FRANK GAMBALE · STUART HAMM · STEVE SMITH — The Light Beyond (2000) Two Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Although Frank Gambale, Stu Hamm, and Steve Smith have each established themselves separately on the fusion scene, their bond, which was made very apparent by their 1998 Tone Center release Show Me What You Can Do, is further solidified on The Light Beyond. The plugged-in power trio, organized by Steve Smith, provides listeners with a positive musical experience as a result of some solid writing and recording skills. Ten great compositions that focus on improvisation, tempo, great drum, guitar, and bass solos showcase the evolution of the group's fusion experiences. While "Katahdin" provides ferocity, "Yin" and "Yang" provide complimentary basslines, intricate rhythmic solos, and muted drumming. Songs such as "First Look," a ballad written by Stu Hamm, along with Frank Gambale's "Isle of Fire" unveil clear, melodic inspirations from their life experiences and musical influences in adaptations that jell with the CD's creative references. Steve Smith's solo piece, "Dun Dun," presents the drummer in an awesome display of beating in this great piece of music. The Light Beyond ultimately offers exciting musical perspectives that capture the group's propulsive abilities as well as their ability to dehyperfy. Paula Edelstein

Tracklist :
1.    Katahdin 7:06
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
2.    Yang 8:58
 Frank Gambale
3.    First Look 8:37
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
4.    The Throne Of Savitar 9:02
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
5.    Nostalgia 1:56
 Stuart Hamm 
6.    Yin 7:36
 Frank Gambale 
7.    The Spirit Of DumDun 2:32
 Stuart Hamm
8.    Lumpy's Lament 5:02
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
9    Isle Of Few 1:36
 Frank Gambale  
10.    Fugitive Aspirations 6:29
  Stuart Hamm 
Credits :
Frank Gambale - Guitar 
Stuart Hamm - Bass 
Steve Smith - Drum

FRANK GAMBALE · STUART HAMM · STEVE SMITH — Show Me What You Can Do (1998) Two Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Gambale and the gang tear it up! Stu Hamm is Levinesque-thundering, Stanley Clarke-kicking bass. Vital Information's Steve Smith's drumming keeps right up when it gets wild and hold things together during spacy chordal splurges. These pros got pumped watching old Mahavishnu Orchestra videos and cranked up the old fusion fires. Gambale surprised me on this one. So many of his other releases exhibit more of that bouncy jazz with clean, fast, sweep picking and an obvious structured disciplined approach. This album shows he can get mean, edgy, overdriven, and raw, and be a downright awesome riff monster. Hamm is an earthquake, Smith a splinter-slingin' tornado.

I heard McLaughlin's odd modes and moods clearly influencing "The Promise" and "Dangerous Curves." Tasteful harp-plucked chord progressions build in a Summers/Metheny/Holdsworth meshwork. Everyone gets space to stretch on "Beyond The Bridge" and "Sink." Hamm goes bassman crazy on "Wrong and Strong." Watch out Manring. On "Astral Traveler," Gambale does the Eric Johnson/Satriani dance, throws in a dose of his own machine gun bullet notes in a Scott Hendersonian bluesy-rock raunch, and deftly so at full throttle. "Tanya's Touch" sets you soul-travelin' the rain-slick, empty streets, wandering thru whispering snows, and then over the earth's glowing, blue-fired atmosphere. Find out for yourself what other nice surprises await you here. Pick this one up for end-of-the-millenium fusion finesse. Highly recommended. John W. Patterson
Tracklist :
1. Bad Intent 7:03
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
2. The Promise 5:39
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
3. Dangerous Curves 6:39
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
4. Beyond The Bridge 6:32
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
5. Sink 4:33
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
6. Wrong And Strong 6:12
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
7. Astral Traveler 5:42
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
8. Tanya's Touch 5:28
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
9. Lydia's Love Van  9:43
 Frank Gambale / Stuart Hamm / Steve Smith 
Credits :
Frank Gambale - Guitar
Stuart Hamm - Bass
Steve Smith - Drums

STEVE SMITH | TOM COSTER | LARRY CORYELL — Cause And Effect (1998) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Produced by Bob Thiele and recorded at Electric Lady studios with engineer Eddie Kramer, Barefoot Boy is one of Larry Coryell's finest recordings as a leader. "Gypsy Queen" was recorded prior to bassist Mervin Bronson's arrival at the studio, and features the percussion section locking into a groove over which Coryell lays down a riff and Steve Marcus cuts loose with a fiery soprano sax solo. When it's his turn to solo on this opening number, Coryell turns up the heat, sounding like a cross between Jimi Hendrix and Sonny Sharrock. (Coryell played with Sharrock on Herbie Mann's Memphis Underground.) "The Great Escape" finds Coryell cooking over a bass and percussion groove, with Marcus on tenor sax. "Call to the Higher Consciousness" is a side-long 20-minute jam in which all the players take a ride, with Marcus once again cooking on the soprano sax. Roy Haynes is superb throughout, working in tandem with the percussionists to keep the music moving. This recording is a noteworthy example of the possibilities inherent in the early days of fusion, blending the electrifying energy of rock with the improvisational excitement of jazz.  Jim Newsom
Tracklist :
1. These Are Odd Times ( 7:54 )
Written-By – Larry Coryell, Steve Smith, Tom Coster
2. Plankton ( 4:34 )
Written-By – Larry Coryell, Steve Smith, Tom Coster
3. Wrong Is Right ( 7:16 )
Written-By – Larry Coryell
4. Bubba ( 6:02 )
Written-By – Larry Coryell
5. Cause & Effect ( 0:49 )
Written-By – Steve Smith, Tom Coster
6. Night Visitors ( 8:08 )
Written-By – Larry Coryell, Steve Smith, Tom Coster
7. Miss Guided Missile ( 8:37 )
Written-By – Larry Coryell, Steve Smith, Tom Coster
8. First Things First ( 7:51 )
Written-By – Larry Coryell
9. Night Visitors Revisited ( 2:19 )
Written-By – Steve Smith, Tom Coster
10. Finale Wes & Jimmy ( 11:13 )
Written-By – Larry Coryell, Steve Smith, Tom Coster
Personnel :
Bass – Benny Rietveld (tracks: 2, 6, 10), Victor Wooten (tracks: 1)
Drums, Producer – Steve Smith
Guitar, Co-producer – Larry Coryell
Keyboards, Co-producer – Tom Coster