Gambale, Hamm & Smith "The Light Beyond"

The new Gambale, Hamm & Smith recording picks up where their last recording ("Show Me What You Can Do") left off and goes light years beyond. With a renewed emphasis on composition and a "go for broke" approach to improvising, this trio has really matured into a powerhouse unit. Writer Josef Woodard has stated, "Reports of fusion's death have been greatly exaggerated. This trio generates a special kind of energy and sensitivity. " Drummer Smith offers the following, "There's a lot of melody involved in most of the tunes on "The Light Beyond", and the melodies are not that obscure, or totally jazz fusion melodies. For the most part, the material is fairly melodic, but without being sappy. It's somehow a fine line that really works, through strong melodies and rhythmic foundation." Woodard concludes, "With the album's matrix of influences and ideas, fusion, by whatever name, lives."