Frank Gambale
Encyclopedia
Frank Gambale is an Australia
n jazz fusion
guitarist
. He has released eleven studio album
s over a period of more than two decades, and is renowned for his use of the sweep picking and economy picking
techniques.
circuit with his own band and in 1985 released his first studio album, Brave New Guitar
, through Legato Records (owned by Mark Varney, brother of Shrapnel Records
founder Mike Varney
) in what was to be a three-album contract. In that same year, he toured with Jean-Luc Ponty
and shortly afterwards began a six-year stint with the Chick Corea Elektric Band
in 1987. During his time with the latter, he has participated in five albums and shared a Grammy Award
(with two nominations).
In the 1980s, he released two studio albums and a live album
. In 1988, he released Monster Licks & Speed Picking, the first of many instructional videos. An endorsement deal with Ibanez
guitars resulted in the 1987 debut of the Frank Gambale Model (FGM) signature series, modeled after the Ibanez S
aber. Yamaha also manufactured a signature guitar after he left Ibanez later in the 1990s. In 2011, he endorsed the Carvin
FG1, a thin hollow body guitar made in the US.
He signed with Victor Entertainment
in 1989 as part of a five-album agreement, and released Thunder from Down Under
the following year.
The 1990s began for Gambale with a pair of albums—Truth in Shredding
(1990) and Centrifugal Funk
(1991)—as part of The Mark Varney Project. These were collaborations with fellow guitarists Allan Holdsworth
, Brett Garsed
and Shawn Lane
, in a jazz fusion supergroup
concept put together by Mark Varney. Around this time, he served as head of the guitar department of the Los Angeles Music Academy. In the 2000s, having parted ways with Victor, Gambale started his own record label named Wombat Records after purchasing his entire Legato discography with the intention of reissuing it himself. A live double album
, Resident Alien – Live Bootlegs, was released in 2001, along with Imagery Suite; a duet featuring classical guitar
ist Maurizio Colonna. He also released a studio album, Coming to Your Senses
, on guitarist Steve Vai
's Favored Nations
label in 2000.
Gambale has also been a member of the jazz fusion band Vital Information
since 1988, with the group consisting of keyboardist
Tom Coster
, drummer
Steve Smith
and bassist
Baron Browne
. Furthermore, in a group known as GHS, he has released three collaborative albums with Steve Smith and bassist Stu Hamm through Mike Varney's jazz
-orientated label, Tone Center Records
. In addition to concert recordings, he released an instructional DVD called Concert with Class in 2003. A reunion with Chick Corea came about in 2004, and Gambale subsequently toured with the Chick Corea Elektric Band. In 2006 and 2010, he released two all-jazz studio albums in the form of Natural High
and Natural Selection
, respectively.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. He has released eleven studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s over a period of more than two decades, and is renowned for his use of the sweep picking and economy picking
Economy picking
Economy picking is a guitar-playing technique for a guitarist who uses a pick. A hybrid of sweep picking and alternate picking, economy picking involves using alternate picking except when changing strings...
techniques.
Recording career
Gambale graduated from GIT in Hollywood, with Student of the Year honors. He also taught there from 1984 to 1986. After graduation, he played the jazz clubJazz club
A jazz club is a venue where the primary entertainment is the performance of live jazz music. Jazz clubs have been in large rooms in the eras of Orchestral jazz and big band jazz and when its popularity as a dance music was common...
circuit with his own band and in 1985 released his first studio album, Brave New Guitar
Brave New Guitar
- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, production* Mark Gasbarro – keyboard* Kei Akagi – piano* Jack Kelly – drums* Steve Reid – percussion* Steve Kershisnik – bass guitar* Jon Crosse – saxophone, flute, woodwind...
, through Legato Records (owned by Mark Varney, brother of Shrapnel Records
Shrapnel Records
Shrapnel Records is a guitar-oriented record label started in 1980 by record producer Mike Varney. Guitarist Marty Friedman , one of the label's most successful artists, first appeared on the album Unsung Guitar Heroes II in 1980 with the band Vixen. Vixen would later change their name to Hawaii...
founder Mike Varney
Mike Varney
Mike Varney is an American musician, record producer, music publisher and impresario. He is the founder of the Shrapnel Label Group, which includes Shrapnel Records, Tone Center Records and Blues Bureau International. He also has a 50% stake in Magna Carta Records, a New York-based label...
) in what was to be a three-album contract. In that same year, he toured with Jean-Luc Ponty
Jean-Luc Ponty
Jean-Luc Ponty is a French virtuoso violinist and jazz composer.- Early years:Ponty was born into a family of classical musicians on 29 September 1942 in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano...
and shortly afterwards began a six-year stint with the Chick Corea Elektric Band
Chick Corea Elektric Band
Chick Corea Elektric Band is a jazz fusion band, led by pianist Chick Corea. Following the demise of Return to Forever, Corea established the musical ensemble in 1986. Following a long hiatus, the band reunited to produce "To the Stars" in 2004....
in 1987. During his time with the latter, he has participated in five albums and shared a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
(with two nominations).
In the 1980s, he released two studio albums and a live album
Live! (Frank Gambale album)
-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mixing, production*Kei Akagi – keyboard*Joe Heredia – drums*Steve Kershisnik – bass guitar*Steve Tavaglione – saxophone, EWI*John Falzarano – engineering*Ray Thompson – engineering...
. In 1988, he released Monster Licks & Speed Picking, the first of many instructional videos. An endorsement deal with Ibanez
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
guitars resulted in the 1987 debut of the Frank Gambale Model (FGM) signature series, modeled after the Ibanez S
Ibanez S
The Ibanez S Series is a guitar series produced by Hoshino Gakki. Introduced in the late 1980s, the S Series is notable for being a streamlined mahogany bodied guitar with a maple neck that plays comfortably while retaining the resonance of mahogany...
aber. Yamaha also manufactured a signature guitar after he left Ibanez later in the 1990s. In 2011, he endorsed the Carvin
Carvin
This article refers to a French commune. For the guitar manufacturer see Carvin Corporation. For the late New Orleans political consultant see Jim Carvin.Carvin is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France....
FG1, a thin hollow body guitar made in the US.
He signed with Victor Entertainment
Victor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as...
in 1989 as part of a five-album agreement, and released Thunder from Down Under
Thunder From Down Under
-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard , synthesizer, piano, electric percussion , mixing, production*Kei Akagi – synthesizer solo *Freddie Ravel – keyboard...
the following year.
The 1990s began for Gambale with a pair of albums—Truth in Shredding
Truth in Shredding
-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, engineering, mixing, production*Allan Holdsworth – electric guitar, SynthAxe, overdub engineering*Freddy Ravel – keyboard*Tom Brechtlein – drums*Jimmy Earl – bass guitar...
(1990) and Centrifugal Funk
Centrifugal Funk
- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – electric guitar * Brett Garsed – electric guitar * Shawn Lane – electric guitar * Mike O'Neill – electric guitar * T.J...
(1991)—as part of The Mark Varney Project. These were collaborations with fellow guitarists Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
, Brett Garsed
Brett Garsed
Brett Garsed is an Australian guitar player. He plays with, among others, John Farnham and T. J. Helmerich and is a former member of the band Nelson...
and Shawn Lane
Shawn Lane
Shawn Lane was an American musician. Although piano was his first instrument, he quickly became a noted player in underground guitar circles and joined Black Oak Arkansas when he was just fourteen years old....
, in a jazz fusion supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
concept put together by Mark Varney. Around this time, he served as head of the guitar department of the Los Angeles Music Academy. In the 2000s, having parted ways with Victor, Gambale started his own record label named Wombat Records after purchasing his entire Legato discography with the intention of reissuing it himself. A live double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
, Resident Alien – Live Bootlegs, was released in 2001, along with Imagery Suite; a duet featuring classical guitar
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
ist Maurizio Colonna. He also released a studio album, Coming to Your Senses
Coming To Your Senses
- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – electric guitar, electric sitar, sound effects, production* Hans Zermhuelen – keyboard* Mark Schulman – drums * Ray Brinker – drums * Joel Taylor – drums...
, on guitarist Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
's Favored Nations
Favored Nations
Favored Nations is a record label started by guitarist Steve Vai and former Guitar Center owner Ray Scherr in 1999. The first album ever released by Favored Nations was Frank Gambale's Coming to Your Senses in 2000...
label in 2000.
Gambale has also been a member of the jazz fusion band Vital Information
Vital Information
Steve Smith and Vital Information is an American jazz fusion group led by drummer Steve Smith.Vital Information was formed from the two groups, Frank Keyboard and The Keyboards and Pennywhistle Pokkett, both massively influential on the jazz and blues scene, by Steve Smith in 1983 with friends Tim...
since 1988, with the group consisting of keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Tom Coster
Tom Coster
Tom Coster is an American keyboardist and composer. Detroit-born and San Francisco-raised, Coster played piano and accordion as a youth, continuing his studies through college and a productive five-year stint as a musician in the U.S...
, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Steve Smith
Steve Smith (musician)
Steve Elliott Smith is an American drummer who has worked with hundreds of artists in his career, but is mostly known for being the drummer of the rock band Journey during their peak years of success. Modern Drummer magazine readers voted him the #1 All-Around Drummer five years in a row...
and bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Baron Browne
Baron Browne
Baron Browne is an American bassist.Born and raised in Georgia, USA, Baron Browne gravitated to music at a very early age, learning to play his uncle's drumset at 7 years old...
. Furthermore, in a group known as GHS, he has released three collaborative albums with Steve Smith and bassist Stu Hamm through Mike Varney's jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-orientated label, Tone Center Records
Tone Center Records
Tone Center Records is an independent record label owned by music industry veteran Mike Varney, dedicated to recording high level jazz, jazz/rock, and fusion guitar. It is a member of The Shrapnel Label Group, along with Shrapnel Records and Blues Bureau International...
. In addition to concert recordings, he released an instructional DVD called Concert with Class in 2003. A reunion with Chick Corea came about in 2004, and Gambale subsequently toured with the Chick Corea Elektric Band. In 2006 and 2010, he released two all-jazz studio albums in the form of Natural High
Natural High (Frank Gambale album)
- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – acoustic guitar, mixing, production* Otmaro Ruíz – piano* Mike Shapiro – percussion* Alain Caron – bass guitar* Robert M. Biles – engineering, mixing* Dave Fredrick – audio editing* Jim Schultz – audio editing...
and Natural Selection
Natural Selection (Frank Gambale album)
Natural Selection is the eleventh studio album by guitarist Frank Gambale, released in 2010 through Wombat Records.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – jazz guitar, mixing, production*Otmaro Ruíz – piano*Joel Taylor – percussion...
, respectively.
Studio albums
- 1985: Brave New GuitarBrave New Guitar- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, production* Mark Gasbarro – keyboard* Kei Akagi – piano* Jack Kelly – drums* Steve Reid – percussion* Steve Kershisnik – bass guitar* Jon Crosse – saxophone, flute, woodwind...
- 1987: A Present for the FutureA Present For The FutureA Present for the Future is the second studio album by guitarist Frank Gambale, released in 1987 through Legato Records and reissued in 2000 through Wombat Records...
- 1990: Thunder from Down UnderThunder From Down Under-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard , synthesizer, piano, electric percussion , mixing, production*Kei Akagi – synthesizer solo *Freddie Ravel – keyboard...
- 1991: Note WorkerNote Worker- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – vocals, electric guitar, keyboard , keyboard bass , synthesizer , synthesizer melody , sequencing , organ, scratching, background vocals , mixing, production...
- 1993: The Great ExplorersThe Great Explorers-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – electric guitar, electric sitar, synthesizer melody , sequencing, drum programming , drums , bass guitar , spoken vocals, mixing, production...
- 1994: PassagesPassages (Frank Gambale album)-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mixing, production*Otmaro Ruíz – synthesizer, Hammond organ*Walfredo Reyes, Jr. – drums, percussion*Alphonso Johnson – bass guitar, fretless bass guitar*Brandon Fields – saxophone*Robert M...
- 1995: Thinking Out Loud
- 2000: Coming to Your SensesComing To Your Senses- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – electric guitar, electric sitar, sound effects, production* Hans Zermhuelen – keyboard* Mark Schulman – drums * Ray Brinker – drums * Joel Taylor – drums...
- 2004: Raison D'êtreRaison D'être (album)-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – electric guitar, arrangement, mixing, production, executive production*Billy Cobham – drums, percussion*Ric Fierabracci – bass guitar*Steve Billman – bass guitar*Robert M. Biles – engineering, mixing*Dave Frederic – engineering...
- 2006: Natural HighNatural High (Frank Gambale album)- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – acoustic guitar, mixing, production* Otmaro Ruíz – piano* Mike Shapiro – percussion* Alain Caron – bass guitar* Robert M. Biles – engineering, mixing* Dave Fredrick – audio editing* Jim Schultz – audio editing...
- 2010: Natural SelectionNatural Selection (Frank Gambale album)Natural Selection is the eleventh studio album by guitarist Frank Gambale, released in 2010 through Wombat Records.-Track listing:-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – jazz guitar, mixing, production*Otmaro Ruíz – piano*Joel Taylor – percussion...
Live albums
- 1989: Live!Live! (Frank Gambale album)-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mixing, production*Kei Akagi – keyboard*Joe Heredia – drums*Steve Kershisnik – bass guitar*Steve Tavaglione – saxophone, EWI*John Falzarano – engineering*Ray Thompson – engineering...
- 2001: Resident Alien – Live Bootlegs
- 2002: Absolutely Live - In Poland
- 2007: Made in Australia (with Virgil DonatiVirgil DonatiVirgil Donati is an Australian drummer, frequent drum clinician and a producer. He is currently playing with the band Planet X and Seven the Hardway among other projects. Virgil is perhaps most well known for his fast, highly technical drumming skills...
and Ric FierabracciRic FierabracciRic Fierabracci, is an American bass guitarist who has toured and/or recorded with such artists as Frank Gambale, Chick Corea, Sir Tom Jones, Dave Weckl, Bradley Joseph, Shakira, Nancy Sinatra, Planet X, The 5th Dimension, The Beach Boys, and Yanni...
)
Compilation albums
- 2006: Best of Jazz & Rock Fusion
- 2006: Best of the Smooth Jazz Side
- 2006: Best of the Acoustic Side
Collaborations with the Mark Varney Project
- 1990: Truth in ShreddingTruth in Shredding-Personnel:*Frank Gambale – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, engineering, mixing, production*Allan Holdsworth – electric guitar, SynthAxe, overdub engineering*Freddy Ravel – keyboard*Tom Brechtlein – drums*Jimmy Earl – bass guitar...
(with Allan HoldsworthAllan HoldsworthAllan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
) - 1991: Centrifugal FunkCentrifugal Funk- Personnel :* Frank Gambale – electric guitar * Brett Garsed – electric guitar * Shawn Lane – electric guitar * Mike O'Neill – electric guitar * T.J...
(with Brett GarsedBrett GarsedBrett Garsed is an Australian guitar player. He plays with, among others, John Farnham and T. J. Helmerich and is a former member of the band Nelson...
and Shawn LaneShawn LaneShawn Lane was an American musician. Although piano was his first instrument, he quickly became a noted player in underground guitar circles and joined Black Oak Arkansas when he was just fourteen years old....
)
Collaborations with Stuart Hamm and Steve Smith
- 1998: Show Me What You Can Do
- 2000: The Light Beyond
- 2002: GHS 3
Collaborations with Maurizio Colonna
- 2000: Imagery Suite (Also known as Playgame)
- 2005: Live (with Maurizio Colonna)
- 2007: Bon Voyage
With the Chick Corea Elektric Band
- 1986: The Chick Corea Elektric Band
- 1987: Light Years
- 1988: Eye Of The Beholder
- 1990: Inside Out
- 1991: Beneath The Mask
- 1996: The Songs of West Side Story
- 2004: To The Stars
- 2004: Chick Corea Elektric Band Live at Montreux DVD
With Vital Information
- 1988: Fiafiaga
- 1991: Vital Live
- 1992: Easier Done Than Said
- 1996: Ray Of Hope
- 1998: Where We Come From
- 2000: Live Around the World
- 2000: Live From Mars
- 2002: Show 'em Where You Live
- 2004: Come On In
Video releases
- 1988: Monster Licks & Speed Picking
- 1991: Modes: No More Mystery
- 1997: Improvisation Made Easier
- 2000: Chopbuilder: The Ultimate Guitar Workout
- 2003: Concert with Class
- 2007: Acoustic Improvisation
Instructional books
- The Frank Gambale Technique Book Part I
- The Frank Gambale Technique Book Part II
- Improvisation Made Easier
- The Best of Frank Gambale