Frank Gambale
Natural High

Capable of transitioning from the most classic of jazz guitar styles to fusion tinged with progressive hues, Frank Gambale is one of the few guitarists in the '80s and '90s who managed to contribute something truly unique or almost to music.
A musician of great class and technique, this guitar hero, Gambale has consistently expressed himself at high levels of excellence, whether as a soloist or in larger ensembles (Chick Corea Electric Band, Vital Information, and in trio with Hamm and Smith), without showing the slightest decline in 22 years of illustrious career.
So it is, to celebrate 20 years of music, our Frank returns to the market with a new album of originals titled "Natural High", in which he manages to express for the first time his more gentle and elegant soul, eliminating any electronic influence from the songs, favoring instead only acoustic instruments: what results is truly incredible! This "Natural High" seems more like a single song divided into 9 episodes, each of which bursts with a zest for life and energy from every single note, both in the most vibrant moments like "Fortune" or as happens in "Another Challenger", and in more relaxed moments such as "Principesa", veiled with a subtle but pleasant melancholy.
Describing each song further seems rather pointless, since we could say we are facing music composed with a well-tested formula that nevertheless does not stray from the typical artist's canons, while still being fresh and never clichéd, yet I would like to highlight the performance of Gambale & Friends truly devoid of the slightest flaw and if concerning Gambale the fact is not too surprising, what astounds is the performance of Otmaro Ruiz on piano endowed with unique class; naturally, in terms of the rhythm section, the Australian guitarist has chosen to be accompanied by two true masters, we find on bass Alain Caron, engaged in splendid solos with his acoustic bass, which give the album a sense of magic that I have rarely encountered in such modern albums, and on percussion (the drums do not appear among the instruments) we find Mike Shapiro, capable of carving out a leading role thanks to his extreme ability to be as discreet as he is precious.
In summary, we can thus affirm that we are in front of a true masterpiece of the genre, which only serves to underscore once again how much this artist possesses a class and elegance that today many could not even dream of.
Thank you, Frank.