# Frank Gambale: Live



## distressed_romeo (Apr 19, 2007)

Just dug this record out again and did some transcribing (see the 'jazz line resource' section). I appreciate this guy more the more I hear him. Everyone seems to have him pinned as yet another shredder/sweep-picker, when, to my ears, it's his phrasing and harmonic vocabulary that really set him apart from the pack. The guy makes the nastiest changes sound as effortless as a twelve-bar blues.

He's just been roped into Troy Grady's 'Cracking the Code' film, which is going to be interesting, as apparently there are a lot of aspects of his technical approach that have been misunderstood (for instance, he's not a strict economy picker, despite being the undisputed master of that technique...for certain sorts of lines he switches back to alternate picking, and incorporates a fair bit of legato too).


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## LilithXShred (Apr 19, 2007)

Yeah i saw the trailer of frank doing a take for "cracking the code" a few months ago... his sweep picking is so damn clean, even in super slow motion. I'm not a big fan of his music though, he's for sure a great composer and tasteful musician, but it's not my cup of tea ^^. Maybe i need to get hold of some more music by him.


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## kung_fu (Apr 19, 2007)

I've been a fan of franks since the second i heard him. I think the reason he often gets lumped into the souless/sweep/shredder category is due in part to people who have an uncontrollable boner for sweep picking. They unfairly lump frank into the same category as johnny no licks who can do nothing but sweep pick, wheras anybody can tell you frank has much more to offer with his playing. Most of his youtube vids have the word 'sweeping' in the title so that kinda adds to this.

I have never seen or heard him perform any of his solo stuff in a live setting, aside from his concert with class video which i love, but his playing with the elektrik band is incredible. I love when he plays unison/harmonized runs with the sax player, their tones fit nicely together. Frank is right up there with allan holdsworth for me in every category: tone, technique, composition, phrasing, and especially note choice.


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## God Hand Apostle (Apr 20, 2007)

To me, Gambales electric tone has never been very good. It's the best now compared to his earlier works though, to my ears. But his jazz box clean with the Yamaha AES-1500 crazy good. 

The playing is always spectacular!!!

If I could have a lesson with anyone, it would be Gambale. I think he's a great teacher as well. Every time I see a new instructional with him little lights go off in my head.


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## kung_fu (Apr 20, 2007)

some outtakes off of cracking the code(?)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eewz4u7w2xE

i've seen him playing that guitar a lot lately. what exactly is it?

oh, i found it

http://yamaha.com/guitars/products/productdetail/0,,CNTID%25253D545080%252526CTID%25253D5040746%252526CNTYP%25253DPRODUCT,00.html


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## Shawn (Apr 29, 2007)

I've always liked Frank Gambale. His "The Light Beyond" cd is pretty amazing too.


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## yespleasevicar (May 1, 2007)

Does anyone else really like his voice, the Alan Titchmarsh of shredding


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## distressed_romeo (May 5, 2007)

yespleasevicar said:


> Does anyone else really like his voice, the Alan Titchmarsh of shredding


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## jacksonplayer (May 16, 2007)

His playing is awesome, but the "Live" album sounds really dated to me now. His more recent "live bootlegs" album kicks ass, though.


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## distressed_romeo (May 16, 2007)

jacksonplayer said:


> His playing is awesome, but the "Live" album sounds really dated to me now. His more recent "live bootlegs" album kicks ass, though.



Yeah, it is very '80s fusion', particularly the keyboard sound.


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## Metal Ken (May 16, 2007)

jacksonplayer said:


> His playing is awesome, but the "Live" album sounds really dated to me now. His more recent "live bootlegs" album kicks ass, though.



I love his chopbuilder disc, but the live samples on there sound like background music for the sex hotline commercials that come on at 2 am. 

I'd like to hear some more recent stuff.


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## jacksonplayer (May 16, 2007)

Metal Ken said:


> I'd like to hear some more recent stuff.



Then definitely get the live bootlegs album (it's on Frank's own label). It's culled from two more recent shows at the Baked Potato with his trio. The trio setting allows him to go wild, and you don't have all of those cheezy "sex hotline" keyboards getting in the way.


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## Shawn (May 16, 2007)

jacksonplayer said:


> Then definitely get the live bootlegs album (it's on Frank's own label). It's culled from two more recent shows at the Baked Potato with his trio. The trio setting allows him to go wild, and you don't have all of those cheezy "sex hotline" keyboards getting in the way.



I'll have to check that out.


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## kmanick (May 17, 2007)

I love Franks playing!
He's a great teacher and his own stuff (newer anyway) is very cool.
here's a somewhat "smoking " clip of frank doing what he does best
YouTube - frank gambale solo

MetalKen here's something more recent
YouTube - Frank Gambale playing Frankly Speaking Live.


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## kung_fu (Jul 1, 2007)

I finally got my hands on a used copy of this album. He gets cookin pretty good on some songs . He really takes them to a different place. I like the dedication to his brother "who keeps asking me to make an album of how i really play"


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## Leec (Jul 15, 2007)

yespleasevicar said:


> Does anyone else really like his voice, the Alan Titchmarsh of shredding



 

I loved nearly all of his tones, from Present From The Future (one of my fave albums by him) right up to his latest works with VI and To The Stars.

Check this out: with Donati!!

YouTube - sandeep chowta presents Bunny Brunel and Frank Gambale


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## Shawn (Jul 17, 2007)

Bunny Brunel and Virgil Donati =


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