Customer Reviews

Ghs 3

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have listened to piles of fusion in my day, and this is one of the greats. No, it is not the most intense music out there, but is far more musical than most fusion, which ends up being a mere chops fest. All three of these excellent musicians play at their best, especially Frank Gambale, who simply wails. Every tune is strong too. Bring on more like this one.

I love rich melodic bass lines that are all over the fret board, and this cd (indeed, ALL of the cd's from Gambale Hamm Smith) delivers the goods.

For my money, you can leave your "chops" at the curb if there isn't any melody to augment them. But there are both chops AND melodies abundant on this cd. Stu Hamm is truly one of the world's premier bass players, Gambale frequently plays in the Allan Holdsworth style (that's a good thing), and drummer extraordinaire Steve Smith (Jean-Luc Ponty, Journey(!), Vital Information, etc., etc.) is an ideal drummer for this very-demanding style of music.

As a self-proclaimed "prog head", I guess I'd prefer a bit more in the way of keyboards here, but that's a minor quibble. I've got plenty of keyboard-driven progressive jazz fusion cd's to satiate those desires anyway. As a reference point, this bears close similitudes with the mid-80's albums of Bill Connors.

Interesting, driving, soulful music played exceptionally well, with fine production. It's exactly what I was seeking when I took a chance on this one.

I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:
Music quality = 8.8/10; Performance = 9.5/10; Production = 9/10; CD length = 10/10.
Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 9.1 ("4-1/2 stars")

I have seen Steve Smith and Vital Information perform on several occasions, and have also seen Stu Hamm. Having these three master musicians in the same band makes for one intense musical ride. I thought "The Light Beyond" was very good, and this release definitely takes things a step further. The tunes here give each member more than enough chances to display incredible chops, so no one will be dissappointed. Some fusion albums can go a bit over the top as far as the soloing, even for the serious musicians out there. However, not this one. The solos are mind-boggling, but they never detract form the songs, which are very well composed and arranged. These guys keep getting better and better! I hope they continue to put out new material.

This disc is intense fusion with great soloing and excellent composition. The trio here just rip it up and pull out all the stops, virtuoso mania-style! The material is varied also, which is great, Frank Gambale uses both his electric and acoustic guitar with equalling effect, a true master player. Plus, there are Steve Smith and Stu Hamm individual solo showcase pieces which are moving and fun! Highly recommended and one of this years best in the fusion genre. Highlights include, All In Your Head, The Great Roberto, Geo 100, Saving Grace & The Challenger.

Frank Gambale, Stuart Hamm and Steve Smith have done it once again. "Show Me What You Can Do", "The Light Beyond" and now "GHS 3". You can't find better musicians on the instruments: guitar, bass and drums. And each of the songs are well written; even the drum solo track held this listener's attention. Keep em coming guys.

If every track on here were like Confuse-a-Blues, it would have gotten 5 stars from me. That track has gotten more playing time at hardcore music parties than any other in recent memory with requests for more. I have to admit, I wasn't a huge fan of Stuart Hamm from the get go. Gambale and Smith always were ones I followed from first hearing. But, this group really came together on this cd with some challenging and "in your face" tracks on here...Hamm being a very nice part of it.

If you are a hardcore "fusionistic" music fan like me who really enjoys just a trio laying it down and challening your listening skills, this may be a good one to pick up. Although, that is what is nice about these websites...you can listen before you make the mistake of buying a $15 lemon.

Whether you will like this particular release really depends on how challenging you like your music, if you like artists to keep playing the same old stuff or expand their horizons, and ultimately, what your vision is of the future of this recently revived genre called "fusion".
This group has nothing new to say. The tunes have a feel similiar to Vital Info, more upbeat and melodic with easy to follow drumming. This doesn't feel like a group that's committed to each other and creating new and interesting material. Gambale's solos are starting to sound "samey" and Steve's drum solo is simply boring, especially when you consider he's basing it on Indian rhythms and you think of Shakti and Zakir Hussain. Yeah, Frank still shreds and even plays acoustic on a few to vary the flavor, but he plays acoustic like he plays electric, and so much of acoustic is about touch, tone and dynamics. Frank is not a subtle player.
Those wanting more accessible, rock-oriented fusion will be happy with this one. Those looking for the harder edge of the previous two from this group or for a group that likes to experiment with the genre more like Hellborg/Lane/Snipe (compare "Personae" with "Good People in Times of Evil") may want to think twice. You could also wait for the new Scott Henderson release and see if maybe THAT group is willing to explore new ground.