Frank Gambale

Infobox musical artist
Name = Frank Gambale


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
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Born = December 22, 1958 (aged 49)
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Origin = Canberra, Australia [ [http://www.frankgambale.com/bio.html Biography at official website] ]
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Genre = Jazz fusion, instrumental rock
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Years_active = 1986 – present
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Associated_acts = Chick Corea
URL = [http://www.frankgambale.com/ Official website]
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Frank Gambale (born December 22, 1958) is an Australian jazz fusion guitarist. He is renowned for his use of the sweep picking and economy picking techniques.

Biography

He graduated from the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in Hollywood with Student Of The Year honors. After graduation, he played the jazz club circuit with his own band and published his first book, "Speed Picking". In 1986 he signed a three-album contract with a small label called Legato. In that same year, he toured with Jean-Luc Ponty, and shortly afterwards began a six-year stint with Chick Corea's band. During his time with the latter, he participated in five albums and shared a Grammy award (with two Grammy nominations).

An endorsement deal with Ibanez guitars came about in 1986, which spawned the bright yellow-coloured Frank Gambale (now FGM series) model guitar, modeled after the Saber Series line; this went on sale in 1987. Yamaha also manufactured a Frank Gambale model guitar after he left Ibanez in the 1990s. In 1988 he signed with the JVC label, and released "Thunder From Down Under" the following year. Gambale also served as head of the Guitar Department of Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA) during this time.

Gambale began his own record label called Wombat Records on which he re-released his early Legato catalog and a new a double live CD called "Resident Alien: Live Bootlegs", along with a duet CD with classical guitarist Maurizio Colonna, called "Imagery Suite". He also recorded one album, "Coming To Your Senses", for Steve Vai's Favored Nations label in 2000.

Gambale has been a member of the band Vital Information since 1988, with the group consisting of drummer Steve Smith, keyboardist Tom Coster and bassist Baron Browne. He also played on three trio recordings with bassist Stu Hamm and Steve Smith on Mike Varney's Tone Center Records. In addition to concert recordings, he has released a concert DVD called "Concert With Class".

In 2004, Gambale reunited with Chick Corea and toured Europe with the Chick Corea Elektric Band.

Discography

tudio albums

* "Brave New Guitar" (1986)
* "A Present For The Future" (1987)
* "Thunder From Down Under" (1989)
* "The Great Explorers" (1990)
* "Note Worker" (1991)
* "Passages" (1994)
* "Thinking Out Loud" (1995)
* "Coming To Your Senses" (2000)
* "Raison d'Être" (2004)
* "Natural High" (2006)

Live albums

* "Live!" (1989)
* "Gambale & Colonna" (2000)
* "Resident Aliens: Live Bootlegs" (2001)
* "Absolutely Live - In Poland" (2002)
* "Made In Australia" (2007)

=Collaboration albums with Stu Hamm and Steve Smith=

* "Show Me What You Can Do" (1998)
* "The Light Beyond" (2000)
* "GHS 3" (2002)

References

External links

* [http://www.frankgambale.com/ Official Website]
* [http://www.music-city.org/Frank-Gambale/discography/ Frank Gambale discography]
* [http://www.vitalinformation.com/vital/index.htm Vital Information Web Site]