metal Express Radio, Progressive Rock Brazil, Music Morsels, Ytsejam.com, and the ShredZone. Scott Allen Project has also provided the music for the KRXQ 98 Rock “Bod Squad” DVD. Scott writes instructional columns on the guitar websites, Guitar Nine Records, and Guitarz-For-Ever.com. Scott has recently finished shooting his first instructional DVD for Chops From Hell, which should be available shortly. Guitar Nine Records chose Scott as their Undiscovered Artist for November 2005. The band has received television exposure in the San Francisco Bay area, and radio and print promotion from as far away as Italy, Serbia & Montenegro, Argentina, Indonesia, and the UK. Scott Allen Project has also begun working with Jetset Sound, and Karnal Promotions, to service their music to television and film. Scott exclusively uses Vigier Guitars, SIT Strings, Dimarzio Pickups, Morley Pedals, George L Cables, and Peavey Amplifiers.

Album Review Music Morsels-

Scott Allen Project - What Lies Beyond Words Sacramento based instrumental guitarist Scott Allen creates blistering magic, weaving virtuoso stylings ala Satch with a flat out rock shredder soul that is uniquely Scott’s. Take a listen to the smoldering “The Cool Breeze” and you get a dose of both flavors within the same song. The bluesy “We Watched the Sunrise” and latin tinged “Under The Mexican Moon” flaunt other sides, but mostly this guy is a hard rocker capable of blowing the roof off. Production and engineering by Tesla’s Frank Hannon adds further depth to the sound.

2007 Scott Allen (Independent)

This is an album that adheres to the classic ‘Shrapnel Records’ sound, like records by Marty Friedman, David Chastain, & Vinnie Moore, it’s all about the six stings; no gimmicks, just playing. The melodies on What Lies Beyond Words are perplexed with precision, where the riffs remain catchy & down to earth, keeping the shred factor within the grooving scheme of things, however, Scott Allen plays the hell of his axe.He rocks his way through tracks such as the AOR tinged “A Girl I Once Knew,” the boogie laden “The Grind,” and the emotional rocker “Sapphire Sky;” but he does move to more eased back pastures on cuts like “Under the Mexican Moon,” “We Watched the Sunrise,” and “Saying Goodbye,” where the crunch takes a backseat to balladry and cooler passages.

What Lies Beyond Words is an album that invokes the spirit of a true guitarist’s record, no neo-classical mannerisms, no overzealous keyboard playing, and no over the top arrangements, ‘cause there is no need for them; Scott Allen plays his guitar like a singer would sing his lines, playing ‘lyrical’ riffs, where the phrasing (& songwriting) is king. He brings back the days of the real guitar hero.
Added: July 21st 2007 Reviewer: Tommy Hash