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213

Album Review

Vital Information: Show 'Em Where You Live

Read "Show 'Em Where You Live" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
April 12, 2002

Founded by all-world drummer Steve Smith back in the 80’s, Vital Information celebrates its tenth recording with a slightly organic vibe as these superb musicians delve into a variety of formats. The keyword here is groove, as these stylists (and frequent poll winners) align their wares for a group sound that has become easily identifiable! On this deceptively complex yet thoroughly entertaining affair, Smith sets the pace via his polyrhythmic outbreak on the opener, “Cranial #1" (an ongoing series of ...

152

Album Review

Gambale/Hamm/Smith: The Light Beyond

Read "The Light Beyond" reviewed by Todd S. Jenkins

by Todd S. Jenkins
October 1, 2000

Half of Vital Information unites with a former chops-metal icon to produce their second masterfully hewn fusion disc. Gambale and Smith are true giants of the fusion industry, and Hamm proved long ago that he was up to more than backing hair-god guitarists like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. From the very first notes the astonishing empathy and gifts of these three men are in your face. This is a 5K run through a musical mine field, the players deftly ...

189

Album Review

Vital Information: Live Around The World: Where We Come From Tour 1998-1999

by Todd S. Jenkins
October 1, 2000

It’s always refreshing to hear good fusion and contemporary jazz groups in live performance, away from the sometimes chafing studio glister of their recordings. This collection is an especially valuable treasure, documenting a spellbinding tour by one of fusion’s hottest supergroups. The members of Vital Information consistently astound listeners with their seasoned intuitiveness and mind-boggling virtuosity. Keyboardist Tom Coster honed his chops with the likes of Cobham and Santana; drummer Steve Smith has a formidable rock-jazz resume (including Journey and ...

217

Album Review

Vital Information: Live Around the World: The 'Where We Come From' Tour 1998-1999

by Scott Andrews
October 1, 2000

Drummer Steve Smith (Journey, Stanley Clarke) founded Vital Information in the early 80s. With Frank Gambale on guitar (Jean-Luc Ponty, Chick Corea), Tom Coster on organ (Billy Cobham, Santana), and Jeff Andrews on bass, Vital Information returned to the style of their 60s and 70s fusion and instrumental rock influences like Miles Davis, and The Meters, on their 1996 CD Where We Come From. This effort also marked a change in sonic direction, focusing on Coster's Hammond B3 organ, supported ...

149

Album Review

Gambale/Hamm/Smith: The Light Beyond

Read "The Light Beyond" reviewed by John W. Patterson

by John W. Patterson
August 1, 2000

If I had to find patterns or echoes of another guitarist in Gambale’s chordal progressions, breakdowns, and eruptions into vitriolic riffs of ostinatos and legatos, all being sweep-picking showcases – I’d have to say I keep hearing Mahavishnu John McLaughlin’s style in his Mahavishnu Orchestra daze of fusion. Listen to opening cut, “Katahdin” for evidence. And next track, Gambale surprises me with signature Allan Holdsworth voicings; those dream-laden, chordal noodlings and odd maneuvers of scale. This gives Hamm room to ...

160

Album Review

Frank Gambale - Stuart Hamm - Steve Smith: The Light Beyond

Read "The Light Beyond" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
August 1, 2000

Fusion and Rock superheroes, guitarist Frank Gambale, bassist Stuart Hamm and drummer Steve Smith reunite for their second “Tone Center” release, titled - The Light Beyond. Throughout, the musicians meld strong, memorable compositions with aggressive soloing and cagey dialogue. On the opener “Katahdin”, Gambale utilizes his impressive and well documented – sweeping technique – intermingled with thoughtful lines, legato and suspenseful themes while Hamm and Smith hammer out the rhythms with effortless control amid vivacious interplay. The composition, “Yang” might ...

184

Album Review

Tom Coster: Ivory Expedition

Read "Ivory Expedition" reviewed by Dave Hughes

by Dave Hughes
November 1, 1999

This CD presents two albums recorded by Tom Coster in 1981 and 1983. These sessions took place just a few years after Coster's six-year stint with Santana. Many hints of the music Coster composed and performed with Santana show through on some songs, such as the ballads "Magical Moments" and "I Give My Heart to You", although guitarist Joaquin Lievano (fresh from three years of high-octane fusion shredding with Jean-Luc Ponty) often lends the tunes a harder-edged fusion bite than ...